Customizing Blender Hotkeys

Support Basics & Interface
#1

Hey everyone! New Blender guy here. Glad to meet you all. :smiley:

I’ve got a question that’s probably been answered a thousand times before, but since I can’t find any info on the subject via googling, I figured starting a new thread was the way to go.

For reference, I’m using a recent Bmesh trunk build of Blender 2.62. So recent, that it was only up for 4 minutes when I grabbed myself a copy off Graphicall.org.

I’m a Modo guy, but after seeing some of the recent changes and additions made to Blender, I thought it’d be a good time to give it a spin. Now I want to change my hotkeys in Blender to match Modo as closely as possible. So far, I’ve met with limited success. I’ve got my navigation keys down, but there are some things I’m having a bit of trouble changing. Double left-clicking to select an edge loop being the one that’s giving me the most trouble. It doesn’t seem I can define double-clicks at all through the user preferences. Or if I can, it isn’t presenting the option to me in an obvious manner.

Is it possible? If so, how?

Secondly, I want to define the new knife tool to the C key. I can find the tool through the spacebar search menu, but not in the user preferences. I’m thinking that since it’s new addition, I’ll probably have to add it in myself. Unfortunately, I have no idea on how to go about doing that.

Thirdly, is it possible to set toggling between vertices, edges, and faces using the spacebar key?

And lastly, is there a way I can search through the various hotkeys for conflicts? This would make my redefining job a helluva lot easier.

I know. I should get used to the default Blender setup. But I’m so muscle memory trained to doing things a certain way, it’d take me forever to readjust. Being able to redefine as many keys as I can would help ease me into it so much easier.

Thanks in advanced. :smiley:

#2

Double left-clicking to select an edge loop being the one that’s giving me the most trouble.
go to user preferences (ctrl+Alt+U) -> Input. Look for ‘loop select’ under 3dview-> mesh. You can change it all there.
You can also do the one for extending the selection (by default it has Shift+Alt+select)

I want to define the new knife tool to the C key. I can find the tool through the spacebar search menu, but not in the user preferences.
don’t have bmesh here atm, but if you can find the tool in any of the menus (in 3dview header under Mesh, or in ‘W’ list), you can change shortcut by right-clicking on the tool. Might need to change other tool’s shortcut later to resolve conflicts.

Thirdly, is it possible to set toggling between vertices, edges, and faces using the spacebar key?
In user preferences search for ‘call menu’. You need the one under Mesh, with Ctrl+Tab as shortcut.
Also search for ‘search’, to resolve conflict.

And lastly, is there a way I can search through the various hotkeys for conflicts? This would make my redefining job a helluva lot easier.
Alas, for now you just need to know which tool has the shortcut, then change it in the menus or in user preferences.

#3

Cool deal. Appreciate it. :slight_smile:

I’m started to realize you can’t mold it to act exactly like Modo. I’ve gone in and changed a few keys here and there, but for the most part, switching to the Maya preset is working much better for me. I’m already starting to get a good feel for it.

Save for one thing: scaling. I’m using the manipulator, and doing a global scale seems incredibly spastic. If you try to scale inwards, even the tiniest move of the mouse will cause it to flip and grow to huge sizes. Outwards? It’s jerky, and doesn’t scale linearly. Sometimes it’ll jump forward, sometimes it scales finely. Dragging on the manipulator handles is fine, but that global scale is a pain in the butt to deal with.

Also, there doesn’t seem to be a simple way to scale on two axes. For example, I have a cube and I want to make into a cylinder. This is easy in Modo. I just select the appropriate edges, grab my X,Y manipulator, and drag out. Blender? I have no idea how it’s done, and all the instructions I’ve read only show me how to restrain it to one axis. I’ve got some restraint options when I activate the tool, but it doesn’t seem to do anything.

My only other option is to grab the individual handles and scale, scale. It works, but the end results can be a little sloppy if I’m not near enough to perfect with it. Is there any simple way I can scale on two axes like I want?

#4

sometimes I use G, S & R instead of manipulator. Press axis (x,y,z) or shift+axis to constraint.

But for both G/S/R and manipulator, hold shift when you’re in transform mode for smaller steps.

This is easy in Modo. I just select the appropriate edges, grab my X,Y manipulator, and drag out. Blender? I have no idea how it’s done
Hold shift when pressing an axis on the manipulator, it’ll exclude that axis

#5

Thanks again. I played around with it, and realized that using S to scale is far less goofy than using the manipulator handles.

Now I just have to figure out how to do my extrudes, bridges, merges, and make faces, and I think I’m off to a good start.

edit: Thanks to you, I was able to make my first Blender model. An ugly candle stick…

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3018396/ugly_candle.jpg

I would’ve subsurfed it, but I’m not sure how you go about doing that yet. Oh well. Still got plenty to learn.

#6

look for modifiers in properties panel.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Blender3D-2.5properties-modifier.png/220px-Blender3D-2.5properties-modifier.png

Can also use shortcut Ctrl+2 in 3dview (with object selected) to add a subsurf level 2

#7

Alright. Think I’m getting the hang of this now…

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3018396/ugly_candle_2.jpg

…think I might’ve went a little too melty with my candlestick. But eh. It’s a learning experience.

And for those who might be interested, a link to my current Modoish keymap. This is still a very much work in progress, so it’s far from complete. What I’ve changed thus far is…

  • Manipulator toggles for move, scale, and rotate set to W,E,R. Q being show/hide manipulator. Pretty much the basic Maya keymap set up here.
  • Alt-C to loop slice
  • Z is call extrude menu. I’ve disabled the hotkeys to extrude region and extrude individual.
  • S is free scale. This isn’t Modoish at all. It’s added as a quick fix until I can set it up the way I want, which I’ll detail in my to-do list below.
  • Numpad 0 is switch between single and quad windows (disabled whatever num0 was originally tied to)
  • Space brings up the vertex, edge, face toggle
  • M is search menu (for now)
  • F is toggle wireframe
  • P, Shift-P, Alt-P are your various fills.
  • Alt-Leftmouse for rotate, Alt-Rightmouse for pan, Alt-Middlemouse for smooth scroll.

The Todo list

  • Bind right mouse to marquee or lasso select (haven’t decided which I prefer more yet), middle mouse for that 3D cursor thingy I’m still getting the hang of
  • B for edge bevels
  • I want to make the various loop selects a double left-click action, but I can’t seem to get it to work. From my experiences, when I can’t get a new hotkey to work, it’s because there’s a conflict somewhere else. What this conflict is, I have no idea.
  • Set Shift-W, shift-E, Shift-R to free move, scale, rotate
  • Add a more convenient hotkey for the merge menu
  • C for the knife tool, Shift-C for planar cut
  • Doubleclick to select all your various loops, shift-doubleclick to add loop selections. Once I do that, I’ll change the navigation keys to a more Modo-like setup.
  • Look for the tons of conflicts I’m probably causing, and learn some of Blenders neater features that don’t have a similar action in Modo, and rebind them to new keys.

Still got a ton of work to do. If anyone has any suggestions, or can help me figure out why doubleclick doesn’t select my loops, I’m all ears.

edit: and for reference, I’m building off the Maya keyset, not the default Blender one.

#8

Three quick (I hope) questions.

Is there a way to turn on manipulator handles inside the UV editor? Also, is it possible to select an entire island, instead of going through and selecting each face loop by loop? Lastly, why is it that whenever I select a loop on one UV island, it will select the corresponding vertices on another? That last one makes aligning loops along island edges a bit of a pain.

#9

Is there a way to turn on manipulator handles inside the UV editor?

No, but that sounds like a great tool. For now just press X or Y during transformation.

Also, is it possible to select an entire island, instead of going through and selecting each face loop by loop?

In UV Editor header are 4 buttons for selection & display mode. 4th one is for islands.

Lastly, why is it that whenever I select a loop on one UV island, it will select the corresponding vertices on another?

In the header, next to the 4 selection mode buttons, is the Sticky Selection Mode list. Try playing with that.

#10

Okay. Figured out what was screwing me up. I had “keep UV and edit mode mesh selection in sync” activated. To me, it sounded like that would allow me to make slices on the UV, and have it reflected on the main model. Apparently, it does something else entirely, and it was messing me up.

Thanks for the help yet again, man. I’ll probably have more for you tomorrow. :stuck_out_tongue:

#11

…and that day arrives. Got a weird one here, one that I can’t seem to figure out by Googling.

I want to add shortcut keys to the menu to the left. I also want to add expandable categories to so you don’t have to scroll up and do quite so much to get what you want. It’ll make things easier to find, and you can collapse any menu you’re not currently using so you can keep everything up on one screen. Is this possible to do?

Also, I went and changed the color scheme to something a little (a lot) more Modoish. I’m calling it Blenmodo for now, because…hey. That’s a swanky name.

You can find the various files here…

Keymap
Theme

…along with a preview and some documentation…

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3018396/Blenmodo.jpg

Blenmodo Hotkeys

Camera Controls

Rotate (change) -Alt+Left Mouse Button
Pan (change) -Alt+Right Mouse Button
Zoom (change) -Mouse Wheel
Smooth Zoom (change) -Alt+Middle Mouse Button

(To do)
Rotate -Alt+Left Mouse Button
Pan -Alt+Shift+Left Mouse Button
Smooth Zoom -Alt+Ctrl+Left Mouse Button

Manipulators

Translate Manipulator -W
Free Translate -Shift+W
Rotate Manipulator -R
Free Rotate -Shift+R
Scale Manipulator -T
Free Scale -Shift+T

UV Editor

Call Stitch/Align Menu -Q
Unwrap -U
Translate -W
Rotate -E
Scale -R
Place 3D Cursor -Middle Mouse Button
Pan -Right Mouse

Cut Tools

Loop Slice -Alt+C
Knife (To do) -C

Miscellaneous

Toggle Wireframe -F
Edge Bevel (To do) -B
Merge Menu -S
Extrude Menu -Z
Search Menu -M (Needs Changing)
Loop Select -Shift+Alt+Left Mouse Button
Loop Select (To do) -Double Left Mouse Click
Toggle Quad View -Numpad 0
Marquee Select -Click & Drag Left Mouse Button
Lasso Select -Click & Drag Right Mouse Button to select and add to selections.
Lasso Deselect -Shift+Click & Drag Right Mouse Button to deselect (weird and ass backwards? Yes. But it works. I’ll try to change this to something that makes a little more sense later).

#12

That looks quite good!

I’ll have to try it out, but I’ve been looking for a more modo-like key-setup for a while now. Thanks for making this!

#13

Hey, no problem.

If you’ve already downloaded it, you might want to try out my most recent update. Besides not being able to get loop selects bound to a double mouse click, this is about the closest I’ve come to almost feeling like the default Modo keybindings. I spent about 20 minutes making a little spaceship looking thing, and it almost felt like home.

UPDATED

Blenmodo Hotkey Shortcut

Camera Controls

Rotate -Alt+Left Mouse Button
Pan -Alt+Shift+Left Mouse Button
Smooth Zoom -Alt+Ctrl+Left Mouse Button
Zoom -Mouse Wheel

Manipulators

Translate Manipulator -W
Free Translate -Shift+W
Rotate Manipulator -R
Free Rotate -Shift+R
Scale Manipulator -T
Free Scale -Shift+T

UV Editor

Call Stitch/Align Menu -Q
Unwrap -U
Translate -W
Rotate -E
Scale -R
Place 3D Cursor -Middle Mouse Button
Pan -Right Mouse

Cut Tools

Loop Slice -Alt+C
Knife (To do) -C

Miscellaneous

Toggle Wireframe -F
Edge Bevel (To do) -B
Merge Menu -S (not Modo-like, but convenient)
Extrude Menu -Z
Search Menu -M (Needs Changing)
Loop Select -Alt+Right Mouse Button
Ring Select -Ctrl+Right Mouse Button
Loop Select (To do) -Double Left Mouse Click
Toggle Quad View -Numpad 0
Call Element Menu -Ctrl+Spacebar
Drop/Select All -Spacebar

Edit: And I just figured out that my new loop select bindings are conflicting with my lasso deselect. GAWWWW!

#14

Speaking of loop-select, left-clicking on your loop whilst holding down the Alt key works in Windows but not in Linux. This has been true for at least a couple of versions now. Would anyone know why?

ETA: In my Preferences - 3D View - Mesh, there are two Loops Select entries. Both ticked. Second column all have “Mouse”. 3rd Column: Alt Select Mouse, Shift Alt Select Mouse.

When I try this, all I get is a hand-pointer but no loop is selected.