Deswik allows full customization (unlike many mining packages):
Recommendation: Map Ctrl+Q to "Quick Report" for volume calculations.
Related search suggestions will be prepared.
Deswik is a powerhouse for mine planning and design, and mastering its keyboard shortcuts is the quickest way to move from "clicking through menus" to "fluid designing." Since Deswik is built on a CAD-based engine, many of its shortcuts will feel familiar, but it has several unique keys for navigating complex 3D environments. Essential Navigation & View Shortcuts
These keys help you manipulate your 3D workspace without constantly reaching for the toolbar:
F1 – F4 (Standard Views): Quickly toggle between Top, Front, Right, and Isometric views.
W / S / A / D: Use these for "Fly-through" mode navigation to move through your mine model.
Middle Mouse Button: Hold and drag to rotate your view; scroll to zoom. Shift + Middle Mouse: Pan across your current view. C: Centers the view on a specific point or selected object. General Design & Drafting
Speed up your CAD workflows with these common command shortcuts: L: Start the Line command. P: Start the Polyline command. E: Erase selected entities. M: Move selected entities. O: Offset a line or polyline. Z: Undo the last action. Y: Redo an action.
Spacebar / Enter: Repeatedly hitting these will often restart the last command used, saving you from re-selecting it from the menu. Precision & Snapping
Precision is everything in mine design. Use these to snap your cursor exactly where it needs to be:
F11: Toggle Object Snaps (End, Mid, Center, etc.) on or off. F9: Toggle Grid Snap.
Ctrl + Click: Often used to select multiple entities or "drill down" into overlapping objects. Pro-Tip: Customizing Your Hotkeys
If the default shortcuts don't fit your workflow, Deswik allows for deep customization: Go to Tools > Customize. Select the Keyboard tab.
Search for the specific command you use most often (e.g., "Boolean Union" or "Attribute Filter"). Assign a custom key combination to it. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more
In the world of mine planning, speed is as valuable as the ore being modeled. This story explores how mastering
keyboard shortcuts transforms a standard engineer into a "keyboard wizard," moving from cumbersome menu-clicking to a fluid, high-efficiency design flow. The Shift to Efficiency
For many new users, Deswik's default keyboard shortcuts can feel slow because they often require multiple keystrokes for a single command. Expert mine planners often overhaul these defaults to create a custom, high-speed environment. The "Live Listening" Advantage
: Unlike some CAD programs, Deswik "live listens" for inputs. This means as soon as you finish typing a shortcut, the command triggers automatically. The One-Handed Workflow
: By mapping common commands to the left side of the keyboard, engineers can keep their right hand on the mouse (or a 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse
for 3D navigation), never breaking their visual focus on the screen. The Planner’s Essential Shortcut Toolkit
Experienced users typically build their own "story" of shortcuts based on their specific needs—whether it's underground metals or open-pit scheduling. Customization via "T.S." : A favorite mnemonic for many is using to open the Tools | Shortcuts
menu itself—associating it with "T.S. I Love You" to remember how to keep refining their setup. The Polyline Power-Set deswik keyboard shortcuts
: Since mining design is built on strings, these are often reduced to single or double keys: : Draw Polyline. : Break polyline at a point. : Connect polylines automatically. Navigation & Visibility : Isolate selected layers. : Hide selected entities. : Show/unhide entities. Advanced Plane Management : A powerful "pro tip" involves using
to define working planes for different mine areas, then quickly switching between them using A Healthier Design Life
Beyond just meeting deadlines, mastering these shortcuts changes the physical story of the workday. Relying heavily on the mouse can lead to "mouse arm" or repetitive strain injuries (RSI). By distributing the workload between both hands using keyboard shortcuts, planners improve their long-term ergonomic health while achieving a "mental flow" where the software feels like an extension of their thoughts. on how to set up your first custom shortcut profile in Deswik.CAD?
Mastering keyboard shortcuts in Deswik.CAD is one of the most effective ways to boost your mining engineering and design productivity. While the software provides a wide array of default commands, its true power lies in its customization, allowing users to tailor their workflow to mirror familiar tools like AutoCAD or build entirely new efficiencies. Essential Navigation & General Shortcuts
Before diving into complex design commands, mastering basic navigation ensures you can move through large-scale mining models with ease. Ctrl + Home: Quickly jump to the top of the project tree. Ctrl + End: Jump to the bottom of the project tree.
Ctrl + Shift + (0-9): Create specific plane definitions for different areas of your model.
Ctrl + (0-9): Rapidly switch between your saved plane definitions to view different mining levels or sections.
Standard Windows Operations: Deswik supports standard commands like Ctrl + C (Copy), Ctrl + V (Paste), Ctrl + Z (Undo), and Ctrl + Y (Redo). Polylines and Design Commands
Designing in Deswik often centers on manipulating polylines. Many professionals prefer single or double-key shortcuts for these frequent tasks:
PREV: A common shortcut used to reverse the direction of a selected string. D (Recommended): Often mapped to Draw Polyline.
B (Recommended): Often mapped to Break Polyline at a specific point.
C (Recommended): Often mapped to Connect Polylines automatically. Productivity Tips & Customization
Deswik is unique because it uses "live listening" for shortcuts. This means as soon as you type the designated keys, the command triggers immediately without needing to press "Enter".
Avoid Single-Character Shortcuts: If you use a single character like "P," you cannot have another shortcut starting with "P" (like "PL"). Most power users recommend two or three characters for optimal balance.
Access the Shortcut Manager: To view or edit your current list, use the command path Tools | Shortcuts. A popular mnemonic for this is mapping the shortcut itself to "TS" ("TS I Love You").
Recycle Known Commands: If you are transitioning from other CAD software, map your Deswik shortcuts to match (e.g., using "PL" for Polyline as in AutoCAD) to leverage existing muscle memory.
Hardware Integration: For high-intensity modeling, consider using a 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse. It allows for fluid movement like Object Mode (moving the model) or Fly Mode (moving the camera) while keeping your other hand free for keyboard shortcuts. Strategic Short Word Abbreviations
Using short, meaningful abbreviations can make memorization easier: ISO: Isolate a layer or entity. HID: Hide selected data. SHO: Unhide or show all data.
By moving away from multi-key defaults and setting up a personalized, logical shortcut system, you can significantly reduce the "click-fatigue" associated with complex mine design. Keyboard shortcuts in Windows - Microsoft Support
Deswik software, particularly Deswik.CAD , uses a combination of default multi-key shortcuts and standard Windows commands. A key feature of the platform is that almost all shortcuts are fully customizable
to match your workflow or prior experience with other CAD software. Core Navigation & View Shortcuts
These default shortcuts help you navigate the 3D model space and manage how data is displayed. : Cancel the current command or deselect all entities. Recommendation: Map Ctrl+Q to "Quick Report" for volume
: View plane by 2 points (typically used with "Snap to Points" enabled). : Activate the Quick Launch search bar to find specific functions. Ctrl + Shift + (0–9) : Create a new plane definition. Ctrl + (0–9) : Quickly switch between defined plane definitions. Ctrl + Shift + Q : Open the most recently used file. General Workflow & System Shortcuts
Deswik supports many standard Windows shortcuts for file management and basic editing. : Save the current project. Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y : Undo and Redo the last action. Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V : Copy and Paste selected entities. : Select all entities in the current view. : Open the "Find" or search utility. Customizing Your Shortcuts
Because default Deswik shortcuts often require multiple keystrokes (e.g., "NS" for a new polyline), many power users redefine them to single-key or AutoCAD-style commands. Accessing Settings Tools | Shortcuts to open the customization dialog. Common Customizations : Often mapped to Draw Polyline (replacing "NS"). : Often mapped to Isolate Layer : Often mapped to : Can be mapped to Break Polyline at Point : Can be mapped to Connect Polylines Automatically Efficiency Tips Recycle Old Knowledge
: If you are transitioning from AutoCAD or Vulcan, you can re-implement those specific keystrokes in Deswik to reduce the learning curve. Mouse Macros
: For repetitive tasks like drawing polylines or snapping to orbit, consider mapping your most-used commands to macro buttons on a gaming-style mouse. Shortcut for Shortcuts : Some users map a shortcut (like ) to open the Tools | Shortcuts
menu itself, making it easier to add new shortcuts as they identify frequent tasks. If you'd like, I can provide more details on layer management commands or specific 3D navigation modes like Fly or Drone mode.
Master Your Workflow: The Ultimate Guide to Deswik Keyboard Shortcuts
In the high-pressure world of mine planning, every second counts. Navigating through deep menus in Deswik CAD can feel like digging a tunnel with a teaspoon when you could be using a TBM. The secret to massive productivity gains isn't just knowing the software—it’s mastering the Deswik keyboard shortcuts that keep your hands on the keys and your eyes on the model. Why Shortcuts Matter in Deswik
Deswik is a "live listening" environment. Unlike other CAD software that might require you to hit "Enter" after every command, Deswik can trigger actions the moment it recognises a sequence. This makes your workflow incredibly fluid, but it also means your setup needs to be intentional. Professionals often find that two or three-character shortcuts strike the perfect balance between speed and avoiding accidental triggers. Essential Navigation & View Shortcuts
While many engineers use a 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse to pan and rotate their 3D models, keyboard hotkeys remain the backbone of layer and entity control.
Standard Navigation: Use the GeoKniga introduction guide to familiarise yourself with the basic Introduction to Deswik.CAD navigation shortcuts.
Selection: Quick selection tools like Rectangle (R) or Ellipse (E) allow for rapid entity isolation.
Visibility: Many experts set up custom "short words" for visibility, such as ISO for isolate, HID for hide, and SHO for unhide. Customising Your Hotkeys
The default Deswik shortcuts often use multi-key strings that some users find slow. Fortunately, Deswik is highly flexible. To customise your experience: Navigate to Tools | Shortcuts.
In the "Shortcuts" column, enter your preferred key sequence.
Pro Tip: Create a shortcut for the shortcut menu itself! A common choice is TS (Tools | Shortcuts), which some remember with the mnemonic "T.S. I Love You". This is shared by experts on LinkedIn to help reduce friction when you want to add new commands on the fly. Borrowing from AutoCAD
If you are transitioning from Autodesk AutoCAD, you don't have to relearn everything. You can remap Deswik commands to match your muscle memory. For example, changing the polyline command from the default NS to the AutoCAD-standard PL can make the transition seamless. Deswik Function Suggested Shortcut AutoCAD Equivalent Create Polyline PL PL Connect Polylines C JOIN Break Polyline B BREAK Save Drawing Ctrl + S Ctrl + S Final Tips for Speed
Avoid 1-Character Keys: Unless you are very precise, single-character shortcuts can trigger accidentally because Deswik is always "listening".
Use Function Keys: Don't forget F1 through F12 for toggling modes like Snaps or Ortho, similar to the AutoCAD Keyboard Guide.
Macro Support: For ultimate efficiency, use macro-enabled mice or keyboards to trigger complex multi-key combinations with a single press.
By taking ten minutes to configure your Deswik shortcuts today, you’ll save hours of clicking throughout the week.
In the world of mining engineering, your keyboard is your most powerful tool. Using shortcuts in Deswik.CAD | Action | Shortcut | |--------|----------| | Delete
isn't just about speed; it's about staying in the "flow" of your design without hunting through menus. The Secret to "One-Handed" Modeling
Most expert Deswik users don't stick to the defaults. Because Deswik shortcuts are fully customizable via the Tools | Shortcuts
menu, many engineers set up a "left-hand-only" system to keep their right hand on the mouse. Custom Shortcuts (Left-Hand Friendly): : Break polyline at point. : Connect polylines automatically. : Draw polyline. : Many former AutoCAD users remap "Draw Polyline" to for muscle memory. ISO/HID/SHO : Use abbreviations for Pro Tips for Power Users The Shortcut for Shortcuts : Set a shortcut (like
) specifically to open the shortcuts dialog. This makes it effortless to add a new command the moment you realize you're repeating it. Plane Definitions Ctrl + Shift + [0-9] to save a plane definition and Ctrl + [0-9] to quickly toggle between them. Layer Selection : When importing or managing layers, hold to select multiple items at once. Global Standard : Standard Windows commands like (Copy), and (Paste) work as expected. How to Customize Your Own menu and select Find the command you use most (e.g., "Draw Polyline"). column, type your preferred key or string. For combination keys (like Ctrl + Shift + P ), click the ellipsis (...) button next to the shortcut value to record the keystrokes. for specific tasks like underground development pit design
Master Deswik Keyboard Shortcuts: The Ultimate Guide to Efficiency
In the world of mine planning and 3D modeling, speed is just as important as precision. Mastering Deswik keyboard shortcuts is the fastest way to bridge that gap, transforming a repetitive, click-heavy workflow into a seamless, high-speed operation. Unlike many CAD programs that rely on single-key commands, Deswik uses a "live listening" system that allows for highly customizable character strings and combination keys. 1. How to Access and Customize Shortcuts
Deswik is designed for personalization. If you are a veteran of other software, you don't have to relearn everything; you can simply remap Deswik's commands to match your muscle memory.
The Shortcut Dialog: To view or edit your current hotkeys, use the menu path Tools | Shortcuts.
Creating a "Shortcut for Shortcuts": A popular pro tip is to create a shortcut specifically for the shortcut dialog itself (e.g., using "TS" for Tools | Shortcuts) to make future adjustments frictionless.
The Ellipse Button: For combination keys (like Ctrl + Z), click the ellipse (...) button next to the shortcut value in the customization window to record the keystrokes. 2. Common & Default Deswik Shortcuts
While many users prefer to customize their setup, Deswik comes with several logical defaults and common character strings used by industry professionals. Suggested/Default Shortcut Description New Polyline NS (or PL for AutoCAD users) Starts the command to draw a new polyline. Isolate ISO Quickly hides all entities except those selected. Hide HID Hides the selected entities from the current view. Show/Unhide SHO Reveals previously hidden entities. Undo Ctrl + Z Reverses the last action. Redo Ctrl + Y Re-applies an action that was undone. Save Project Ctrl + S Saves the current project file. 3. Strategies for Memorable Shortcuts
Because Deswik "listens" for strings, you are not limited to one key. However, to maintain high efficiency, consider these strategies:
Optimal Length: Aim for two to three characters. Single-character shortcuts trigger immediately, which can block other shortcuts from starting with that same letter.
Software Recycling: If you grew up on AutoCAD or Vulcan, remap your most-used commands to those familiar aliases. For example, changing the "New Polyline" command from NS to PL can save hours of training for new users.
Phonetic Abbreviations: Use short word stems that are easy to associate with the action, such as "MOV" for move or "ROT" for rotate.
External Hardware: For even more speed, many power users pair their shortcuts with macro-enabled mice or 3D controllers like the 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse, which allows for simultaneous panning, zooming, and rotation without touching the keyboard. 4. Advanced Tool Shortcuts
Deswik's specialized tools often have their own specific efficiency drivers:
Vertex List Tool: Useful for quickly adjusting gradients on lines, essential for ramp design.
Formula Builder: While not a traditional "hotkey," mastering the Expression Editor allows you to automate attribute modifications based on layer names or volumes.
Selection Filters: Using shortcuts to trigger specific filters can help isolate blocks in large solid geomodels.
By tailoring your Deswik keyboard shortcuts to your specific planning needs, you can significantly reduce menu-diving and focus on what matters: the engineering. Keyboard shortcuts for Project - Microsoft Support
| Action | Shortcut |
|--------|----------|
| Delete selected | Delete |
| Select all | Ctrl + A |
| Properties panel | Ctrl + P |
| Deselect | Ctrl + D |
| Copy / Paste | Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V |
When designing ramps or pit floors, snapping ensures strings connect perfectly.
| Shortcut | Action | Notes | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | F11 | Toggle Object Snap (OSNAP) | Turns snapping on/off globally. | | F12 | Toggle Grid Snap | Snaps cursor to grid intersections. | | Tab | Cycle Snap Points | While hovering, press Tab to toggle between Endpoint, Midpoint, Center. |