Left-handed text copy/paste shortcuts [Accessibility]

[Snork]

TL;DR

Add the standard Windows cut/copy/paste keyboard shortcuts for all text-entry (not the in-game blueprint tool!)

What ?

In Windows, left-handed people can use alternative keyboard shortcuts for cut/copy/paste operations.
These are: Shift+Delete (cut); Ctrl+Insert (copy); and Shift+Insert (paste).

These keys are on the right of the keyboard, which is easier to use while holding a mouse with your left-hand. Currently it's not possible to use these shortcuts in any of Factorio's text-boxes/areas (console/chat, search boxes, filenames, etc)

(Not to be confused with the cut/copy/paste tool in-game, which you CAN set the alternative keybinds for)

Why ?

This will greatly increase the accessibility to left-handed players who are used to being able to use these Windows shortcuts

[Snork]

I found a [not a] bug report from April 2019 in which this is suggested/discussed (to an extent)
[0.17.33] Copy with Insert key

Twinsen, Rseding91 and kovarex all commented on the topic.
Rseding91 and kovarex were against the idea; but it could be a huge accessibility win for the left-handed player base (presumably ⁓10%)

[eradicator]

If you're on windows and can install AutoHotkey then it's literally three lines of code with a bit of decorations to redirect your favorite keys to what the game expects. And it'll magically work for blueprint c/p too ofc (if you keep the original ctrl-c/x/v bindings.).

Code: Select all

#SingleInstance, force

#IfWinActive ahk_exe factorio.exe
+Del::Send, ^x ;~ + means shift
^Ins::Send, ^c ;~ ; means ctrl
+Ins::Send, ^v

[LFarquaad]

As stated in the other topic, this would also be very useful for people who don't use a QWERTY-based layout. I am personally using the BÉPO layout and doing CTRL+C/V with the left hand is difficult/not possible.
I am thus using CTRL/SHIFT+insert/delete on a keyboard that has dedicated macros for that (TypeMatrix or ErgoDox with a layout similar to the TypeMatrix).
It does not work in Factorio textboxes though. I am playing on Linux. I guess there are tools as well for this, but to be frank I expect all applications to behave the same, and not needing such tools for standard keyboard shortcuts.

Note that those macros do not work well with blueprints either, as I described in this bug report. Unfortunately the topic was moved to Technical Help and I never got any feedback, despite my further investigations.

I found a [not a] bug report from April 2019 in which this is suggested/discussed (to an extent)
[0.17.33] Copy with Insert key

Twinsen, Rseding91 and kovarex all commented on the topic.
Rseding91 and kovarex were against the idea; but it could be a huge accessibility win for the left-handed player base (presumably ⁓10%)

I am surprised to see this topic is now locked. I see Rseding actually faces issues with shift+delete so it appears it really annoys some people. I wonder if it would be a problem for Factorio though (you don't have to select and delete text very often in Factorio, but maybe I am missing some usecases).

Maybe they could implement ctrl/shift+insert already, and not shift+delete, as a compromise?