Shortcuts Overview
Keyboard shortcuts in Scapiera are workspace-scoped — different shortcuts are active depending on which workspace you are in. Press ? to see all shortcuts for the current workspace.
Scapiera uses a workspace-scoped shortcut system. The available shortcuts change depending on which workspace is currently active:
- 2D Editor — the main plan drawing and entity editing workspace
- 3D Editor — the 3D camera and entity viewing workspace
- Node Editing — path and bezier node editing mode
- Mesh Editing — 3D mesh sculpting workspace
- Shape Points — volume and profile shape editing workspace
Each workspace has its own shortcut set optimized for the tools available in that context. Global shortcuts work in all workspaces.
The fastest way to see the current workspace's shortcuts is the Input Help popover — press ? or click the ? icon in the status bar at the bottom of the canvas.
Open Input Help
Press ? anywhere on the canvas (when not typing in a text field) to open the Input Help popover.
Alternatively, click the ? icon at the right end of the status bar at the bottom of the canvas.
The Input Help popover opens showing all active shortcuts for the current workspace, organized into three tabs:
- Keys — keyboard shortcuts
- Mouse — mouse button actions and drags
- Trackpad — trackpad gestures
The popover updates automatically when you switch workspaces — the shortcuts shown always reflect the currently active workspace.
The Input Help popover is context-sensitive — it shows only the shortcuts relevant to where you are in the application. Use it as a quick reference any time you cannot remember a shortcut.
Understanding workspace-scoped shortcuts
The same key may do different things in different workspaces. For example:
- V in the 2D Editor = Select tool
- V in Mesh Editing = Vertex selection mode
- G in the 2D Editor = (no shortcut)
- G in Mesh Editing = Move / Grab selected elements
This means shortcuts do not conflict across workspaces — you can use single-key shortcuts in each workspace without needing to hold modifier keys.
When you enter a new workspace (e.g. by selecting an entity and entering node editing mode), the active shortcut set switches automatically. The Input Help popover always shows the correct set for the current context.
Global shortcuts — active in all workspaces
Some shortcuts work in every workspace:
| Shortcut | Action | |---|---| | Ctrl+Z | Undo | | Ctrl+Shift+Z | Redo | | Ctrl+C | Copy | | Ctrl+V | Paste | | Ctrl+D | Duplicate | | Delete / Backspace | Delete selection | | Esc | Deselect / Cancel current tool | | Space (hold) | Pan canvas | | ? | Open Input Help |
Ctrl is Ctrl on Windows/Linux and ⌘ on macOS. Alt is Alt on Windows/Linux and ⌥ on macOS.
Group and reorder objects with single-key shortcuts
Press G to group selected entities and Shift G to ungroup them. To control drawing order, use Ctrl/⌘ ] (Bring Forward), Ctrl/⌘ [ (Send Backward), Ctrl/⌘ Shift ] (Bring to Front), and Ctrl/⌘ Shift [ (Send to Back). Press Ctrl/⌘ L to toggle the lock state on selected entities so they cannot be accidentally moved or edited.
Use modifier keys to change tool behavior mid-operation
While drawing or dragging, modifier keys change how the active tool behaves. Holding Shift while moving a selection constrains it to the dominant horizontal or vertical axis; while drawing, Shift constrains lines to fixed angle increments and rectangles to squares. Holding Alt/⌥ while dragging a selected entity leaves the original in place and moves a duplicate instead. These modifier behaviors are consistent across the 2D drawing tools, so they apply to lines, rectangles, bezier paths, and more.
Find full shortcut tables in companion articles
This article is an index. For complete shortcut tables organized by workspace, see Shortcuts by Module. For click, drag, and scroll behaviors see Mouse Gestures. For two-finger pan, pinch-zoom, and other trackpad controls see Trackpad Gestures. For an explanation of what each region of the status bar at the bottom of the screen displays, see Status Bar.
Throughout the guide, Ctrl means Ctrl on Windows/Linux and ⌘ on macOS. Alt means Alt on Windows/Linux and ⌥ on macOS. Shift means Shift on all platforms. These placeholders are used consistently in all shortcut reference tables.
Single-key shortcuts (like G for Group) are only active when the canvas has focus — not when a text field or numeric input is selected. If a single-key shortcut does not respond, click on the canvas first to return focus to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the same key do different things depending on where I am?
Shortcuts are workspace-scoped, so the same key can have a different action in each workspace. For example, pressing V activates the Select tool in the 2D Editor but switches to Vertex selection mode in the Mesh Editor. This design allows single-key shortcuts in every workspace without modifier key conflicts. The active workspace is shown in the top toolbar.
Why does pressing a letter key not activate a tool?
Letter key shortcuts are only active when the canvas has focus. If a text input, numeric field, or other form control is focused, typing goes into that field instead. Click on the drawing canvas to return focus to it, then try the shortcut again.
Can I customize keyboard shortcuts?
Keyboard shortcut customization is not currently available. Shortcut sets are fixed per workspace. If a shortcut conflicts with a system shortcut on your platform, the system shortcut typically takes priority — in that case, use the equivalent toolbar button or right-click menu action instead.
What is the difference between a small nudge and a large nudge?
Pressing an Arrow key alone moves the selected entity by a small fixed increment. Holding Shift while pressing an Arrow key moves it by a larger increment — ten times the small step. The step sizes are fixed and do not change with zoom level.
Where can I see all available shortcuts at a glance?
The Shortcuts by Module article in this guide contains the full shortcut tables for each workspace. You can also hover over most toolbar buttons to see a tooltip that includes the keyboard shortcut for that action.