Mouse Gestures
Complete mouse interaction reference. Left, right, and middle button actions, drag behaviors, and the key differences between 2D and 3D navigation.
Scapiera is designed for mouse and trackpad use on modern laptops. The mouse interaction model prioritizes single-click entity selection and middle-click navigation — following conventions familiar from other professional design applications.
Most mouse interactions behave the same in both 2D and 3D views, but navigation (pan, orbit) differs between the two views. This article covers both.
Left click actions
| Left click action | Result | |---|---| | Click on empty canvas | Deselect all / place tool point (if tool active) | | Click on entity | Select entity (deselects others) | | Shift+click on entity | Add entity to / remove from selection | | Ctrl+click on entity | Select through to entity beneath the clicked entity | | Double-click on entity | Enter edit mode (node editing for paths, mesh editing for 3D meshes) | | Double-click on path while drawing | Finish path (close the path if near the start point, otherwise leave open) | | Click on canvas (tool active) | Place tool point (path node, entity placement) |
Left click + drag actions
| Left click + drag | Result | |---|---| | Drag on entity (selected) | Move selected entities | | Drag on empty canvas | Rubber-band selection — selects all entities fully inside the drawn rectangle | | Drag selection handle | Resize selected entity | | Drag on canvas (tool active) | Draw path / define area for the active tool | | Alt+drag on entity | Duplicate entity and move the copy | | Shift+drag (move) | Constrain movement to horizontal or vertical axis |
When dragging to move entities, snapping is active by default — entities snap to grid, other entity edges, and alignment guides. Hold Alt while dragging to temporarily disable snapping.
Alt+drag is the fastest way to create a series of similar entities — place the first, then Alt+drag it to the next position. Repeat to build a row or pattern quickly.
Right click actions
| Right click action | Result in 2D | Result in 3D | |---|---|---| | Right-click on entity | Context menu (entity actions) | Context menu | | Right-click on empty canvas | Context menu (paste, grid settings) | Pan camera (hold and drag) | | Right-click + drag (2D) | — (context menu on release) | Pan camera |
The context menu in 2D shows: Edit, Duplicate, Lock, Group, Move to Layer, Move to Page, Delete, and other entity-specific actions depending on the entity type.
In 3D, right-click + drag is the pan shortcut (alternative to Shift+middle-drag).
Middle click and scroll actions
| Middle click action | Result in 2D | Result in 3D | |---|---|---| | Middle-click + drag | Pan canvas | Orbit camera | | Shift+middle-click + drag | Horizontal pan | Pan camera | | Scroll wheel up/down | Zoom in / out | Dolly in / out (camera forward/back) | | Shift+scroll | Horizontal pan | — |
Scroll wheel zoom is centered on the cursor position — zoom in over the area of interest to zoom toward it.
In 3D, middle-click + drag orbits the camera around the current orbit center. The orbit center is set to the last entity you clicked on. Click an entity to re-center the orbit on it before navigating.
In 3D, clicking an entity before orbiting ensures the camera orbits around the entity rather than an arbitrary point in space. This prevents the common issue of orbiting to a position where the design disappears off-screen.
2D vs 3D navigation differences
The key differences between 2D and 3D mouse navigation:
| Gesture | 2D behavior | 3D behavior | |---|---|---| | Middle-click + drag | Pan (translate the view) | Orbit (rotate camera around center) | | Right-click + drag | Context menu on release | Pan camera | | Scroll wheel | Zoom in/out (2D scale) | Dolly in/out (3D Z movement) | | F key | — | Focus / frame selected entities |
When switching between 2D and 3D views, the navigation changes. If you find the 3D view confusing to navigate after working in 2D, remember: middle-drag = orbit (not pan) in 3D.
Scroll-wheel zoom in 2D zooms toward the cursor, not the canvas center. Position your cursor over the area of interest before scrolling in for precise zoom control.
3D orbit center — click before you orbit
In the 3D view, the camera orbits around an orbit center point. By default this is the center of the scene, but clicking any entity sets the orbit center to that entity's position. Before orbiting to inspect a specific element — a pergola, a planting bed, a pool — click that entity first, then middle-drag to orbit. This keeps the element in frame throughout the orbit. If the design drifts off-screen while orbiting, use the Zoom Fit action in the left toolbar's zoom flyout (or the zoom controls in the status bar) to re-center the view on the whole design.
The 2D and 3D views handle middle-drag differently: in 2D it pans; in 3D it orbits. This is the most common source of navigation confusion when switching between the two views. Keep this distinction in mind and the controls will feel natural in each view.
No middle mouse button? Switch to the Pan tool (press H or click the hand icon in the left toolbar), then left-drag to pan in either view. For trackpad equivalents — two-finger drag and pinch-to-zoom — see the Trackpad Gestures article.
Quick reference — 2D vs 3D navigation
| Gesture | 2D view | 3D view | |---|---|---| | Middle-click + drag | Pan canvas | Orbit camera | | Right-click + drag | — (context menu on release) | Pan camera | | Scroll wheel | Zoom in / out | Zoom toward cursor | | Shift + scroll | Horizontal pan | Horizontal pan | | Pan tool (H) + left-drag | Pan canvas | Pan camera |
All other left-click behaviors (select, move, resize, draw) are identical in both views.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pan in 2D without a middle mouse button?
Switch to the Pan tool by pressing H or clicking the hand icon in the left toolbar, then drag with the left mouse button. Press V (or Esc) to return to the Select tool when you are done. Alternatively, use a two-finger drag on a trackpad — see the Trackpad Gestures article for the full list of trackpad equivalents.
Why does rubber-band selection miss some entities that were inside my box?
Rubber-band selection only selects entities that are fully enclosed within the rectangle. Any entity that extends even slightly outside the box is excluded. To include partially overlapping entities, Shift+click each one individually after the rubber-band selection, or draw a larger selection box.
My 3D view spins out of control when I orbit — how do I recover?
Use the Zoom Fit action in the left toolbar's zoom flyout (or the zoom controls in the status bar) to re-center the camera on your whole design. Clicking an entity before orbiting also helps, as it sets the orbit center directly on the element you want to inspect.
Can I pan in 2D with the right mouse button like in 3D?
Right-click + drag panning is only available in the 3D view. In the 2D view, right-click always opens the context menu. Use middle-click + drag or Space + left-drag to pan in the 2D view.
Does Alt+drag duplicate just the selected entity or the entire selection?
Alt+drag duplicates the entire current selection. If you have multiple entities selected, all of them are duplicated together and the copy moves as a group. The original entities remain in place; you are dragging only the newly created copies.