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What shortcut sets have you seen that you would consider logical and easy to remember that could be used for navigating a tree view? They need to be complementary to Windows shortcuts and not conflict with any of them.

Specifically, I'm looking for shortcut keys that would do at least these operations:

  1. Go to the next node
  2. Go to the previous node
  3. Go to the next node at the same level
  4. Go to the previous node at the same level
  5. Go to the next node at the parent level
  6. Go to the previous node at the parent level
  7. Go to the next node child level
  8. Go to the previous node at the child level

An illustration: maybe use Ctrl-leftarrow and Ctrl-rightarrow for next node at the parent and child levels, since left-arrow implies moving left in the tree view and right implies moving right in the tree view.

I've looked around and found some really bad ones (e.g. Inspect uses CTRL+SHIFT+Fn keys), but haven't found anything that seems simple for my users.

lkessler
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2 Answers2

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I googled around a little bit and came up with the following. Maybe it'll help? Personally, I was looking for something a little more extensive.

http://www.screenio.com/gui_screenio/gs_htmlhelp_subweb/controls/keyboard-treeview.htm

Michael Beck
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If you're asking users and they've already told you what is complicated for them. Try doing some user testing and tell them that the functionality is there (even though it isn't) but to see if they can work out how to use it. Then see what they try and do and if there are any standard actions they (your actual users) try for this functionality. If there is, then I'd use that!

Don't let this go on to long before actually telling them the actual situation so they don't get too frustrated.

Matt Lacey
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  • If there aren't already any logical set of shortcuts already available, then that's what I'll have to do. But tree views have been around for a long time. Surely there is some program out there that has devised a good set. – lkessler Apr 04 '11 at 19:29
  • Only 17 views in 5 days. I'll give you the answer for now. If someone gives me a reasonable set of shortcuts to use, or a reference to something related, I may have to accept their answer instead. – lkessler Apr 10 '11 at 01:24