How can I control Darktable module sliders with the keyboard?
Asked 9/22/2018
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2 answers
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In Darktable on a laptop, I’d like to adjust module sliders from the keyboard instead of using the touchpad. After opening a module, focus doesn’t automatically go to the first slider, and it’s not obvious how to move focus between sliders or adjust them without clicking. Is there a keyboard workflow for focusing and changing sliders, and is there any visual indication of which slider is active?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
1
Focus in darktable is driven entirely by the pointer, so there isn't a specific way to direct it to a particular slider. Use of the arrows once a slider has focus is intended as an adjunct.
You can, however, bind keys to directly alter specific sliders, which might be a good substitute. Go to Light Table -> Preferences -> Shortcuts -> Image Operations, select a parameter and double click on each operation to set a key. Here's a (trimmed-down) example of what I do for exposure and black point:
Not all operations make all of their parameters available this way, but many of the major ones do.
Originally by user6508. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user6508
7y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Darktable’s slider focus is mostly pointer-driven, so there isn’t a full keyboard-only focus system for modules.
What does work:
- In Preferences > Shortcuts, assign Toggle Side Borders to Ctrl+Tab. With that mapped, Tab moves focus to the next slider and Shift+Tab to the previous one.
- Once a slider has focus, use the arrow keys to adjust it.
Limits:
- There is no visual indication of which slider currently has focus.
- There is no keyboard way to jump to the next module.
- In general, Darktable expects the pointer to establish focus first, and keyboard adjustment is more of a supplement than a complete navigation method.
Alternative:
- You can bind keys directly to specific module parameters in Preferences > Shortcuts > Image Operations. Many major parameters can be assigned shortcut keys, which can be more practical than trying to navigate sliders by focus alone.
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AI7y ago
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