Shortcut Keys
The integrated development environment (IDE) provides several pre-defined keyboard binding schemes. You can create your own custom keyboard mapping schemes from the Keyboard pane of Environment Options in the Options dialog box. You can access the Options dialog box from the Tools menu.
Commands with shortcut key combinations that are part of the Global scope can be superseded by commands in other scopes depending on the current context of the IDE. Thus, if you are editing a file, commands that are part of the Text Editor scope have precedence over commands in the Global scope that start with the same key combination. For example, if several Global commands have key combinations that start with CTRL + K and the Text Editor also has several commands with key combinations that start with CTRL + K, when you are editing code the Text Editor key combinations will work and the Global key combinations will be ignored.
The available keyboard binding schemes include the following:
The following shortcut key combinations work within the IDE. Many are standard key combinations used in most Windows applications; the table lists the specific function that the keystroke has in the IDE.
Name |
Shortcut keys |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Activate application menu |
ALT + SPACEBAR |
Opens the program menu, allowing the user to manage the state of the application window, for example, move or resize. |
Activate document window menu |
ALT + HYPHEN |
Opens the document menu, allowing the user to manage the state of the active document window, for example, move or resize. Available only while in MDI mode from within a document window. |
Activate tool window menu |
ALT + HYPHEN |
Opens the tool window menu, allowing the user to move the tool window within the IDE. Available only while within a tool window. |
Close application |
ALT + F4 |
Closes the IDE. |
Close document |
CTRL+F6 |
Closes the active application document. |
Collapse all tree nodes |
NUM + - |
Collapses all nodes in the current tree view. |
Expand all tree nodes |
NUM + * |
Expands all nodes in the current tree view. |
Move to menu bar |
ALT |
Activates the main IDE menu bar. |
Move to next toolbar |
CTRL + TAB |
Moves to the next visible toolbar. Available only while the main menu bar is active. |
Move to previous toolbar |
CTRL + SHIFT + TAB |
Moves to the previous visible toolbar. Available only while the main menu bar is active. |
Move to tool window toolbar |
SHIFT + ALT |
Activates the tool window toolbar. Available only while in a tool window containing a toolbar. |
Move tree focus down |
CTRL + DOWN ARROW |
Moves the focus in tree view down without changing the selection. This shortcut can be used to select multiple items in the tree. |
Move tree focus up |
CTRL + UP ARROW |
Moves the focus in tree view up without changing the selection. This shortcut can be used to select multiple items in the tree. |
Shortcut menu |
SHIFT + F10 |
Displays the shortcut menu. |
Toggle drop-down list visibility |
F4 |
Hides and shows a drop-down list. Available only while within a drop-down list. |
Toggle tree focus selection |
CTRL + SPACEBAR |
Toggles a selection for the current focus in tree view. |