This could be nice - mouseless device creation

[zactkn]

open Reason
go full screen
F6 to hide the sequencer and focus on the rack

<ready for a new song>

command+I to create an instrument
<the browser loads all the instruments into the device list>

imagine for a moment that command+I did its duties, and then set the focus into the search box
you could then start typing the name of the instrument you wanted
the device list would update
then, down arrow into the device list
select the desired instrument, using up/down arrow
press enter - the instrument drops into the rack

this would save time and would feel very natural - no need to reach for the mouse!
the only new bits to be added would be the 2 underlined suggestions

(if you did not want to use the search box, a quick down arrow would focus back into the list)

a few more easy additions:

• when clicking the clear button, after doing what it already does, set the focus back to the search box

• with the focus is in the search box, hitting <esc> (escape) will trigger the clear button (this will clear the search box, reset the device list, and keep focus in the search box, ready for the next search)

• with the focus is in the device list (after a search and down-arrow), hitting escape, will again trigger the clear button (which would clear the search box, reset the device list, and focus back to the search box, ready for the next search)

• with the focus is in the search box, hitting escape with an already empty search box, will focus back on the rack to the last selected device

these would be easy changes to implement
some of us try to keep away from having to use the mouse

any comments?

[Pepin]

I posted a similar request a while ago:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7525094

Technically, you can already use cmd-F to set focus to the search box at any time. So you can do cmd-I followed by cmd-F for instance, to search for an instrument.
You can also use cmd-Left and cmd-Right to go forward and back in the browser (which can be an alternative to clicking "clear").
And you can use cmd-Up and cmd-Down to navigate folder hierarchies.

So afaik the only feature truly missing for bare minimum keyboard control is pressing the down arrow to move from the search box to the results list.
Your other proposed features would make it even easier of course.

My one suggestion is that the Escape key should only clear the orange border filter ("Browsing Patches for...", "Create Instrument", etc) the first time you press it, and it should clear the search the second time. Currently, it clears the border if you press it from the results list (though not from the search box unfortunately).