Upgrade Storage[Feature Request] Customizable Navigation Shortcuts and Mouse Side Button Support
I frequently use Zotero for reading and annotating papers, and I really appreciate its functionality. However, I think the navigation experience could be improved with some additional customization options for forward and backward navigation.
Currently, navigation is possible through mouse clicks or the default shortcuts Alt + Left Arrow and Alt + Right Arrow. While these work, they have some limitations:
Shortcut Placement:
The default shortcuts use the arrow keys, which are located on the right side of the keyboard. For users like me, who use the mouse with their right hand, this makes the shortcuts inconvenient since my left hand is free but can’t easily reach these keys. Allowing users to customize these shortcuts would provide more flexibility and improve usability.
Mouse Side Button Support:
Many modern mice have side buttons that are commonly used for forward and backward navigation in web browsers. It would be incredibly helpful if Zotero allowed these side buttons to be mapped to forward and backward navigation in the PDF reader. This would make navigation more intuitive for users who are already accustomed to this behavior in other applications.
Suggestions:
- Add an option in the preferences/settings to allow users to customize keyboard shortcuts for forward and backward navigation.
- Enable support for mouse side button mapping for forward and backward navigation (similar to how it works in web browsers).
These changes would significantly enhance the user experience, especially for those who frequently jump between hyperlinks in PDFs.
Looking forward to hearing thoughts from the community and the development team!
Currently, navigation is possible through mouse clicks or the default shortcuts Alt + Left Arrow and Alt + Right Arrow. While these work, they have some limitations:
Shortcut Placement:
The default shortcuts use the arrow keys, which are located on the right side of the keyboard. For users like me, who use the mouse with their right hand, this makes the shortcuts inconvenient since my left hand is free but can’t easily reach these keys. Allowing users to customize these shortcuts would provide more flexibility and improve usability.
Mouse Side Button Support:
Many modern mice have side buttons that are commonly used for forward and backward navigation in web browsers. It would be incredibly helpful if Zotero allowed these side buttons to be mapped to forward and backward navigation in the PDF reader. This would make navigation more intuitive for users who are already accustomed to this behavior in other applications.
Suggestions:
- Add an option in the preferences/settings to allow users to customize keyboard shortcuts for forward and backward navigation.
- Enable support for mouse side button mapping for forward and backward navigation (similar to how it works in web browsers).
These changes would significantly enhance the user experience, especially for those who frequently jump between hyperlinks in PDFs.
Looking forward to hearing thoughts from the community and the development team!
-
dstillmanJust to clarify, the shortcuts are Alt + ↑/↓, not Alt + ←/→. But if you're not zoomed in, ←/→ alone will move to the previous/next page, so you can still do it easily with one hand. We have an open ticket for this. (Note that this is for Back/Forward, not Previous/Next.)