Tips with Keyboard and Mouse

Navigation

• Move the view: Hold the Space key, click and hold with the Left Mouse Button the drawing area and move it. See also: Pan Tool
• Zoom in/Zoom out: Hold the Ctrl key and use the Mouse Wheel to zoom in and out. See also: Zoom Tools
• Move the view vertically: Use the Mouse Wheel to scroll vertically.
• Move the view horizontally: Hold the Shift key and use the Mouse Wheel to scroll horizontally.
• Show Entire Map: Click on
• Zoom to Selected Objects: Click on
• Find Selected Objects: Click on

There are some Shortcuts by default corresponding to view and navigation functions.

• F5: View -> Redraw
• F6: View -> Pan
• F7: View -> Zoom In
• F8: View -> Zoom Out

Visit the Shortcuts page for more information.

Drawing

• Continue an existing line: Press the Shift key and click the end point of the line to be continued. This can be used instead of the Merge function.
• Draw horizontal or vertical lines: Press the Alt key while drawing. The line snaps in a vertical or horizontal direction. This can be useful when drawing a border or north lines.
• Following Existing Objects: Hold the Ctrl key and click with the Left Mouse Button a point on the line to be followed. The Ctrl key can be released now. Keep the Left Mouse Button pressed and release it at the point the following shall stop. The drawing of the line can be continued now.
• Change drawing mode during drawing and editing: Press the Tab key until the desired drawing mode appears to change the drawing mode.
• Use P key to change to the last used drawing mode.
• Visit the Drawing and Editing Section in the OCAD Preferences to choose your favourite settings.

Editing

• Delete Vertices from line or area objects: Hold the Ctrl key and click the vertex with the Left Mouse Button. See also: Remove Vertex Tool
• Add Normal Vertices to line or area objects: Hold the Shift and the Ctrl key pressed and click the corresponding point on the line with the Left Mouse Button. See also: Add Normal Vertex Tool
• Select an object under a already selected object: Hold the Alt key and click the object above the object to be selected. This function only has an effect if you are clicking near a Vertex of the object above.
• Move the selected object: Use the Arrow keys to move a selected object. For more information about selecting and moving objects visit the Select page.
• Select multiple objects: Hold the Shift key and click the objects to be selected one after another. As an alternative, drag an area with the Right Mouse Button in the Select and Edit Object or Select Object and Edit Vertex mode to select all objects which are in it. Read the Select Multiple Objects article for more information.
• Use A key to change to the Select Object and Edit Vertex mode.
• Use V key to change to the Select and Edit Object mode.

Cutting

• Select next object: Select a line object and choose the Cut function. If you press the Alt key, the cursor changes to the Select Object and Edit Vertex mode. Keep the Alt key pressed and click the next object you want to cut. Release the Alt key and continue with the cutting.
• Insert a virtual gap: Select a line object and choose the Cut function. If you press the Ctrl key while cutting, a virtual gap is inserted. A virtual gap is graphical gap only: the line is not interrupted.
• Dashed line: Insert a gap at the cutting point: Select a dashed line object and choose the Cut function. Hold the Shift key while cutting a dashed line to insert a gap with the same length, as the other gaps in the dashed line, at the cutting point.

Miscellaneous

Coming soon...