Peek Activation key interferes with other applications instead of specific to File Explorer

[tkdennis]

Microsoft PowerToys version

0.70.0

Installation method

PowerToys auto-update

Running as admin

No

Area(s) with issue?

File Explorer: Preview Pane

Steps to reproduce

Install SQL Server Management Studio
Install Red-Gate SQL Prompt add-on
Ctrl-Space for Code Suggestions works correctly

Upgrade PowerToys via Auto-Update
Enable Peek
Leave Ctrl-Space as the Activation Shortcut

Return to SQL Server Management Studio
Ctrl-Space no longer works correctly

✔️ Expected Behavior

Activating Peek would not disrupt other applications

❌ Actual Behavior

Peek is intercepting Ctrl-Space like a global hotkey instead of an application-specific hotkey for File Explorer

Other Software

SQL Server Management Studio 15.0.18390.0
SQL Server Management Objects (SMO) 16.100.46521.71
Microsoft Analysis Services Client Tools 15.0.19714.0
Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 10.0.22621.1635
Microsoft MSXML 3.0 6.0
Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0.30319.42000
Operating System 10.0.22621
Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 22H2
Installed on ‎12/‎4/‎2022
OS build 22621.1702
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22641.1000.0
Red-Gate SQL Prompt add-on 10.13.8.680

[IamSmeagol]

I am able to reproduce this. I set the peek activation to Ctrl + A then opened Chrome Version 113.0.5672.127 (Official Build) (64-bit) and a new google document file, typed a few lines of text and was unable to activate the shortcut to select all.

Powertoys Version 0.70.0

[RuiNtD]

Prevents me from being able to jump while sprinting in Minecraft. 😅

[RodrigoTR04]

Prevents me from being able to jump while sprinting in Minecraft. 😅

Can confirm, interferes with a couple of games where sprinting and jumping is LCtrl + Spacebar as default, seems to have the same problem when manually assigning those (some people like Shift for sprinting, but others LCtrl).

[klueman]

Confirming. PowerToys apparently hijacks ctrl+space globally. Didn't notice until the select column shortcut in Excel did not work. Spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out why. Changing the key combination in PowerToys or disabling Peek both correct this.

CTRL+Space is an extremely common shortcut, used in other Microsoft products (Office, Minecraft, etc), PowerToys should not be installing a new feature, activating it by default, and assigning that shortcut globally. It either needs to restrict that shortcut to file explorer or choose a far less common shortcut as default.

[muhammedogz]

Related: microsoft/vscode#183278

[jaimecbernardo]

Currently have a fix that only consumes the shortcut for windows that have a shell interface. Tested on VSCode and Visual Studio that now Ctrl+Space still works there.

We expect that this fix will be included in a upcoming hotfix.

[shdevnull]

Wouldn't it be better to implement it like QL-Win did on his QuickLook, or macOS does, with just the spacebar?

[TreeBranches]

Question... why default to Ctrl+Space? What was wrong with just using Space like on MacOS which, as far as I can tell, doesn't do anything on file explorer or dialogue boxes?

Exactly! Since PowerToys aims to bring some of the macOS features to Windows, it would make sense to implement the shortcut in a similar way. Just using the spacebar, like on macOS, would maintain consistency and familiarity for users. This approach would also prevent interference with existing functionalities in other software applications. It's a win-win situation.

Spacebar is already used to select file with the keyboard, use CTRL or Shift to select several files with space. Hence, CTRL+Space is already used to select files, so I had to move Peek to Win+Space (you can still switch between keyboard layouts with Win+Shift+Space).

Huh. THAT doesn't seem to work properly. The controls are weird. You can use it to select another single highlighted item with Ctrl, since you don't need to press it again with Shift,but you cannot "unselect" anything with Space.
A useless function really. I'd say you should override that anyway. I'd be surprised if anyone who uses Powertoys used Space in File Explorer in that way, or would much prefer Space to preview.
IMO this "Peek" feature is something that should be brought to the main OS and Microsoft should ditch whatever space is trying to do in File Explorer with something significantly more useful.

Maybe it works best with checkboxes enabled in File Explorer, but I sometimes use the keyboard to select files (can be useful with macros also). To select a file, just go to it with arrows, then to select another one, press CTRL and move to the file with arrows, press Space to select it (while keeping CTRL pressed), then continue to next one while holding CTRL. You can also select a batch of files with Shift (keep CTRL pressed if you select several batches).

I know it's not used much nowadays, but it works.

I understand how it works, I also have checkboxes enabled on file explorer as I have a 2-in-1. It still has limited use compared to Peek, particularly because you cannot unselect.

Put it this way, I doubt you'll miss it much if it were to be stripped away.

[XcellMiguel]

I understand how it works, I also have checkboxes enabled on file explorer as I have a 2-in-1. It still has limited use compared to Peek, particularly because you cannot unselect.

Put it this way, I doubt you'll miss it much if it were to be stripped away.

You can unselect, by holding CTRL and pressing Space on the file, unless Peek hijacks it.

But yes, I won't miss it much if it disappears.

[IamSmeagol]

I am no longer able to reproduce this issue after updating to v0.70.1

Thank you!

[jadelily18]

can confirm it's fixed for me in v0.70.1 :) 💖💖

[shdevnull]

So, it's official: no Space-only shortcut? :/ I guess I'll keep using QuickLook.

I have to say, though, as a macOS and Windows user, this is such a great feature, and I'm glad you guys added it to Power Toys. I just wish the integration was more seamless.

[crutkas]

This issue was for peek was grabbing keystroke outside of file explorer. Space only is tracked in a different issue. It is clear people are asking for it, now to figure out how to do it. The big Proof of concept that is needed is detecting that a file rename is happening.

little by little.

[Insticthere]

So, it's official: no Space-only shortcut? :/ I guess I'll keep using QuickLook.

I have to say, though, as a macOS and Windows user, this is such a great feature, and I'm glad you guys added it to Power Toys. I just wish the integration was more seamless.

very true its weird they dont let us choose this error has also not been resolved yet i suppose i am facing it too.

[KyleKolander]

Man, how annoying!!! I just spent the better part of an hour troubleshooting and uninstalling things in PowerShell, commenting things out in my PowerShell profile and uninstalling/reinstalling Terminal because this broke the Ctrl+Spacebar MenuComplete for PSReadLine. Don't get me wrong, I love most of the functionality in PowerToys, but there has got to be better regression testing. And as someone said earlier, these new features should not be enabled by default. Period.

[crutkas]

Issue has been fixed with 0.70.1.

[Pl8tinium]

i bet you guys i lost a csgo rank because of this

[crutkas]

Fixed in 0.71 release of PowerToys. aka.ms/installpowertoys

[mawid6]

I understand how it works, I also have checkboxes enabled on file explorer as I have a 2-in-1. It still has limited use compared to Peek, particularly because you cannot unselect.
Put it this way, I doubt you'll miss it much if it were to be stripped away.

You can unselect, by holding CTRL and pressing Space on the file, unless Peek hijacks it.

But yes, I won't miss it much if it disappears.

What?! This has been a basic and staple of windows file explorer for 25 years or so? :-)
The young kids just dont take the time to get to know how to use the tools they have, bah! ;-)

ctrl-space to select/deselect items is actually the only way to do it, when working with file explorer using keyboard.
the checkboxes feature is gross, is always hidden in any sensible setup. along with sidebars, ribbon bars - really all bars except the statusbar.
which is what pros do, dammit. :-D

(with love and a wink ;-)