Revit Addin Tab and buttons Shortcut

Customizing Shortcut Keys for Tabs and buttons in Revit Add-ins

When developing Revit add-ins, it's essential to provide users with intuitive and efficient ways to access your custom functionalities. One effective method is to assign shortcut keys to tabs, allowing users to quickly navigate through the add-in's features. In Revit, all shortcut keys for tabs are stored in the tab itself under the property KeyTip. This article will guide you through the process of setting up these shortcuts and ensuring they do not conflict with existing ones.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Shortcut Keys

1. Accessing the Tab of Your Add-in: To set a shortcut key for a tab in your add-in, you first need to get a reference to the tab. Typically, this is done during the initialization phase of your add-in.

    // Example of getting the tab and setting the KeyTip
    string tabName = "YourTabName";
   
    var ribbonControl = Autodesk.Windows.ComponentManager.Ribbon;
    var mytab = ribbonControl.Tabs.First(o => o.Name == tabName);
    mytab.KeyTip = "Y"; // Set your desired shortcut here
   

2. Choosing the Shortcut Key: It is crucial to choose a shortcut key that does not conflict with existing ones. The KeyTip property accepts a single or more characters, which will be used in combination with the ALT key. To ensure uniqueness, iterate through all existing tabs and collect their shortcut keys.

    string tabName = "YourTabName";
    var ribbonControl = Autodesk.Windows.ComponentManager.Ribbon;
   
    List<string> existingShortcuts = new List<string>();
    foreach (RibbonTab tab in ribbonControl.tabs)
    {
        string keyTip = tab.KeyTip;
        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(keyTip))
        {
            existingShortcuts.Add(keyTip);
        }
    }
   
    // Example: Check if 'Y' is already used
    string newKeyTip = "Y";
    if (!existingShortcuts.Contains(newKeyTip))
    {
        mytab.KeyTip = newKeyTip;
    }
    else
    {
        // Handle conflict, e.g., choose another key or notify the user
        Console.WriteLine("Shortcut key 'Y' is already used.");
    }
   

3. Setting the Shortcut Key: After confirming that the chosen shortcut key is not in use, you can set the KeyTip property for your tab. This ensures that when the user presses ALT + Y, your tab will be activated.

   
    ribbonPanel.Tab.KeyTip = "Y";
   

4. Handling During Revit Startup: To set the shortcut key during Revit startup, include the above logic in the initialization method of your add-in. This ensures that every time Revit starts, your shortcut key is properly configured.

    public void OnStartup(UIControlledApplication application)
    {
        // Initialize your tab and set the KeyTip
        string tabName = "YourTabName";
        UcApp.CreateRibbonTab(tabName);
   
        var ribbonControl = Autodesk.Windows.ComponentManager.Ribbon;
        var myTab = ribbonControl.Tabs.First(o => o.Name == tabName);
        myTab.KeyTip = "Y"; // Set your desired shortcut here
        string newKeyTip = "Y";
   
        List<string> existingShortcuts = new List<string>();
        foreach (RibbonTab tab in ribbonControl.Tabs)
        {
            string keyTip = tab.KeyTip;
            if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(keyTip))
            {
                existingShortcuts.Add(keyTip);
            }
        }
   
        if (!existingShortcuts.Contains(newKeyTip))
        {
            myTab.KeyTip = newKeyTip;
        }
        else
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Shortcut key '{newKeyTip}' is already used.");
        }
    }
   

5. Updating Shortcuts During a Running Session: You can also update the shortcut keys at any time during a running session, allowing for dynamic reconfiguration if needed.

Important Considerations

• Conflict Avoidance: Always ensure that your chosen shortcut key does not conflict with existing shortcuts to maintain a seamless user experience.

• User Notification: If a conflict is detected, consider providing feedback to the user or choosing an alternative shortcut key automatically.

• Consistency: Ensure that your shortcut keys are intuitive and consistent with the overall design and functionality of your add-in.