Shortcut ALT-L conflicted with Apple-@ (ALT/Option-L)

[elvquant]

On MacOS the @ has keystroke ALT/Option-L. Typing this in filter-field i then open up the "Liberate"-menue

ALT-I ⁄
ALT-L @
ALT-X ≈
ALT-F ƒ
ALT-V √
ALT-S ‚

[Mbucari]

This isn't actually a bug. These are shortcut keys to access menu items. If you just press the alt key, you'll see certain letters in the menu names get underlined. The underlined letter is the alt key code that opens that menu. As you've discovered, Alt+L opens the liberate menu.

[elvquant]

ALT-L is the traditional keystroke on macOS for @, like ALTGR-Q on Windows. Traditional CMD-Keys on Apple are for Menue based shortcuts. ALT opens the third layer of keys on the keyboard on Apple Systems. (1st normal, 2nd shift, 3rd ALT, 4th Shift-ALT)
Its a minor-mini issue, of course and a work around is to copy'n'paste (CMD-C/CMD-V) data to the filter field.

[rmcrackan]

@elvquant On Mac, does ALT typically open up menus for the active program?

@Mbucari Is this the same issue?

[Mbucari]

@rmcrackan that looks like it. I also asked a question about this, and it looks like it's pretty easy to do.

[elvquant]

@rmcrackan No. On macOS the are no keys to open a menu. Keystrokes/Shortcuts are combined with menu-entries, to start the action. (For user response the text of the top menu flickers, the menu never opens). See below.
On macOS menu inside a window not standard, macOS application always have a top-screen menu-line, which switches depends of the active application/selected windows. Ported application do have window-menus and macOS-user can handle it. :-)

Example "Finder" (Application), Ablage (File-Menu), Bearbeiten (Edit), ...

• CMD-N
• Shift-CMD-N
• Ctrl-CMD-N

[Mbucari]

It looks like native menus are actually supported.
AvaloniaUI/Avalonia#898 (comment)

I need to see what they do on Windows and Linux before I commit to using them, but it looks promising.

[Mbucari]

Let's focus on the Alt key problem in this issue. Native menus are a separate issue.

We cannot change the alt key for menu item accelerators. It's hard-coded. @rmcrackan The issue you linked to is about swallowing the alt keypress.

The only way to not swallow the alt key and have menu shortcuts is to the Avalonia's built-in hotkeys. I'll look into it.

[Mbucari]

@elvquant I think I've fixed the hotkey problem, but I don't have a mac to test. Would you mind downloading and testing the preview build?

[Mbucari]

Specifically, please test if the shortcut keys actually work. Alt no longer triggers shortcuts, but I'm not sure if ⌘ will. Try ⌘+V to see if it opens your Visible Books menu.

[Mbucari]

Alright, I've confirmed that the mac command key now works for menu quick access.

Also, I've fixed the native menu:

I could use native menus for Libation's entire menu bar, but unfortunately doing that would break the new guided tour. So for now, it's staying inside the Libation window.

[Mbucari]

@rmcrackan We need a better "About" page.

[rmcrackan]

@Mbucari you say that as if it's possible to have a worse one

[CharlieRussel]

@Mbucari & @rmcrackan -- It would be good to have it include a link to the latest update in there. Just for those folks who have initially declined the update but now want it. And it's a fairly typical inclusion.

[Mbucari]

@Mbucari you say that as if it's possible to have a worse one

I was trying to think of something worse for a snarky reply, but I couldn't. You're right, it literally could not be any worse.

@CharlieRussel good call

[Mbucari]

@CharlieRussel @rmcrackan

Also...

[CharlieRussel]

@Mbucari I like it, though I'm not 100% convinced that Loaded Assemblies makes any sense to 99% of your users. But maybe an Acknowledgements section, now that we've had more than just @rmcrackan working on this?

[elvquant]

I looking forward to the newer version (About Dialog, mac, menus, and hotkeys).

Looks great!

[Mbucari]

@elvquant it's live with version 10.0.4

[elvquant]

Fantastic. Thanks a lot, again (after pre-amazon-germany lightspeed fix)