I have customized my keyboard shortcuts and saved them to an xml file in Windows, which loads without issue when I start Audacity. I’ve attempted to load the same xml file in my Linux version, but Audacity keeps reverting back to the default shortcuts. How do I get Audacity to keep the custom xml file loaded?
Thoughts and/or advice would be appreciated.
Which version of Audacity do you have? (look in “Help > About Audacity”)
Which Linux distribution are you using?
Could you attach the XML file to your post - if the forum does not allow .XML files, add .txt to the name.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for getting back to me. I’m using version 2.0.1 and my distro is LMDE (UP5)/Xfce.
POK-Keys.xml (12 KB)
Thanks for the report.
I haven’t spent too long looking at this, but it looks like it isn’t a compatibility problem between platforms but import of XML shortcut files has broken somehow.
In addition, did you really clear all the shortcuts in Audacity for which the bindings in the XML file are empty (" " ) ?
Anyway, I can reproduce:
1 On windows 7 in HEAD, open Keyboard Preferences, press “Defaults”
2 Find “Previous Tool”, which is shortcut “A”, press “Clear”
3 Find “Append Record”, Set as “A”, Export…
4 Press OK (new shortcut works)
5 Transfer exported XML file over network to Ubuntu 12.04 machine
6 Import the XML file, I see in the commands list in Preferences that “Append Record” is set to “A” and “Previous Tool” is empty.
7 Press OK.
8 Transport > Append Record menu item shows as “SHIFT + R” and
“A” operates Previous Tool.
If on Win 7 I repeat steps 1 to 4, then 6 to 7 (import the exported XML file), the custom shortcut reverts after OK in Preferences.
Still on Win 7, if I set Defaults, then set F10 (unallocated shortcut) for “Append Record”, export and import the XML file, OK on Prefs, the custom shortcut is reverted. Same for setting “Save Project As” (which has no default binding) to “A”.
All of the above tests are not an issue in 2.0.0 (even if I don’t default bindings before export and import), so looks like a serious regression.
Gale
I can confirm (on Linux, with Audacity 2.0.3) that imported shortcuts are not “sticking”.
@Gale Does this need posting on Bugzilla as part of or separate from bug 530?
Thanks for confirmation.
While it’s likely the cause is the same, the symptoms are different and the rating would probably have to be higher so I made it a separate bug:
http://bugzilla.audacityteam.org/show_bug.cgi?id=594 .
Gale
I did clear all the shortcuts with the exception of the ones that I’ve created. I have a pedal that is programmed to trigger specific shortcuts remotely in Audacity when I perform. If there’s a problem with a shortcut, I can easily track it down when uncluttered. All works amazing well in Windows (I have an XP partition) and has for a very long time.
I guess I’ll have to wait until a fix is produced. Appreciate all your help in the meantime 
It’s a slight pain, but assuming the other default shortcuts do not get in the way, you could probably create the relatively few custom shortcuts you have in the Keyboard Preferences (this still works).
If there is a conflict when setting a custom binding, clear the binding that conflicts.
Also the problem is only with the XML file, so you can still quit Audacity and edit audacity.cfg to list the changed keys only. In this example, the “CTRL + O” binding for “Open” is removed and given to “Save Project As” instead:
[NewKeys]
Open=
SaveAs=Ctrl+O
Gale
This is great! I was able to edit the .cfg file and add the few shortcuts I needed to use my pedal. Works perfectly.
Thanks Gale.
A patch has been committed which should fix this, so this fix should be in 2.0.4 Release.
Gale
Thanks Gale. Looking forward to it.
Just reporting that the keyboard shortcut issue is solved in 2.0.4 for Windows. I’ve given up on Linux altogether as an operating system (even though I really like it).
Thanks Audacity Team 
Thanks Lawrie - it should be solved for Mac and Linux, too (if you use 2.0.4).
Gale