You can do it but it requires using a macro, see below for explaination (sorry it's so long/wordy).
The macro is called HotkeyCommander. The reasons I wrote the macro were to
-Allow Hotkeys in SolidWorks to be created that are multipe-character combinations long.
-Simulatate a CommandLine interface/behavior in SolidWorks similar to AutoCAD's for running macros.
-Create an interface that would commonize macro use and Hotkey combinations among multiple Users.
-Easily repeat the last run macro command.
Basically all the macro does is list a bunch of other macros with their descriptions and allow you to run those other macros right from the HotkeyCommander macro interface. To run the other macros, you just have to enter a Hotkey combination in the dialog box (which can be set to any alpha-numeric combination from as little as one-character to a combination with any number of characters you want to use), or there is a more graphical display interface available too (hit the Expand button and look at the bottom of the dialog box) that lists the macros by categories.
There is an Excel file, HotkeyCommander.xls, that is used to organize/sort/keep track of all the macros and it creates the data file, HotkeyCommander.csv, that the HotkeyCommander macro uses to display/find the other macros.
There is a text file, HotkeyCommander-README.txt, included that should be looked at first after unzipping. It contains thorough instructions. Additional instructions are in the Excel file to help in editing it as well.
The HotkeyCommander macro is already set up to run 39 "other" macros that are included in the zip file. Some of these are macros I've accumulated over the years that were written by others, and some of the other macros were started from someone else's macro and modified. The rest were done be me. I've left the original author's information in the macros if available as well as provided a list of acknowledgements and links in the text file.
Some of those 39 macros can perform multiple different functions, so there are actually 57 different macro "Hotkey" calls already available in the HotkeyCommander.
Some of the most frequently used hotkeys/commands by me are:
0/Change Precision to 0 place (primary units) and appropriate precision alt units (for inch and mm). 1/Change Precision to 1 place (primary units) and appropriate precision alt units (for inch and mm). 2/Change Precision to 2 place (primary units) and appropriate precision alt units (for inch and mm). 3/Change Precision to 3 place (primary units) and appropriate precision alt units (for inch and mm). 4/Change Precision to 4 place (primary units) and appropriate precision alt units (for inch and mm). UT/Toggles document units between INCH and MM. DEF/Sets document settings to default values. UTD/Toggles document units between INCH and MM and sets document settings to default values. MC/Add Coincident Mate MO/Add Concentric Mate MP/Add Parallel Mate SO/Show Only Selected Components. SA/Show All Components. C/Change part color to a random color. CC/Remove all colors from partWith my "wordy" instructions and the existing structure, it should not be hard to set this up, start using it, and start adding your own macros to it if desired.
Download the macro at the location below and let me know what you think.
Another driving reason to write the HotkeyCommander macro was that I was out of single-keystroke Hotkeys. I ran out of keys because I can't stand hunting thru all the different RMB menus, so many of the keys were assigned to native SW commands as well as macros.
I find the [Shift]+? or the [Alt]+? combinations to be very cumbersome and painful to my wrist. I do use [Ctrl]+? combinations, but only for keys within a range of about 3 rows away from the left side [Ctrl] key. And [Shift]+[Ctrl]+? combinations are nearly impossible with one hand.
Now with the HotkeyCommander macro available, I have all 26 letters and all of the [Function] keys mapped as Hotkeys....only 4 of those call macros. All of the other keys are set to initiate native SW commands (like draw Sketch Line, or Sketch Circle, or Mate, or Move, etc...). So with the HotkeyCommander macro used (nearly) strictly for macros, that freed up many keys on my keyboard to be assigned to the native SW commands.
An additional note not related to the HotkeyCommander macro...I have found a mouse with programmable buttons to be very useful as well. Now on my mouse I can have buttons for [Enter], [Shift], [Ctrl], [Shift]+[Ctrl], Isometric View. Notice that with the [Shift], [Ctrl], and/or [Shift]+[Ctrl] capability with the hand at the mouse, this could open up 3 whole new keyboards of possible native SW Hotkeys that will only require your non-mouse hand to hit one key.
Lastly, currently I use a programmable keypad for my views, and have found it pretty handy. It is set up (similarly to the keypad macros Wayne Tiffany has encouraged use of) with the 5 as Front, 8 as Top, 2 as Bottom, 4 as Left, 6 as right, etc...And since my programmable keypad setting on the left (i.e. non-mouse) side of the keyboard, I can change views with single-keystrokes. This is another method that hasn't let SW force me into relying on the [SpaceBar] for View Orientations, and has allowed me to instead use the [SpaceBar] to call the HotkeyCommander macro without causing me any withdrawl issues :^).
Let me know what you think, Ken