Keyboard Shortcuts

freighthouse's picture
Submitted by freighthouse on Sat, 05/09/2009 - 00:02
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 Overview

  • Some users are not able to use a mouse in their workflow. Consequently, a user should be able to perform all application functions using the keyboard.
  • A keyboard shortcut (often referred to as a Hotkey, Access key, Shortcut key, Key binding, etc.) is a key, key combination or key sequence that performs a predefined task, behavior or function.
  • Creating keyboard shortcuts for frequently used functions will increase user productivity and consistency across solutions.

Behaviors

  • For single key shortcuts, a user presses an individual key in order to achieve a particular function. (i.e. ESC)
  • For shortcuts consisting of a combination of keys being pressed at the same time, a user must first hold down a modifier key (i.e. CTRL or ALT) then press and release an additional key.
  • In most cases, for Macintosh keyboards there are two modifier key differences; COMMAND (equivalent of CTRL on PC) & OPTION (equivalent of ALT on PC). 

Usage Guidelines

  • Do not override the reserved keyboard shortcuts listed below. Shortcuts for solutions can be customized to deviate from the list, provided that the particular shortcut supplied does not meet the solution's needs.
  • The behaviors of keyboard shortcuts vary and can usually be customized by the user by accessing the General Preferences Dialog.
  • All keyboard shortcuts that are available on screen as buttons or any visual component should also be accessible from the menu with the menu item labeled with the keyboard shortcut definition.

Graphic Considerations

  • Capitalization- In general, when displaying a Keyboard shortcut use all uppercase letters and spell out key names, numbers, and Special Characters.

    Do’s:  BACKSPACE | CTRL | FIVE | CTRL + PERIOD (.) 
    Don’ts:  Caps Lock | Escape | 5 | CTRL+ .

 

  • Special Characters can be confused with actions in keyboard shortcuts, therefore, spell out the following character in all caps and add the character in parenthesis. 
    Example:  PLUS SIGN (+) | MINUS SIGN (-) | HYPHEN (-) | PERIOD (.) | COMMA (,)  ) 
    • All other special Characters do not need to be spelled out.

        Example:   CTRL+#  |  SHIFT+$

 

  • Key combinations use the plus sign between keys
    Example:   CTRL + Z
    • When using key combinations that require the SHIFT key always display the shifted key in the combination. Using the non shifted key can be confusing to the Users.

         Do’s:   CTRL+SHIFT+? |  CTRL + SHIFT+%   |  CTRL+SHIFT+COMMA 
         Don’ts: CTRL+?            |  CTRL+SHIFT+5      |  CTRL + SHIFT + >
                                                             

  • Key sequence use commas and spaces to indicate the order in which the keys must be pressed
    Example:   ALT, F, O.
     
  • When instructing the user to ‘press’ a key use all uppercase.

    Do’s: Press the PLUS SIGN (+), Press CTRL , Press Y.

  • When instructing the user to ‘type’ a key use lowercase bold.

    Do’s: Type the plus sign (+), Type five or Type y 
    Don’ts: Press+, Press 5, Type y

 

  • Alt Key- When ALT is pressed, a letter within the text of a menu item (usually the first letter) or button will be underlined as indication of the actual shortcut related to a specific command.

  

  • The operating system control panel gives users the option to underline keyboard shortcuts and access keys automatically, without having to press the ALT key. With this option enabled, the user still must first press the ALT key in order for the shortcut to work.


International Compliance Considerations

NOTE *Users outside the United States may be unable to use some of the shortcut keys below* Different types of keyboards/languages?? Jenny and Internat. team to write.

  • Example keybards:
     Language: German   Region: Germany                                         Language: Arabic  Region(s): Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syrai, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

  

See Globalize your On Demand Business : Logical keyboard layout registry index

Accessibility Considerations

If a user agent (such as JAWS) supports keyboard shortcuts, it will override the application's shortcut definition listed below.

Keyboard Navigation

 

General Application Shortcuts Description
CTRL + A Select all items
CTRL + D Expand All
CTRL + E Edit
CTRL + F Find
CTRL + I View Image
CTRL + M Submit
CTRL + L Collapse All
CTRL + P Print
CTRL + R Refresh Screen
CTRL + S Save
CTRL + SHIFT + S Save As
CTRL + U Change User
CTRL + Y Redo an action
CTRL + Z Undo an action
ENTER Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands
ESC Cancel the current task
DELETE Delete the selected item
ARROW KEYS Select a button if the button is currently active
BACKSPACE Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box
SHIFT + ARROW KEYS Select more than one item in a window or select text within a document
CTRL + SHIFT + ARROW KEYS Select multiple items in a list
ALT Move to the Menu Bar
ALT, ARROW KEYS Move Between Menus
ALT + SPACEBAR Open the Application Control Menu
ALT + DASH Open a Child Window Control Menu
ALT + Home Returns to Home Page
ALT + SPACEBAR Open the shortcut menu for the active window
ALT + TAB Switch between open items
ALT + underlined letter Perform the command (or other underlined command)
ALT + S Save & Close
CTRL + ALT + TAB Use the arrow keys to switch between open items
TAB Move forward through controls
SHIFT + TAB Move back through dialog controls
CTRL + TAB Move forward through views
CTRL + SHIFT + TAB Move back through views
SPACEBAR Select or deselect a check box if a check box is currently active (on/off)
CTRL + SPACEBAR Select or deselect in list view

 

Text Related Shortcuts Description
CTRL + A Select All
CTRL + B Bold Text
CTRL + I Italicize Text
CTRL + Underline Text
DELETE Delete Current Character
BACKSPACE Delete Prior Character
LEFT ARROW Move One Character Left
RIGHT ARROW Move One Character Right
CTRL + RIGHT ARROW Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word
CTRL + LEFT ARROW Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word
CTRL + DOWN ARROW Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph
CTRL + UP ARROW Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph
SHIFT + LEFT ARROW Select One Character Left
SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW Select One Character Right
CTRL + SHIFT + LEFT ARROW Select One Word Left
CTRL + SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW Select One Word Right
HOME Move to Beginning of Line
CTRL + HOME Move to Beginning of Document
SHIFT + HOME Select to Beginning of Line
CTRL + SHIFT + HOME Select to Beginning of Document
END Move to End of Line
CTRL + END Move to End of Document
SHIFT + END Select to End of Line
CTRL + SHIFT + END Select to End of Document
PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN Scroll Up or Down One Screen
CTRL + PAGE DOWN Move to Top of Next Page
CTRL + PAGE UP Move to Top of Previous Page

 

Keyboard Shortcuts for Using the Clipboard Description
CTRL + C Copy the selected item.
CTRL + X Cut the selected item.
CTRL + V Paste the selected item
UNDESIGNATED Read Clipboard Contents

 

Table Navigation Shortcuts Description
ALT + CTRL + RIGHT ARROW Cell to Right
ALT + CTRL + LEFT ARROW Cell to Left
ALT + CTRL + DOWN ARROW Cell Below
ALT + CTRL + UP ARROW Cell Apove
ALT + CTRL + HOME First Cell
ALT + CTRL + END Last Cell
ALT + CTRL + SHIFT + UP ARROW First Cell in Column
ALT + CTRL + SHIFT + DOWN ARROW Last Cell in Column
ALT + CTRL + SHIFT + LEFT ARROW First Cell in Row
ALT + CTRL + SHIFT + RIGHT ARROW Last Cell in Row

 

Menu Related Shortcuts (ALT Command Shortcuts)

  • Menu related shortcuts or key sequence are activated by pressing and releasing ALT in an active menu. Menus can then be browsed by using the ARROW KEYS and pressing ENTER on the highlighted command.
  • When ALT is pressed, a letter within the text of a menu item (usually the first letter) will be underlined as indication of the shortcut related to a specific command.
  • In the list below, the key sequence is initiated first by pressing and releasing the ALT Key, then pressing and releasing the menu name shortcut (i.e. E for Edit, F for File, etc.) and finally, by pressing the letter that corresponds to the actual key command (i.e. A for Apply, C for Copy, etc.).

 

Menu Shortcuts Description
Edit > Apply ALT + E + A
Edit > Copy ALT + E + C
Edit > Cut ALT + E + T
Edit > Delete ALT + E + D
Edit > Duplicate ALT + E + L
Edit > Find ALT + E + F
Edit > Insert ALT + E + I
Edit > Paste ALT + E + P
Edit > Repeat ALT + E + R
Edit > Select All ALT + E + A
Edit > Undo ALT + E + U
File > Close ALT + F + C
File > Exit ALT + F + X
File > New ALT + F + N
File > Open ALT + F + O
File > Print ALT + F + P
File > Print Preview ALT + F + V
File > Save ALT + F + S
File > Save As ALT + F + A
File > Send To ALT + F + N
Help > About ALT + H + A
Help > Feedback ALT + H + F
Help > Help Topics ALT + H + H
Help > Policies & Procedures ALT + H + P
View > Options ALT + V + O
View > Status Bar ALT + V + S
View > Tool Bar ALT + V + B
View > Zoom ALT + V + Z
Window > Maximize ALT + W + X
Window > Minimize ALT + W + N
Window > Move ALT + W + M

 

10-Key

Key Description
UNDESIGNATED Waiting for contents

 

Function Keys

Below is a general list of some of the common actions associated with the Function keys on computers running Microsoft Windows.

Users have the option of combining the function keys with a modifier such as the ALT and/or CTRL keys. (i.e. ALT + F4 to close an active application)

Please note that not all applications support function keys and may perform different tasks then those mentioned below.

Function Keys Description

 

F1
  • Launch help dialog.
  • CTRL + F1 Display policies and procedures
F2
  • Rename the selected item
F3
  • Search
F4
  • Display the items in the active list
  • CTRL+F4 close the active document
  • ALT+F4 close the active item, or exit the active program
F5
  • Refresh or reload the page or document window
F6
  • UNDESIGNATED
F7
  • Run spell check
F8
  • Template insertion starting point
F9
  • Template insertion ending point
F10
  • Activate the menu bar in the active program
  • SHIFT+F10 displays the shortcut menu for the selected item
F11
  • Activate full-screen mode
F12
  • Save As
  • SHIFT + F12 saves document

References

 

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