Using some graphic editing programs (and others) that make deep use of Alt key is causing issues with the default Gnome Keyboard Shortcuts. The work around is to re-assign the default keys, but that is non the optimal solution and is annoying anyway.
Gnome Design Team is working on a new standard keyboard shortcuts for the GNOME 3 OS and applications.
Objectives
Separate system level shortcuts and application level shortcuts. Right now we ‘steal’ some key modifier keys form applications
System
| Behavior/Action | Existing | Proposed | Notes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enter overview | Super, Alt+F1 | Super, Alt+F1 | OK | |
| Window modifier | Alt | Super | We should not steal alt for system, very commonly used. | ? |
| Access Application Menu | Super+F10 | ? | ||
| Switch focus in overview | Ctrl+Alt+Tab | Tab | To do | |
| Toggle maximized/windowed | Alt+F10 | Super+Up / Super+Down | OK | |
| Toggle tiled left | Super+Left | Super+Left | OK | |
| Toggle tiled right | Super+Right | Super+Right | OK | |
| Switch to next workspace | Ctrl+Alt+Down | Ctrl+Super+Down | To do | |
| Switch to previous workspace | Ctrl+Alt+Up | Ctrl+Super+Up | To do | |
| Move Window to next workspace | Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Down | Ctrl+Shift+Super+Down | To do | |
| Move Window to previous workspace | Ctrl+Shift+Alt+Up | Ctrl+Shift+Super+Up | To do | |
| Switch to next application | Alt+Tab | Super+Tab | Maybe the familiarity is too strong on this one | To do |
| Switch to previous application | Alt+Shift+Tab | Super+Shift+Tab | To do | |
| Switch to next window of the current application | Alt+<key above tab> | Super+<key above tab> | To do | |
| Switch to previous window of the current application | Alt+Shift+<key above tab> | Super+Shift+<key above tab> | To do | |
| Switch input (IBUS) | Ctrl+Space | Problems with Ctrl+Space | ? | |
| Toggle Message Tray | Super+M | To do | ||
| Expand a notification and give it keyboard focus | To do | |||
| Take a screenshot | OK | |||
| Take a screenshot of a window | Alt+Print | OK | ||
| Take a screenshot of a region | Shift+Print | OK | ||
| Take a screenshot and paste in a clipboard | Ctrl+Print | OK | ||
| Take a screenshot of a window and paste in a clipboard | Ctrl+Alt+Print | OK | ||
| Take a screenshot of a region and paste in a clipboard | Ctrl+Shift+Print | OK | ||
| Video capture desktop | ? | |||
| Hush Mode (set busy) | ? | |||
| Log Out | ? | |||
| Lock screen | ? | |||
| Run Console | Alt+F2 | OK |
Applications
| Behavior/Action | Existing | Proposed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close Active Window | Alt+F4, Ctrl+W | Super+W | |
| Quit Application | Ctrl+Q | Super+Q | |
| Gear Menu | F10 |
This is not ready yet and is unlikely to arrive for Gnome 3.6 as Allan Day told us.
Some Info
Most of, you already know this. Just for the guys that are confused. Every Key has 3 states.
On Key Press: Do something when we press a key.
On Key Release: Do something when we release a key.
On Key Pressed: Do something while the key is been pressed.
For example Gnome Shell Overview opens with:
On “Super” Release or with On “Alt” pressed and On “F1″ press.
Feedback
If you think that the above table has some constraints you can give some feedback at Gnome Shell.
Gnome Mailing Lists Gnome IRC Keyboard Shortcuts in Gnome Live!
Keep in mind that these designs can change everyday. This is how is at the moment. Always check the Gnome Live for the latest updates!