Add Shortcut Keys and Temporary Override Keys (Concept)-Autodesk AutoCAD 2008 Customization Guide-kxcad

You can assign shortcut keys (sometimes called accelerator keys) to commands you use frequently, and temporary override keys to execute a command or change a setting when a key is pressed.

Show Me: Create a Shortcut Key

Click the Play arrow below the following image to start the animation.

The animation below shows how to create a custom shortcut key. The animation does not show how to create a custom command, for information on creating a custom command see Create, Edit, and Reuse Commands.

Shortcut keys are keys and key combinations that start commands. For example, you can press CTRL+O to open a file and CTRL+S to save a file, which is the same result as choosing Open and Save from the File menu. The following table shows the Save shortcut key properties as they appear in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Save shortcut key
Properties pane item	Description	Example
Name	String that is only used in the CUI editor and is not displayed in the user interface.	Save
Description	Text used to describe the element; does not appear in the user interface.	Saves the current drawing: QSAVE
Macro	The command macro. It follows the standard macro syntax.	^C^C_qsave
Keys	Specifies the keystroke combination that is used to execute the macro. Click the ellipses button [...] to open the Shortcut Keys dialog box.	CTRL+S
Element ID	Tag that uniquely identifies a command.	ID_Save

Temporary override keys are keys that temporarily turn on or turn off one of the drawing aids that are set in the Drafting Settings dialog box (for example, Ortho mode, object snaps, or Polar mode). The following table shows the Object Snap Override: Endpoint temporary override key properties as they appear in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Object Snap Override : Endpoint Temporary Override Key
Properties pane item	Description	Example
Name	String that is only used in the CUI editor and is not displayed in the user interface.	Object Snap Override : Endpoint
Description	Text used to describe the element; does not appear in the user interface.	Object Snap Override : Endpoint
Keys	Specifies the keystroke combination that is used to execute the temporary override. Click the ellipses button [...] to open the Shortcut Keys dialog box.	SHIFT+E
Macro1 (Key Down)	Specifies the macro that should be executed when the keystroke combination is held down by the user.	^P'_.osmode 1 $(if,$(eq,$(getvar,osnapoverride),0),'_.osnapoverride 1)
Macro2 (Key Up)	Specifies the macro that should be executed when the keystroke combination is released by the user. If left blank, AutoCAD restores any variables to their previous state.

Shortcut keys can be associated with any command in the command list. You can create new shortcut keys or modify existing shortcut keys.

The following table lists the default actions for shortcut keys.


Shortcut key	Description
ALT+F11	Displays the Visual Basic Editor
ALT+F8	Displays the Macros dialog box
CTRL+0	Toggles Clean Screen
CTRL+1	Toggles Properties palette
CTRL+2	Toggles DesignCenter
CTRL+3	Toggles the Tool Palettes Window
CTRL+4	Toggles Sheet Set Manager
CTRL+6	Toggles dbConnect Manager
CTRL+7	Toggles Markup Set Manager
CTRL+8	Toggles the QuickCalc calculator palette
CTRL+9	Toggles the command window
CTRL+A	Selects objects in drawing
CTRL+SHITF+A	Toggles Groups
CTRL+B	Toggles Snap
CTRL+C	Copies objects to Clipboard
CTRL+SHIFT+C	Copies objects to Clipboard with Base Point
CTRL+D	Toggles Dynamic UCS
CTRL+E	Cycles through isometric planes
CTRL+F	Toggles running object snaps
CTRL+G	Toggles Grid
CTRL+H	Toggles PICKSTYLE
CTRL+I	Toggles COORDS
CTRL+J	Repeats last command
CTRL+L	Toggles Ortho mode
CTRL+M	Repeats last command
CTRL+N	Creates a new drawing
CTRL+O	Opens existing drawing
CTRL+P	Prints current drawing
CTRL+R	Cycles layout viewports
CTRL+S	Saves current drawing
CTRL+SHIFT+S	Brings up the Save As dialog box
CTRL+T	Toggles Tablet mode
CTRL+V	Pastes data from Clipboard
CTRL+SHIFT+V	Pastes data from Clipboard as a Block
CTRL+X	Cuts objects to Clipboard
CTRL+Y	Cancels the preceding Undo action
CTRL+Z	Reverses last action
CTRL+[	Cancels current command
CTRL+\	Cancels current command
CTRL+PAGE UP	Moves to the next layout tab to the left of the current tab
CTRL+PAGE DOWN	Moves to the next layout tab to the right of the current tab
F1	Displays Help
F2	Toggles Text Window
F3	Toggles OSNAP
F4	Toggles TABMODE
F5	Toggles ISOPLANE
F6	Toggles UCSDETECT
F7	Toggles GRIDMODE
F8	Toggles ORTHOMODE
F9	Toggles SNAPMODE
F10	Toggles Polar Tracking
F11	Toggles Object Snap Tracking
F12	Toggles Dynamic Input

The following table lists the default actions for temporary override keys on an English U.S. keyboard. For more information about default temporary override keys on other keyboards, see Override Object Snap Settings.


Temporary override key	Description
F3	Toggles OSNAP
F6	Toggles UCSDETECT
F8	Toggles ORTHOMODE
F9	Toggles SNAPMODE
F10	Toggles Polar Tracking
F11	Toggles Object Snap Tracking
F12	Toggles Dynamic Input
SHIFT	Toggles ORTHOMODE
SHIFT+’	Toggles SNAPMODE
SHIFT+,	Object Snap Override: Center
SHIFT+.	Toggles Polar Tracking
SHIFT+/	Toggles UCSDETECT
SHIFT+;	Enables Object Snap Enforcement
SHIFT+]	Toggles Object Snap Tracking
SHIFT+A	Toggles OSNAP
SHIFT+C	Object Snap Override: Center
SHIFT+D	Disable All Snapping and Tracking
SHIFT+E	Object Snap Override: Endpoint
SHIFT+L	Disable All Snapping and Tracking
SHIFT+M	Object Snap Override: Midpoint
SHIFT+P	Object Snap Override: Endpoint
SHIFT+Q	Toggles Object Snap Tracking
SHIFT+S	Enables Object Snap Enforcement
SHIFT+V	Object Snap Override: Midpoint
SHIFT+X	Toggles Polar Tracking
SHIFT+Z	Toggles UCSDETECT

In the Customize User Interface editor, you can view, print, or copy a list of shortcut keys, temporary override keys, or both. The shortcut keys and temporary override keys in the list are those keys used by the CUI files that are loaded in the program.