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Key commands
Introduction
Most of the main menus in Cubase have key command
shortcuts for certain items on the menus. In addition, there
are numerous other Cubase functions that can be per-
formed via key commands. These are all default settings.
You can customize existing key commands to your liking,
and also add commands for many menu items and func
-
tions that currently have no key command assigned.
You can find out for which functions key commands can
be assigned by looking in the Key commands dialog (see
below), or by checking the tooltip for a particular interface
element. If a tooltip shows [!] at the end, you can assign a
key command to this function. Assigned key commands
are shown in the tooltips in square brackets.
How are key commands settings saved?
Every time you edit or add any key command assignment,
this is stored as a global Cubase preference – not as part
of a project. If you edit or add a key command assignment,
any subsequent projects that you create or open will use
these modified settings. However, the default settings can
be restored at any time by clicking the Reset All button in
the Key Commands dialog.
In addition, you can save key commands settings as a “key
commands file”, which is stored separately and can be im-
ported into any project. This way you can quickly and easily
recall customized settings, when moving projects between
different computers, for example. The settings are saved in
an XML file on the hard disk.
How to save key commands settings is described in the
section
“About key commands presets” on page 345.
Setting up key commands
Adding or modifying a key command
In the Key Commands dialog you will find all main menu
items and a large number of other functions, arranged in a
hierarchical way similar to the Windows Explorer and Mac
OS Finder. The function categories are represented by a
number of folders, each containing various menu items and
functions. When you open a category folder by clicking the
“+” sign beside it, the items and functions it contains are
displayed with the currently assigned key commands.
To add a key command, proceed as follows:
1. Pull down the File menu and select “Key Com-
mands…”.
The Key Commands dialog opens.
2. In the Commands list on the left, choose a category.
3. Click the “+” sign to open the category folder and dis-
play the items it contains.
Note that you can also click the “global” “+” and “-” signs in the top left
corner to open and close all category folders at once.
!
You can also assign tool modifier keys, i. e. keys that
change the behavior of various tools when pressed.
This is done in the Preferences dialog – see “Setting
up tool modifier keys” on page 347.