Howdy,
I saved a preset for the PolyExtrude SOP as I need various configurations in order to avoid checking/unchecking various options for every specific use I need.
Can I create custom tools on the shelf from presets so I can assign hotkeys to them so I can quickly call them instead of accessing the gear menu?

You can drag any node, or selection of nodes to the shelf, and a tool is automatically created that can recreate the network of nodes. You can then edit this tool to give it a name and hotkey you like, or even change the icon that appears in the tab menu.

Edit:

If you want the node created to be “up-to-date” with respect to changes you make to the preset, you can look into invoking the preset with a script, instead of the verbatim code created by dragging to the toolbar.

Thanks, but I've found that simply creating another extrude with its options customized won't work as it doesn't know what input to take in.
As far as invoking the preset with a script, I'll have to look into it to see if and how it works, but either way, these solutions are not “modeler friendly”.
I'll come back if I figure out how to do this in a way that I was hoping to work.

edit1: After further testing, I realized I have a bigger problem than to learn how to invoke the preset with a script. I need to know if there's a way to edit the preset file so that the Group is not run through by the preset, because I want to leave the current selection intact. I've opened the .idx file in a text editor but there's no way I can do this, can I?

edit2: Nope, it's there, I've missed it, it's among the very first few lines. So back to the other problem now.