10.5.5 Assign a Keyboard Shortcut

Add an ampersand (&) in the tool's title, just before the letter you want to use as the access key to assign a shortcut (accelerator) to a command.

After adding the ampersand, include the accelerator as a keyboard shortcut.

  • On the Tools menu, click Options
  • Select Keyboard on the Environment page
  • In the Show commands containing list, type Tools
  • In the Command names list, locate the appropriate External Command n entry
    Note: You can define keyboard shortcuts for up to twenty external tools. External tools are listed as External Command 1-20 in the Command names list. The numbers correspond to the number to the left of the custom external command name on the Tools menu. This information appears in the Shortcuts for the selected command list if the menu command already has a shortcut assigned to it.
  • Put the cursor in the Press shortcut keys box and then press the keys you want to assign to the external tool
    Note: If the keyboard shortcut is assigned already to another command, the Shortcut currently assigned to the list will display that information.
  • Click Assign