Keyboard shortcut customization

Default shortcut bindings are described below. They can be redefined in your application and you can add new ones. See the keyboardAndMouse example for a practical illustration.

Default keyboard shortcuts

This table lists the different KeyboardAction with their default shortcuts.

`KeyboardAction`	Key	Description	Associated function
DRAW_AXIS	A	Toggles the display of the world axis	`QGLViewer::toggleAxisIsDrawn()`
DRAW_GRID	G	Toggles the display of the XY grid	`QGLViewer::toggleGridIsDrawn()`
DISPLAY_FPS	F	Toggles the display of the frame rate	`QGLViewer::toggleFPSIsDisplayed()`
ENABLE_TEXT	?	Toggles the display of all the text	`QGLViewer::toggleTextIsEnabled()`
STEREO	S	Toggles the stereo display	`QGLViewer::toggleStereoDisplay()`
HELP	H	Displays a help window	`QGLViewer::help()`
EXIT_VIEWER	Escape	Quits the application	`qApp->quit`
CAMERA_MODE	Space	Switches between the FLY and REVOLVE camera mode	`camera()->toggleCameraMode()`
ANIMATION	Return	Starts/stops the animation loop	`QGLViewer::toggleAnimation()`
SAVE_SCREENSHOT	Ctrl+S	Opens the save screenshot dialog box	`QGLViewer::saveSnapshot()`
FULL_SCREEN	Alt+Return	Toggles the full screen mode	`QGLViewer::toggleFullScreen()`
EDIT_CAMERA	C	Toggles the camera edition	`toggleCameraIsEdited()`
INCREASE_FLYSPEED DECREASE_FLYSPEED	+ / -	Increases or decreases the camera fly speed.	`camera()->setFlySpeed()`
MOVE_CAMERA_LEFT MOVE_CAMERA_RIGHT MOVE_CAMERA_UP MOVE_CAMERA_DOWN	Left, right up and down arrow keys	Moves the camera, parallel to the screen. Displacement amplitude is proportional to `flySpeed()`	`camera()->frame()->translate(...)`
See `pathKey()` and `playPathKeyboardModifiers()`	F1...F12	Plays/Pauses camera key frame path (if defined) Reset the path when Fx is quickly press twice.	`camera()->playPath(i)` `camera()->resetPath(i)`
See `pathKey()` and `addKeyFrameKeyboardModifiers()`	Alt+(F1...F12)	Defines a new camera key frame for path 1..12. Deletes the path when Fx is quickly press twice.	`camera()->addKeyFrameToPath(i)` `camera()->deletePath(i)`

Use QGLViewer::setShortcut(Action, Key) to redefine one of these (probably in your init() function). Action is defined by the KeyboardAction enum, described in the above table, while Key is provided as an int using Qt enumerated values. Setting 0 as the shortcut key disables the associated KeyboardAction:

void Viewer::init()
{
  // Press 'Q' to exit application
  setShortcut(EXIT_VIEWER, Qt::Key_Q);

  // Alt+M toggles camera mode
  setShortcut(CAMERA_MODE, Qt::ALT | Qt::Key_M);
  
  // The DISPLAY_FPS action is disabled
  setShortcut(DISPLAY_FPS, 0);
}

You can retrieve the current shortcut with shortcut(Action). Current bindings are always available in the help window "Keyboard" tab.

Binding new keyboard actions

If you want to define a new keyboard shortcuts for one of your own methods, overload the QGLViewer::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *e) method:

void Viewer::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *e)
  {
    switch (e->key())
    {
      case Qt::Key_R : myResetMethod(); updateGL(); break;
      // and so on...

      // Default calls the original method to handle standard keys
      default: QGLViewer::keyPressEvent(e);
    }
  }

You should then use setKeyDescription() to add a short description of your keyboard shortcut in the help window. See the keyboardAndMouse example for a practical illustration.

Camera paths keyboard bindings

A Camera can have associated KeyFrameInterpolator that define paths and positions. The F1...F12 keys (noted Fx below) are binded to the Camera::keyFrameInterpolator() of indexes 1..12 by default.

Alt+Fx adds a new keyFrame to path x.
Fx will then make the Camera play/pause the associated path (or will simply restore the saved position if only one keyFrame was defined for this path).

Quickly pressing Fx twice resets the interpolation:

Alt+Fx+Fx deletes path x.
Fx+Fx resets path x to its starting point.

Use these methods to modify the camera path keyboard shortcuts:

setPathKey(int key, int index) (default are F1...F12 for path 1..12),
setAddKeyFrameKeyboardModifiers(int buttonState) (default is Alt) and
setPlayPathKeyboardModifiers(int buttonState) (default is no modifier).

Last modified on Thursday, December 29, 2022.