Keyboard Accelerators: The Sports Cars of GUIs
More advanced users often like using keyboard shortcuts for common tasks because they reduce the considerable amount time spent switching between the keyboard and the mouse.
Standard System Accelerators:
- B_COMMAND_KEY + N:
- New Document
- B_COMMAND_KEY + O:
- Open Document
- B_COMMAND_KEY + S:
- Save Document
- B_COMMAND_KEY + Shift + S:
- Save As (show Save dialog window)
- B_COMMAND_KEY + P:
- Print
- B_COMMAND_KEY + W:
- Close Active Window
- B_COMMAND_KEY + Q:
- Quit
- B_COMMAND_KEY + C:
- Copy
- B_COMMAND_KEY + X:
- Cut
- B_COMMAND_KEY + V:
- Paste
- B_COMMAND_KEY + F:
- Show Find Window
- B_COMMAND_KEY + G:
- Find Again
- B_COMMAND_KEY + B_OPTION_KEY + F:
- Show Replace Window
- B_COMMAND_KEY + L:
- Replace and Find
- B_COMMAND_KEY + ,:
- Program Options
- B_COMMAND_KEY + B:
- (Word processor) Bold font
- B_COMMAND_KEY + U:
- (Word processor) Underline font
- B_COMMAND_KEY + I:
- (Word processor) Italicized font
- B_COMMAND_KEY + A:
- Select All
- B_COMMAND_KEY + Z:
- Undo
- B_COMMAND_KEY + B_SHIFT_KEY + Z:
- Redo
- Tab / Shift + Tab:
- Keyboard navigation
- B_CONTROL_KEY + Tab:
- Switch programs
When choosing keyboard accelerators for your program, use them only for commonly-used tasks. Do not use one of the system combinations for a task different from the list above. Doing so will only confuse and frustrate users. Choose key combinations which are easily associated with the functions that go with them. For example, Tracker uses Alt + Up to go to the parent folder of the current window. The Command key should be the main shortcut key. The Option key is generally used to modify an existing shortcut with a closely related function. Command + F shows the Find window. Command + Option + F shows the Replace window.