Shortcuts

Tecplot RS supports various sets of keyboard shortcuts to help you operate quickly in the Tecplot RS workspace. These keyboard shortcuts and extended pointer commands operate on all platforms that Tecplot RS supports, although on Linux platforms, Num Lock can interfere with keyboard shortcuts.

Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use any of the following keyboard shortcut sets in Tecplot RS:

Rotate Tools

To use one of these rotation tools, first activate the rollerball rotation tool or the Z-axis rotation tool, unless otherwise noted.

Drag

Rotate about the rotation origin

Alt+Left-Click and Drag

Rotate about the viewer position using the active Rotate tool

Middle-Click and Drag

Smoothly zoom in and out of the data (you do NOT need to have a rotation tool activated to use this shortcut)

Right-Click and Drag

Translate the data (you do NOT need to have a rotation tool activated to use this shortcut)

O

Set the center of rotation

R

Switch to Rollerball rotation

Z

Switch to Z-axis rotation


Polyline Tool

Activate the Polyline tool to use these shortcut keys (choose "Polyline" from the Insert menu).

A

Allow translation of polyline segments in all directions (useful after restricting translation to vertical or horizontal directions).

H

Restrict translation of the current polyline segment to horizontal.

U

End the current polyline and start a new one.

V

Restrict translation of current polyline segment to vertical.


Probe Tool

Activate the Probe tool to use these shortcut keys (click the Probe button in the toolbar).

Left-Click

If the pointer is over a single valid cell, the interpolated field values from all nodes in the cell are returned.

If multiple cells are candidates, the action is dependent upon the plot type:

  • For 2D, the cell from the highest number zone is used.

  • For 3D, the cell closest to the viewer is used.

Ctrl+Left-Click

If the pointer is over a single valid cell, the field values from the nearest node in the cell are returned.

If multiple cells are candidates, the action is dependent upon the plot type:

  • For 2D, the cell from the highest number zone is used.

  • For 3D, the cell closest to the viewer is used.

If the pointer is not over any cell, then the field values from nearest data point (as measured in distance on the screen) are returned.

Shift+Ctrl+Left-Click

The field values from the nearest point on the screen are returned (ignoring surfaces, zone number, and depth of the point).

This is useful in 3D for probing on data points that are on the back side of a closed surface without having to rotate the object. In 2D, this is useful for probing on data points for zones that may be underneath other zones.

Alt+Left-Click

Probe only on streamtraces, iso-surfaces, or slices.

If multiple cells are candidates, the action is dependent upon the plot type:

  • For 2D, the cell from the highest number zone is used.

  • For 3D, the cell closest to the viewer is used.

Alt+Ctrl+Left-Click

Probe only on streamtraces, iso-surfaces, or slices.

If multiple cells are candidates, the action is dependent upon the plot type:

  • For 2D, the cell from the highest number zone is used.

  • For 3D, the cell closest to the viewer is used.

If the pointer is not over any cell, then the field values from nearest data point (as measured in distance on the screen) are returned.

Alt+Ctrl+Left-Click

Probe only on streamtraces, iso-surfaces, or slices. The field values from the nearest point on the screen are returned.

X, Y

When probing variable plots, press X or Y to switch dependencies.


Streamtrace Placement tools (3D grid plots only)

Activate the Streamtrace tool to use these shortcut keys. To activate this tool, click the Streamtrace tool in the toolbar.

D

Change the streamtrace style to stream rods.

R

Change the streamtrace style to stream ribbons.

S

Change the streamtrace style to surface lines.

V

Change the streamtrace style to volume lines.

1-9

Change the number of streamtraces to be added when placing a rake of streamtraces.


Translate/Magnify Tools

You do not need to activate a specific tool to use these shortcuts.

Right-click + Drag

Translate the data.

Middle-click + Drag

Zoom smoothly in and out of the plot.


Zoom Tool

Activate the Zoom tool by clicking it in the toolbar to access these shortcuts.

Left-Click

Center and zoom around the location of your click.

Ctrl + Left-Click

Center around the location of your click and zoom out.

Drag

Draw a box to set the frame view.


Picked Object Options

-

Reduce the size of the object.

+

Increase the size of the object.

Del

Delete picked object.

Ctrl+C

Copy picked object to the clipboard.

Ctrl+V

Paste picked object from the clipboard.

Ctrl+X

Cut picked object.


Other Keyboard Operations

Ctrl+A

Paste View - Paste stored frame view to active frame.

Ctrl+D

Redraw all frames.

Ctrl+F

Fit Data - Fit all data into the frame.

Ctrl+E

Fit Everything - Fit all data, text, and geometries into the frame.

Ctrl+L

Last - Restore the last frame view.

Ctrl+O

Open a project file.

Ctrl+P

Print.

Ctrl+Q

Exit.

Ctrl+R

Redraw the active frame.

Ctrl+S

Save the current project to a file.


Extended Pointer Operations

The middle and right pointer buttons have powerful capabilities for zooming and translating data without requiring a switch to the Zoom or Translate tools on the toolbar. This advanced pointer functionality is available when using any Rotate, Geometry (except Polyline), Probe, Streamtrace, Translate, or Zoom tools. If you have a two button pointer, use the Ctrl key in conjunction with the right pointer button to achieve middle pointer button capabilities.

The following table lists all of the capabilities of the middle and right pointer buttons, when the active pointer tool is the "Selector" or the "Adjustor".

Action Middle Button/Ctrl + Right Button Right Button

Click

Redraw. If the pointer is in the active frame, Tecplot RS will redraw the active frame. Otherwise, redraw all frames. [1]

1. This is the default action for a click. You can configure it with the $!Interface MouseActions {MiddleButton…​ command.

Switch from the current tool to the Selector. [2]

2. This is the default action for a click. It can be configured with the $!Interface MouseActions {RightButton…​ command.

Drag

Smoothly zoom in or out. An upward motion zooms out. A downward motion zooms in.

Translate.

Alt + Drag

In 3D grid plots, move the viewer further from (upward motion) or closer to (downward motion) the object. In all other plot types, this behaves like the Drag action

Same as the Drag action.

Refer to the following sections for information regarding Toolbar buttons with special capabilities tied to pointer buttons or keyboard keys.