Keyboard Shortcut Example¶

Definitions:

Command - an abstract representation of some semantic behaviour, but not it’s actual implementation
Key Binding - a mapping between a certain group of conditions, some user input and a triggered command
Scheme - set of one or more bindings
Context - Definition of a context where key bindings are active

There are many steps that must be take in order to define a completely new command and assign it to an Action.

Define a org.eclipse.ui.command extension for the new command
1. Define a category (part of the org.eclipse.ui.command extension) of the command. (You can also use an existing category if one that applies exists).
2. Define the command (part of the org.eclipse.ui.command extension)
Define an org.eclipse.ui.contexts extension (or reuse and existing one). Common contexts are:

org.eclipse.ui.textEditorScope
org.eclipse.ui.contexts.dialogAndWindow
org.eclipse.ui.contexts.window
org.eclipse.ui.contexts.dialog
net.refractions.udig.project.ui.tool

Define a org.eclipse.ui.bindings extension
1. Define a scheme (or use udig’s default scheme: net.refractions.udig.defaultUDIGKeyConfiguration ). Schemes are part of the org.eclipse.ui.bindings extension.
Only 1 scheme is active at a time. So if you create a new scheme you have to create new bindings for every command that you want to use in your application.
To activate a new scheme you must create a plugin_customization.ini file in your application plugin or choose a new scheme in the Window > Preferences > Keys preference page.
1. Define a key binding for your command (part of the org.eclipse.ui.bindings extension). In the key binding definition you have to declare which command the binding applies to, the context that the binding will be active in and the scheme that the binding is part of.
You are now done the extension definition, now you must programmatically bind the command to an action.
1. When you create your action set the definitionID to the command’s id.
```
action.setActionDefinitionId("yourCommandsID");
```
2. Next you must register your command with the current site’s keybinding service.
```
part.getSite().getKeyBindingService().registerAction(action);
```
3. During the creation of a view the context that are active must be defined as well. By default org.eclipse.ui.contexts.window context is active so if you keybinding is part of that context then you can skip this step.
```
site.getKeyBindingService().setScopes(new String[] {"yourContextID"});
```

Tip

The ToolManager’s contributeGlobalActions() sets all the “normal” uDig actions such as copy, paste, delete, undo, redo, etc... The ToolManager can be obtained with the method ApplicationGIS.getToolManager().

Example:

<!-- This is part of org.eclipse.ui plugin.xml -->
      <extension
            point="org.eclipse.ui.contexts">
         <context
               description="%context.tool.description"
               id="net.refractions.udig.project.ui.tool"
               name="%Tools"
               parentId="org.eclipse.ui.contexts.window"/>
      </extension>
<!-- This is part of net.refractions.udig.project.ui plugin.xml -->
      <extension
         point="org.eclipse.ui.commands">
        <command
            categoryId="net.refractions.udig.tools.toolCategory"
            name="%zoom.category.name"
            id="net.refractions.udig.tools.ZoomCommand"/>
      </extension>
   <extension
         point="org.eclipse.ui.bindings">
      <key
            commandId="net.refractions.udig.tools.ZoomCommand"
            contextId="net.refractions.udig.project.ui.tool"
            sequence="Z" schemeId="net.refractions.udig.defaultUDIGKeyConfiguration"/>
      </extension>

// This is made up to illustrate the concept
class NewView extends Viewpart {
  public void createPartControl( Composite parent ){
    // You don't need this step because it is included by default
    String[] newScopes = new String[];
    newScopes[0] = "net.refractions.udig.project.ui.tool";
    getSite().getKeyBindingService().setScopes(newScopes);

    // Create action, assign and register action and its command
    IAction action=createAction();
    Action.setActionDefinitionId("net.refractions.udig.tools.ZoomCommand");
    IKeyBindingService service = part.getSite().getKeyBindingService();
    service.registerAction(action);
  }
}

Resources

See the org.eclipse.ui plugin.xml for many existing commmands, categories, keybindings, contexts and schemes.
http://www.magma.ca/~pollockd/despumate/bindingsHowTo.html