PCAD 2002 Schematic Keyboard Reference

ALT+F4 (File Exit)

A shortcut for the File » Exit command. Choose this command to quit the P-CAD Schematic program. If any open design has been modified since the last save, you are prompted whether you want to save the changes to the file. The program writes configuration information to the Sch.ini file when you exit.   

ALT + MOUSE CLICK

For any click-and-drag or drag-and-drop operations, you can hold down the ALT key, click the left mouse button, then move or drag the object wherever you want without having to keep the mouse button depressed. Without the ALT key, you would normally have to click and hold the button down while you are dragging.

ARROW KEYS

Press an arrow key to move the cursor to the next grid point. Press CTRL+arrow to move the cursor 10 grid points. This is useful to pan the window.

CTRL+MOUSE CLICK

You can copy-and-drag an object by selecting the object, holding down CTRL and clicking the left mouse button in the selected object region, and dragging a copy of the object to a location and releasing to paste it.

CTRL+C (Edit Copy)

A shortcut for the Edit » Copy command.

CTRL+N (File New)

A shortcut for File » New. This command opens a new, untitled design window in the workspace.

CTRL+O (File Open)

A shortcut for File » Open. When you choose this command, the File Open dialog appears, where you can choose a design file to open.

CTRL+P (File Print)

A shortcut for File » Print. When you choose this command, the File Print dialog appears, where you can print sheets from your design and set options for your output.

CTRL+S (File Save)

A shortcut for File » Save. Choose this command to save changes to the current, active design without closing it. To save the design to a different file, choose File » SaveAs.

CTRL+V (Edit Paste)

 A shortcut for the Edit » Paste command.

CTRL+X (Edit Cut)

A shortcut for the Edit » Cut command.

CTRL+Z (Edit Undo)

A shortcut for Edit » Undo, which reverses a completed action. If you have not completed your action (e.g., you are in Place Line mode and have not finished a series of segments), Undo will not reverse the action. Use the BACKSPACE key to unwind the unfinished actions when you are in a placement mode.

CTRL+F4

Closes the active window.

CTRL+F6 and CTRL+TAB

Switches focus to the next open window. Use CTRL+SHIFT+F6 to

switch focus to the previous window.

SHIFT+F4 (Window Tile)

A shortcut for the Windows » Tile command. Windows are resized and arranged side-by-side so that all windows are visible and none overlap.

SHIFT+F5 (Window Cascade)

A shortcut for the Windows » Cascade command. All windows overlap, starting in the upper-left corner of your Workspace. You can

see each window's title, making it easy to switch between windows.

DEL (Edit Delete)

 A shortcut for the Edit » Delete command, which deletes all selected objects.

F1 (Help)

Press the F1 key to display context-sensitive help. If you put focus on a command or dialog (by mouse or keyboard) and press F1, the Help window appears containing information specific to the focus item.

PAGE DOWN

Scrolls one page down in the workspace. CTRL+PAGE DOWN scrolls one page right.

PAGE UP Scrolls one page up in the workspace. CTRL+PAGE UP scrolls one page left.

SPACEBAR

The SPACEBAR can be used in place of the left mouse button; but the action is different. To simulate a typical click-and-release of the mouse button, you need to press and release the SPACEBAR twice. Therefore, to simulate the click-and-hold mouse action, you press and release the SPACEBAR once. As the left mouse button is used in such a variety of ways throughout the P-CAD program, this SPACEBAR keystroke can become a regular part of your work.

BACKSPACE (Unwind)

Used as unwind command while placing objects with multiple segments (e.g., lines, polygons). Each BACKSPACE stroke unwinds the previously placed segment.

ESC (Escape)

Terminates placement of objects with multiple segments; it also cancels a redraw in progress. It is often equivalent to the right mouse button. ESC also exits from dialogs (equaling the Close or Cancel button).

+ PLUS KEY (Zoom In)

Press the + key as a shortcut for choosing the View » Zoom In command. The plus key causes a zoom in to occur at the cursor location. The plus key does not change the cursor to a zoom cursor (as do the zoom commands from the View menu).

- MINUS KEY (Zoom Out)

Press the - key as a shortcut for choosing the View » Zoom Out command. The keypad minus key also works. The minus key causes a zoom out to occur at the cursor location. The minus key does not change the cursor to a zoom cursor (as do the zoom commands from the View menu).

A KEY (Grid Toggle)

Press the A key to switch between absolute and relative grid settings.

C KEY (View Center)

A shortcut for the View » Center command. This command allows you to center your cursor location. Place the cursor in the area of your design that you want centered and press C.

D and SHIFT+D (Change Reference Designators)

Press D to switch to the next available reference designator; SHIFT+D changes the reference designator to the highest unused preceding reference designator.

E KEY (Play Macro)

Press E to play back (executes) the temporary macro (named_DEFAULT). Temporary macros are recorded by clicking the Macro button or by pressing the M key. Each successive temporary macro overwrites the previous one. See Macro Record (page 362) for more information.

F KEY (Flip Object)

Press the F key to flip an object during Place and Select operations. Not all objects can be flipped. Refer to Edit Select (page 247) for more information about flipping objects. The F key also switches between orthogonal mode pairs.

G KEY (Grid Select)

This key scrolls forward through the list of grid settings. Use SHIFT+G to scroll back through the list.

J KEY (Enter Coordinate)

Gives focus to the X coordinate box in the status line. From there, you can enter new X and Y coordinates.

L and SHIFT+L Keys (Sheets) L

sequences forward through the sheets in the design file of the active window; SHIFT+L sequences backward through the sheets.

M KEY (Record Macro)

Duplicates the macro toggle button (M button on the Status line) for starting/stopping recording of the temporary macro (see E key description). See Macro Record (page 362) for more information.

O and SHIFT+O Keys(Orthogonal Mode)

O sequences forward through the orthogonal modes during placement of wires and lines; SHIFT+O sequences backward throughout the modes. Press the F key to switch between orthogonal mode pairs. Orthogonal modes are set in the Options Configure dialog box. See Options Configure (page 292) for more information.

P and SHIFT+P (Change Reference Designators)

Press the P key to change the reference designator to the next gate; Press SHIFT+P to change the reference designator to the previous gate.

Q KEY (Draft Mode)

Press the Q key to switch between draft mode ON and OFF.

R KEY (Rotate)

R Rotates objects 90 degrees during Place and Select operations. For more information about rotating objects with Place and Select operations Edit Select (page 247).

S KEY (Select)

 S key (Select)

U KEY (Undo)

A shortcut for the Edit » Undo command, which reverses a completed action. See Edit Undo (page 201) for more information. For the unwind feature, refer to the BACKSPACE key description in this section.

W KEY (Line Width Scroll)

Scrolls forward through the list of line widths established in the design. Use SHIFT+W to scroll back through the list.

X KEY (Cursor Style)

 Press the X key to switch between the three cursor styles: Arrow, Small Cross, and Large Cross.

Z KEY (Zoom Window)

A shortcut for the View » Zoom Window command. Just press Z and then draw the zoom window; a zoom cursor (magnifying glass) appears until you draw the zoom window. Whatever you surround with the zoom window fills the screen.