Bug 152522 - Assign <Alt>+<Del> to .uno:DeleteColumns in calc for shortcut parity as with Tables in Writer
Summary: Assign <Alt>+<Del> to .uno:DeleteColumns in calc for shortcut parity as with ...
Status: RESOLVED WONTFIX
Alias: None
Product: LibreOffice
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Calc (show other bugs)
Version:
(earliest affected)
7.4.2.3 release
Hardware: All All
: medium enhancement
Assignee: Not Assigned
URL:
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks: Shortcuts-Accelerators Cell-Add-Delete
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Reported: 2022-12-15 14:35 UTC by Jonny Grant
Modified: 2022-12-22 17:20 UTC (History)
3 users (show)

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Crash report or crash signature:


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Description Jonny Grant 2022-12-15 14:35:37 UTC
https://help.libreoffice.org/6.0/he/text/swriter/guide/table_cells.html#:~:text=To%20delete%20a%20column%2C%20place,or%20the%20right%20arrow%20key.

Writer allows me to delete a column by pressing Alt+Delete and then Right arrow.

Can Calc support similar? It's a time consuming to right click and chose "Delete columns" from the context menu.
Comment 1 V Stuart Foote 2022-12-15 15:20:18 UTC
The UNO control is .uno:DeleteColumns

Trivial to assign [1] to meet personal preference, as not all actions require pre-assigned short cuts. IMHO => WF if an assignment is requested.

=-ref-=

[1] Use the Tools -> Customize... dialog on the Keyboard tab.  Enter "Delete Columns" in the functions search field. In the Shotcut Keys listbox above, locate the shortcut you would like to assign the action to: <Alt>+<Del> is available, highlight select it.

With highlight selection of Shortcut above and on the Function below, use the 'Modify' button to make the assignment.

That will persist in your user profile until you clear it.
Comment 2 Jonny Grant 2022-12-15 15:57:10 UTC
Hello Stuart

Thank you for this. I was able to set it.
We have many computers, would be good if it could be standardised across Calc on all installs, to save users going around setting this up. Would bring it into alignment with LO Writer then - would you reconsider it?

BTW, that "Modify" button sounds unclear, I propose "Assign" as better English.
Comment 3 V Stuart Foote 2022-12-15 16:08:10 UTC
suggestion as enhancement, for UX consideration

-1, simple and appropriate to Customize...
Comment 4 Jonny Grant 2022-12-15 16:11:18 UTC
Thank you Stuart, it would align with LO Writer then.
Comment 5 Heiko Tietze 2022-12-16 08:40:40 UTC
.uno:DeleteColumns is not assigned to any shortcut on my system. Applying it on a 5x5 table it deletes all but the last column without lef/right. And I wonder how to customize the delayed functionality anyway (and would removed this timed function). Maybe a question of Windows/Linux.

If a shortcut is not well known neither working cross-platform and very "advanced" anyway I would not assign it by default. So -1 from my side.
Comment 6 V Stuart Foote 2022-12-16 15:22:08 UTC
Actually, the '3-second' timed keyboard edit mode in Writer tables was removed [1] at 6.1 for bug 116452 freeing up the <Alt>+<Ins> and <Alt>+<Del> keys for assignment via customization.

The Help articles were not updated, and didn't get adjusted [2] until the 7.0 release, bug 122162.

Current LO 7.4 help does not include the LO 6.0 help article linked in OP.

So, put another way--Writer and Calc are already at parity now. The .uno:DeleteColumns can be Customize... assigned for any module, or for entire suite.

Not clear what release OP is working with and how the defunct timer based keyboard edit feature would continue to work, if it is.

But, assigning the <Alt>+<Del> to .uno:DeleteColumns for Tables in calc sheets and  Tables in Writer text documents by default would be possible, but not too useful.

=-ref-=
[1] https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/51872
[2] https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/help/+/70614
Comment 7 Jonny Grant 2022-12-19 14:56:22 UTC
It would be really useful. Keyboard shortcuts are very useful. All our desktop installs would benefit. Much quicker than making everyone click through.

Its really time-consuming for staff to need to go around and manually set up
Excel has various shortcuts.

https://www.causal.app/excel-shortcuts/delete-column-shortcut-excel#:~:text=Ctrl%20%2B%20Delete%20%2D%20This%20shortcut%20will,remaining%20cells%20up%20or%20left.
Comment 8 V Stuart Foote 2022-12-19 16:01:29 UTC
(In reply to Jonny Grant from comment #7)
> It would be really useful. Keyboard shortcuts are very useful. All our
> desktop installs would benefit. Much quicker than making everyone click
> through.
> 
> Its really time-consuming for staff to need to go around and manually set up
>...

So, do it for them. Via LibreOffice Extension, or push via a management script. Simply add these stanzas to their individual user profiles (registrymodifications.xcu) found in windows on %APPDATA%\LibreOffice\4\User --

<item oor:path="/org.openoffice.Office.Accelerators/PrimaryKeys/Modules/org.openoffice.Office.Accelerators:Module['com.sun.star.presentation.PresentationDocument']"><node oor:name="DELETE_MOD2" oor:op="replace"><prop oor:name="Command" oor:op="fuse"><value xml:lang="en-US">.uno:DeleteColumns</value></prop></node></item>
<item oor:path="/org.openoffice.Office.Accelerators/PrimaryKeys/Modules/org.openoffice.Office.Accelerators:Module['com.sun.star.sheet.SpreadsheetDocument']"><node oor:name="DELETE_MOD2" oor:op="replace"><prop oor:name="Command" oor:op="fuse"><value xml:lang="en-US">.uno:DeleteColumns</value></prop></node></item>
<item oor:path="/org.openoffice.Office.Accelerators/PrimaryKeys/Modules/org.openoffice.Office.Accelerators:Module['com.sun.star.text.TextDocument']"><node oor:name="DELETE_MOD2" oor:op="replace"><prop oor:name="Command" oor:op="fuse"><value xml:lang="en-US">.uno:DeleteColumns</value></prop></node></item>

They are respectively the <Alt>+<Del> shortcut assignments for Impress, Calc, and Writer.

As to assigning by default, not clear it would be best assignment of the shortcut.

@Heiko?
Comment 9 Heiko Tietze 2022-12-22 09:53:41 UTC
The topic was on the agenda of the design meeting but didn't receive further input.

My take: Alt+Delete is assigned to "Delete Columns" in Writer, and either we  do the same for Calc or remove it in Writer. But if we add the shortcut we should first of all consider to assign something to "Delete rows", maybe Shift+Alt+Delete.

Adding shortcuts should always be considered very carefully because a) a combination is occupied and cannot be used for other functions, and b) removing a shortcut is much more annoying for users who are familiar with it.

From the META ticket I found bug 136670 requesting ctrl + minus to remove a row/column.

We should check how it works in other applications and decided then.
Comment 10 V Stuart Foote 2022-12-22 17:20:20 UTC
OK then,

.uno:DeleteColumns is freely customizable, and not a documentation issue

 => WF