Section: Mouse and Keyboard Use

Mouse and Keyboard Use

This page summarizes use of the mouse and keyboard for controlling IDV displays using the default mouse and keyboard assignments. You can change the default behavior through the Navigation tab of the User Preferences accessed by the menu.

Mouse Conventions

"Click" the mouse means to press and release a mouse button once.

"Double-click" means to click a mouse button twice quickly.

"Drag" means to press and hold down a mouse button, move the mouse and then release the mouse button.

All references to mouse buttons are in respect to a 3-button right-handed mouse:

MB1 (mouse button 1) is the left button.
MB2 (mouse button 2) is the middle button.
MB3 (mouse button 3) is the right button.

If you are using a left-handed mouse, MB1 is the right button and MB3 is the left-button.

If you are using a Mac with a single button mouse, MB3 is simulated using the Option+click combination. Not all functions listed below (e.g., panning) work with this combination on a one button mouse.

This table summarizes the operations you can perform with the mouse:

Mouse Button	Key Modifier	Purpose
MB1	none	Moving selector points in view windows, selecting items in lists and widgets, clicking buttons, moving sliders.
	Shift	Rubber band zoom in view window
MB3	none	Rotate 3-D displays
	Ctrl	Panning in view windows
	Shift	Zoom in/out

Zoom, Pan, and Rotate

There are several methods to zoom, pan, and rotate in the IDV. You can use the mouse, the arrow keys, a rubber band box, or the Zoom/Pan Toolbar.

Rubber Band Box to zoom in

You can zoom into an area by outlining it with a "rubber band box." Hold down the Shift key, then drag the left mouse button (MB1) to outline a box. The outline appears while you are dragging the mouse, before the zoom. If the display was significantly rotated before using the rubber band box, the new display may have the data area off screen; zoom out to find it, or use Ctrl-r key combination to reset to the initial overhead viewpoint.

Mouse controls to Zoom, Pan, and Rotate

You can zoom, rotate, and pan using the right mouse button (MB3).

To zoom a 3D display hold down the Shift key and drag the right mouse button (MB3). Moving the mouse forward zooms in; moving the mouse backward zooms out. This method allows any amount of zooming and precise control.
To pan a 3D display hold down the Ctrl key and drag the right mouse button (MB3) in the direction you want to move the display. This method allows the most precise control over how much panning occurs and allows panning in any direction.
To rotate a 3D display in any direction, drag the mouse with right button down over the display. Rotating the display with the mouse takes some getting used to.

Keyboard controls to Zoom, Pan, and Rotate

You can zoom, rotate, and pan using the arrow keys on the keyboard. You must first click the mouse in the view window.

You can zoom by holding the Shift key and pressing the up (zoom in) and down (zoom out) arrows on the keyboard.
You can pan the display by holding the Ctrl key and pressing the arrow keys on the keyboard. Using the method, the display will pan in the direction of the arrow.
You can rotate the 3D display using the arrow keys on the keyboard. Click in the window and use the arrow keys to rotate the 3-D box.
Use the key combination Ctrl-r to reset the display to the initial view of this projection (overhead, centered on center of the map projection in use).

List selection

The IDV uses the standard methods for selecting multiple items in a list (e.g., times list). These are:

To select everything in the list::
- Click on the list to activate it.
- Press Ctrl-a.
To select a continuous range:
- Click on one item in the list to start the range.
- Hold the Shift key down and click on the last item in the range. All items between the first and last are selected.
To select a non-continuous range:
- Click on one item in the list.
- Hold the Ctrl key** down and click on other items in the list. As each item is clicked, it is highlighted to indicate that it is selected.
- To unselected an item, hold the Ctrl key** down and click on the item.

Toggling Visibility of Displays

There are several ways to toggle visibility of displays.

When using the side legends, the Display Visibility checkbox to the left of the label can be used to toggle the visibility of that display. When using the bottom legend, click on the legend label to toggle visibility of that one display.
The padlock icon on the right side of the legend bar is a toggle to lock visibility. Click on the padlock icon to toggle locking. When locked, the icon will look like this. . This lock overrides most other actions which might change visibility, including using the keyboard number keys. Use this to lock one or more displays' visibility on or off while you change visibility of other displays. You can still toggle visibility of a locked display with a click on the legend label.

The function keys F1, F2, F3 can be used to cycle visibility as follows:
- The F1 key cycles visibility through all non-locked displays, showing one at a time.
- The F2 turns on all non-locked displays.
- The F3 turns off all non-locked displays.

Use the View→Visible checkbox menu item in each display control's menu.