# Shortcuts Reference Complete keyboard shortcuts guide for the 3D Design Tool. Master these shortcuts to work efficiently and speed up your design workflow. > **Note:** Keyboard shortcuts only work when you're not typing in text fields. Click outside any input fields to enable shortcuts. ## General Navigation | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | Left Click + Drag | Rotate camera around scene | | Right Click + Drag | Pan camera horizontally/vertically | | Scroll Wheel | Zoom in/out | | `Ctrl+Shift+Z` | Emergency zoom restore (if camera gets stuck) | ## Mode Toggles | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `D` | Toggle drawing mode / Reset to basic draw | | `T` | Toggle tree mode | | `N` | Toggle annotation mode | | `E` | Open Extras modal | | `P` | Toggle panel mode (polygon must be selected) | | `O` | Toggle obstruction mode (polygon must be selected) | | `Escape` | Exit current mode / Cancel operation / Deselect | ## Drawing Mode | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `D` | Enter drawing mode | | `Shift` | Cycle through shape assistance modes | | `Ctrl` (hold) | Disable snapping while placing points | | `Ctrl+Z` | Undo last point (while drawing) | | `Escape` | Cancel drawing / Exit draw mode | ## Polygon Management | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `R` | Rotate baseline of selected polygon | | `Ctrl+C` | Copy selected polygons | | `Ctrl+V` | Paste copied polygons | | `Delete` | Delete selected polygon | ## Panel Mode | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `P` | Enter panel mode (polygon selected) | | `Ctrl+A` | Select all panels on current polygon | | `Delete` | Delete selected panels | | `X` | Clear all panels from polygon | | `F1` or `?` | Toggle help overlay | | `Escape` | Deselect panels / Exit panel mode | ## Obstruction Mode | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `O` | Enter obstruction mode (polygon selected) | | `Delete` | Delete selected obstruction | | `X` | Clear all obstructions from polygon | | `F1` or `?` | Toggle help overlay | | `Escape` | Clear selection / Exit obstruction mode | ## Tree Mode | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `T` | Enter tree mode | | `Shift` | Cycle tree types (Conifer/Deciduous) | | `M` | Move selected tree | | `Delete` | Delete selected tree | | `Escape` | Exit tree mode | ## Annotation Mode | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `N` | Enter annotation mode | | `Shift` | Cycle annotation types (Sphere/Square/Triangle) | | `Delete` | Delete selected annotation | | `Escape` | Exit annotation mode | ## Extras & Scene Objects | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `E` | Open Extras modal | | `R` | Rotate selected object | | `C` | Randomize color of selected object | | `Delete` or `Backspace` | Delete selected object | | `Escape` | Exit placement mode / Clear selection | ## Analysis & Visualization | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `H` | Toggle shadow heatmap | | `L` | Toggle DSM (Digital Surface Model) visibility | | `Ctrl+Q` | Toggle performance monitor | ## File Operations | Shortcut | Action | |----------|--------| | `Ctrl+S` | Save scene | ## Quick Reference by Task ### Creating a Building 1. Press `D` - Enter drawing mode 2. Click points to draw polygon 3. Click near start to close 4. Adjust height and slope in panel ### Adding Panels 1. Select polygon 2. Press `P` - Enter panel mode 3. Click/drag to place panels 4. Press `Escape` to exit ### Adding Obstructions 1. Select polygon 2. Press `O` - Enter obstruction mode 3. Choose type and click Place 4. Click location on roof 5. Press `Escape` to exit ### Adding Trees 1. Press `T` - Enter tree mode 2. Press `Shift` to choose type 3. Click to place trees 4. Press `Escape` to exit ### Shadow Analysis 1. Enable shadow visualization 2. Press `H` for heatmap 3. Adjust time slider 4. Optimize panel placement ## Pro Tips **Speed Up Design:** - Learn the mode toggle shortcuts (`D`, `T`, `P`, `O`, `N`) - Use `Escape` liberally to exit modes quickly - Master `Ctrl+C` / `Ctrl+V` for duplicating polygons **Navigate Efficiently:** - Use scroll to zoom in/out rapidly - Right-click drag for quick repositioning - Use `Ctrl+Shift+Z` if camera gets lost **Panel Placement:** - `Ctrl+A` to select all panels - `X` to clear and start over - `Delete` for fine-tuning placement **Design Workflow:** - `Ctrl+S` frequently to save progress - Use `H` heatmap before panel placement - Place obstructions (`O`) before panels (`P`) --- **See Also:** [[Terminology]] for definitions of key terms and concepts.