Binds using shift keys

[Shenanigunner]

For those who don't know, yes, binds can use the three shift keys to multiply the number of useful bind keys.

 

But I just finished checking a behavior I've suspected for a while, which may be new at some point in the Homecoming arc or go all the way back to the beginning. If you do not specify a bind for a SHIFT+KEY operation, it will work exactly as if the root keybind and the shifted keybind are the same.

 

That is, if for example you bind F to follow:

/bind F "follow"

...pressing F will, gosharoonie, make your alt follow the selected target. However... pressing ALT+F, CTRL+F and SHIFT+F will also make your alt go a-following, basically ignoring the shift key.

 

If you want to prevent this behavior, you have to bind the shifted alternatives to nop, so that they have a specific do-nothing (or do-something-else) action and don't defaullt to the root key:

/bind F "follow"
/bind CTRL+F "nop"
/bind ALT+F "nop"
/bind SHIFT+F "nop"

Note that binding a key to "nop" and to "" (a null assignment) are NOT the same thing. The empty bind leaves interpretation open, as above; the "nop" puts a solid "do nothing" command in place.

 

This is a pretty subtle problem and maybe a non-problem if, say, you want F to work pretty much no matter what shift key you might be accidentally pressing. But in more elaborate bind sets, it can be useful to make sure ALT+F isn't interpreted as F. And so forth.

 

Guide updated with all this info.

 

Edited December 5, 2020 by Shenanigunner

[Ironblade]

Also useful for 'erasing' binds.  With one keypress, I load about 20 binds onto my numeric keypad for running the Abandoned Sewer Trial.  When I'm done, one keypress loads a new bindfile that assigns NOP to every one of those keys.

[EmmySky]

Good info!

 

I had originally bound 'push to talk' for discord to shift+`, thinking this would avoid the boatload of screenshots, since ` is my screenshot bind in-game.  After your post, I checked my screenie folder and it was packed!  A quick fix, my keybind file now sports a 'shift+` "nop"' so it avoids that issue.

[Shenanigunner]

15 hours ago, Ironblade said:

Also useful for 'erasing' binds.  With one keypress, I load about 20 binds onto my numeric keypad for running the Abandoned Sewer Trial.  When I'm done, one keypress loads a new bindfile that assigns NOP to every one of those keys.

The null string of probably better for erasing binds. When you nop them, it becomes a permanent entry in the bind file, which could lead to exceeding the file size limit of about 240 lines.

 

Use ”" to delete binds and "nop" to blank them out (especially to null out default binds the game night otherwise restore).

[Ironblade]

4 hours ago, Shenanigunner said:

The null string of probably better for erasing binds. When you nop them, it becomes a permanent entry in the bind file, which could lead to exceeding the file size limit of about 240 lines.

 

Use ”" to delete binds and "nop" to blank them out (especially to null out default binds the game night otherwise restore).

Cool.

I just edited my bindfile and tested it.  Works fine.  Thanks for the info.