Shortcuts, Key and Mouse
This page describes keyboard and mouse shortcuts for common tasks: Contents | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
SelectionSelect walls, floors, furniture and other objects by double-clicking. Handles indicate something is selected.
NudgeSometimes it's convenient to nudge 3D objects to align them.
Nudge objects using the following steps:
Set the nudge amount under Edit> Preferences> Measurements.
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Walk: |
Arrow Keys: Pressing an arrow key enters walk mode and moves you in that direction. Use mouse to steer. Click mouse to exit walk mode.
Shift: Hold down shift with up or down arrows to change elevation.
Numeric keypad: Arrows, 5 drops to ground, 7 & 9 change elevation.
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Orbit: |
O key:
Enter orbit mode.
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Zoom: |
Mouse: Hold down right mouse button
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Pan: |
P key: Enter Pan mode
Left and Right arrow keys: Pan left and right.
Shift+Up and Shift+Down Arrow keys: Pan up and down.
Mouse: Left and right mouse buttons.
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Step Into View: |
B key: Click-and-hold in the scene, move the mouse horizontally to point in the direction you want to look, then let go of mouse button.
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Field of View: |
< and > keys: Decrease and increase field of view. Somewhat like adjusting peripheral vision.
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Fit To View: |
X key: Fits project into view in3D, blueprint and other views.
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Helpful Hint: Edit> Undo View Change backs up to the previous view.
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There are several ways to gage and improve performance - editing speed
Speedometer: |
F8 key: Toggles Frames Per Second (FPS) indicator. Less than 4 means you should start turning things off below.
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Lights and Shadows: |
L key: Toggles lights and shadows to improve performance. This is significant - especially if more than one light is being used.
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Reflections:
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M key: Turns of reflections. This is a significant performance improver.
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Other Ways to Improve Performance: |
Edit> Improve Edit Speed: There are several other ways to improve performance in this menu. |
Adjust your view using the following shortcuts.
Hide Object: |
Right-click object and choose "Hide"
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Hide Dimensions: |
D key: Hides dimensions in blueprint mode.
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Show All: |
A key: Show all hidden objects.
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Show Last Hidden: |
N key: Show last hidden object
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Show/Hide Roofs: |
R key: Hide/Show roofs.
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Smooth View (antialias): |
S key: Smooths the jagged edges in the view.
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Adjust your view using the following shortcuts.
Lights and Shadows: |
L key: Turn lights and shadows off and on. Scenes look more realistic with lights and shadows.
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Reflections: |
M key: Turn on reflections if you have mirrors or shiny surfaces.
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Smooth View (antialias): |
S key: Smooths the jagged edges to improve quality.
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Hide Controls: |
Tab key: Hides menu bar, tool bar, status bar, grid, compass so you can capture the view better.
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Capture View to Clipboard: |
Alt+Print Screen key: Captures whatever is in the view to the clipboard.
To improve the view before you do this:
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Show/Hide Controls: |
Tab key: Hides menu bar, status bar, tool bar, grid and compass. Press again to un-hide them.
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Light Scene in Front of You: |
F key: Move active light to illuminate the view in front of you. If you back up with the down arrow you will see it.
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Toggle |
L key: Turn off lights to speed up editing. Red dot next to L on the menu bar indicates lights are off. Green indicates on.
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Hide Light Boxes:
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Ctrl+F: Hides the lights boxes and sun.
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Toggle Reflections: |
M key: Turn off reflections to speed up editing. |
Move the work grid to different floor levels so you can edit on that level.
Move Work Grid To Floor#: |
1-9 keys: Moves work grid the floor indicated
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Move |
pageUp key: Moves up a level or in-between level.
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Move Work Grid Down:
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pageDown key: Moves down a level or to in-between.
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Hide Grid |
Ctrl+# |
Duplicate objects and repeat duplication using a couple shortcut keys.
Duplicate Objects: |
Q key: Hold down the Q key and drag an object to "peel off" a copy of it.
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Repeat Duplication: |
Ctrl+D: When you duplicate an object using the Q key, repeat the duplication with the same distance and same angle. |
There are several shortcuts for applying paint and materials quickly.
Copy/Paste Paint and Materials: |
C key: Press and cursor changes to eyedropper. Click surface you want to copy and cursor changes to paint bucket. Click paint bucket on surface to paste.
Shift key: Hold in shift when clicking with the paint bucket to continue pasting to other objects.
Alt-key: Hold in the alt key when clicking with the paint bucket to paste to all sides of a wall, floor, countertop or roof.
Ctrl+Alt keys: Hold in these keys to paste the paint and material to all sides of all similar type objects. For example, hold these keys when pasting to a wall to make all walls the same color and material. This only works with floors, countertops, walls and roofs.
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Dragging In Paint and Materials: |
Alt-key: Hold in the alt key when dragging in paint and materials to apply them to all sides of a wall, floor, countertop or roof.
Ctrl+Alt keys: Hold in these keys to apply the paint or material to all sides of all similar type objects. For example, hold these keys when dragging paint or material to a wall to make all walls the same color and material. This works with floors, countertops, walls and roofs.
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Apply Paint and Materials to Part of Wall, Floor, etc: |
Choose "Draw Materials" from the Build menu and draw on the part of the wall, floor, roof or countertop you want to apply paint or materials to. |
Tape |
T key: Invokes tape measure tool.
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Add Plumb: |
Ctrl+K: Puts a plumb line where the tape measure is. |
Disable |
Shift key: Hold in the shift key when dragging objects to disable snap to. This also keeps walls lined up when dragging. |
Edit Terrain: |
U key: Toggles terrain editing on and off. |
Use View> Favorite Views> Add to Favorite Views to store views for later recall:
Favorite Views: |
Enter key: Recalls View #1.
Ctrl+Shift+2: Recall views 2 (use number for view) |
Enable |
G key: This toggles Gravity on and off allow you to drag objects up on to - or down off of - other objects. |
Animate Objects: |
Click with Mouse: To open doors or windows or animate other animated objects just click them with the mouse.
Menus: Right-click objects like ceiling fans to change the direction they animate. |