The keystroke combos that I used are "SHIFT+ (a number key on the numberpad corresponding most closely to the desired VBM hexside - so SHIFT+NUMPAD8 for hexside 1 and SHIFT+NUMPAD2 for hexside 4). VASSAL defined this as Page-Up, Page-Down, etc. So "Clear" is SHIFT+NUMPAD1.
My thought was that if people actually like adding a VBM counter in this fashion, I would change the keystrokes to something clearer/easier in the official release version.
Doug,
I walked through the keys on my keyboard and found the following.
First, I tried 3 different key/key-combos for each hexside.
- I used the keys only labeled Home/Page Up/Page down/End/Down Arrow. In this case I have no key labeled "clear" on my keyboard.
- I used the numPad with "NumLock" off, using just the key. In this case I have Home/PgUp/PgDn/End/Up/Down/Left/Right/blank
- I used the numPad with 'NumLock"on, using SHIFT+NumPad. In this case I have the following numPad1(End)/numpad2(down)/numpad3(PgDn)/numpad4(left)/numpad5(blank)/numpad6(right)/numpad7(Home)/numpad8(up)/numpad9(PgUp)
In all three cases, the correct hexside is placed based on the alphanumeric label, not the numpad position. So for instance, to get hexside 1, I can not type SHIFT+NumPad8 (which is the up arrow on my numpad) but need to type either NumPad5 with the lock off or SHIFT_NumPad5 with the lock on. I have no labeled "Clear" key on the keyboard.
For hexside 4, I need to type either of the down arrow keys, or SHIFT+NumPad2 if the lock is on.
For hexside 5, I need to type either of the End keys, or SHIFT+NumPad1 if the lock is on.
It is strange the keys are mapped differently on my keyboard's NumPad then on yours. I have a Dell keyboard that came with my computer.
I will also add that the shortcut key sequences for moving, using the CTRL+NumPad key sequence work as they are listed in the drop down. So in that case moving to hexside 1 is CTRL+NumPad8, but that is the Up arrow. It is strange that when I edit the prototype in the editor, when you select the SHIFT+NUMPAD# keys VASSAL fills in the alphanumeric (like "Up" when I select SHIFT+NUMPAD8), but if you use the CTRL+NUMPAD# keys it fills it in as "CTRL+NUMPAD#". I suspect his is due to how the keyboard codes the key when pressed and the shift key redefines the key to whatever is the lower of the possible two choices for each key as displayed on the actual key instead of tacking on the CTRL or ALT to the key. I did go back into the editor and tried the ALT sequence and got "ALT+NUMPAD#" to show up, however, when I release the ALT key it overwrites that with a symbol, almost as if it registers the ALT off coming from the keyboard as a different key sequence. I then waited to release the ALT key until I moved the focus within the dialog box (moving it to the end of menu command field) and it then tacked that symbol to the end of that text but left the ALT+NUMPAD# in the shortcut key definition field. When I save and run, the ALT+NUMPAD key works as defined.
With all that said, I like the feature. It does a similar task to the Non-Emplaced Gun feature, i.e., it allows the player to use the drop-down menu or shortcut key to place the counter without requiring the player to dive into the counter tray structure to find it. No one has to use it, but it is there for those that want to use it.
