In order to improve my elitist computing, I have adopted the Dvorak Keyboard Layout.
I can’t say that my typing speed has increased, but it feels smoother. Actually, the worst part is trying to use QWERTY again, after the conversion: changing an offending layout over to DVORAK isn’t the issue, it’s just embarrassing having to type so slowly in front of others! It’s a real blow to my elitist computing skills. I am always silently preparing my defence against the didn’t-you-learn-to-type accusation, which most people are too polite to issue.
Final Cut Pro 5 (and 6), however, is the one app that has caused me a modicum of irritation. For keyboard shortcuts, most applications simply use your newly re-mapped layout. FCP, however, does not. And although FCP does let you customize your keyboard layout, there are two issues.
- There are millions of keyboard shortcuts that have to be manually changed.
- Some keys are permanently assigned.
For example, aside from the missing existence of a preset DVORAK layout, trying moving the ‘copy’ shortcut from the old QWERTY ‘C’ (now DVORAK ‘J’) to its new location and you get this error:
What?! “It cannot be re-assigned”! Can anyone explain why FCP developers would prohibit specific shortcut re-assignments?
Thankfully, Cody over at stolen films found a workaround via TOOLS > BUTTON LIST. Read his comment below.
So for all you DVORAK FCP users out there in my imaginary elitist video editing circle, here is my best attempt at a DVORAK layout that matches key for key (using Cody’s workaround) the old world QWERTY’s, all zipped up:
Tags: video
Thanks a lot! I find that it is awkward to type with both and I agree with you that I don’t notice a huge Dvorak difference-but at least it is a cool idea to be typing quicker. The Dvorak layout helps a lot, I wish it were like Aperture or most other programs where it automatically changes keys.
Thanks a million, saved me a few hours I’m sure!
So, this still doesn’t fix the issues with the undo, copy, paste, and other keys that they won’t let you change? It really upsets me that a program, especially a professional app doesn’t recognize the layout changes in the OS. I actually have noticed a huge speed gain by using Dvorak, and most applications recognize the layout except Final Cut Pro. Very disappointing.
So, I was playing around with this, and after months of trying to figure it out I found a hack! Before, if you go to the edit keys menu, and drag a shortcut, like undo, to the Dvorak Z (which is / on Qwerty) it would add it, but then leave the old option+z, so you couldn’t remap anything to the old key. But I figured out how to get around all the locked keys and clear the “locked shortcuts”. Go to the TOOLS menu and open button list. Some reason in there, it doesn’t know that some keys are locked, and you can right click any command, even undo, copy, and paste, and clear the shortcut and reassign it to your new Dvorak key. I.E. I mapped undo to the Dvorak Z, so FCP read it as option+/. Let me know if this helps solve all you other Dvorak users!
P.S. all this would be so much simpler if everyone else was intelligent and would just switch to Dvorak. Who wants to type on Qwerty when it’s sole purpose of being designed was to slow people down so they wouldn’t jam the typewriters…
Nice, still it should be mandated by law that a company like apple should make it easy to switch a keyboard layout, specially for one handed users. I’ll give thi sa try on my custom DDvorak layout.