Using Positional Keyboard Navigation

When the focus is home, you can use positional keyboard navigation. This technique lets you easily select tools and adjust tool settings controlled through option menus and check boxes.

Positional keyboard navigation is a technique that utilizes a position-mapped keyboard. Position mapping is the mapping of keyboard zones to logical collections of controls in the user interface.

ConstructSim Planner position maps your keyboard by default. The following figure shows the default position mapping:

Default position mapping

The blue keys (<1>, <2>, <3>, <4>, <5>, <6>, <7>, <8>, <9>, and <0>) are mapped to the icons in the Main task.

The yellow keys (<Q>, <W>, <E>, <R>, <T>, <A>, <S>, <D>, <F>, <G>, <Z>, <X>, <C>, <V>, and <B>) are mapped to the icons in the Tasks dialog.

The green keys (<Y>, <U>, <I>, <O>, <P>, <H>, <J>, <K>, <L>, <;>, <N>, <M>, <,>, <.>, and </>) are mapped to the controls in the Tool Settings window.

Tip: To activate a tool quickly, press <Shift> plus the number or letter corresponding to the representative tool in the Main task or in the Tasks dialog.

Tip: If the focus is away from home, pressing <Esc> not only moves the focus to home but also displays position mapping aids in the Tool Settings window for a moment. At this point you can press <Esc> as many times as needed to view the aids.