Using the Keyboard
For almost every task which you can perform with the mouse, you can
use the keyboard to perform the same task. You can use shortcut keys to perform
general Oracle Solaris Desktop tasks and to work with interface items such
as panels and windows. You can also use shortcut keys in applications. To
customize your shortcut keys, use the Keyboard Shortcuts preference tool.
See Keyboard Shortcuts for more information
about configuring keyboard shortcuts.
You can also modify the Oracle Solaris Desktop preferences to use keyboard
accessibility features. See Accessibility for
more information about the keyboard accessibility features.
For more information about keyboard navigation
functions available on the Oracle Solaris Desktop, see Oracle Solaris 11 Desktop Accessibility Guide
This appendix includes the following information:
Global Shortcut Keys
Global shortcut keys enable you to use the keyboard to perform tasks
related to the desktop, rather than tasks on the currently selected window
or application. The following table lists some global shortcut keys.
Table B-1 Global Shortcut Keys
| |
|---|
Alt+F1
, Ctrl+Esc
| Opens the Applications Menu.
|
Alt+F2
, Meta+R
| Displays the Run Application dialog
box. See Running Applications for more information about
how to run applications. |
Print Screen
| Takes a screenshot of the entire desktop. See Taking
Screenshots for more information about taking screenshots. |
Alt+Print Screen
| Takes a screenshot of the currently focused window.
|
Ctrl+Alt+arrow keys
| Switches the workspace to the specified direction. See Workspaces Overview for more information about working
with multiple workspaces. |
Ctrl+Alt+D
| Minimizes all windows and gives focus to the desktop.
|
Alt+Tab
| Switches between windows. A list of windows that you can select is displayed.
Release the keys to select a window. You can press the Shift key
to cycle through the windows in reverse order.
|
Alt+Esc
| Switches between
windows. Release the keys to select a window. Use the Shift key to cycle through
the windows in reverse order.
|
Ctrl+Alt+Tab
| Switches the focus between the panels and the desktop. A list of items
that you can select is displayed. Release the keys to select an item. You
can press the Shift key to cycle through the items in reverse
order.
|
|
Window Shortcut Keys
Window shortcut keys enable you to use the keyboard to perform tasks
on the currently focused window. The following table lists some of the window
shortcut keys.
Table B-2 Window Shortcut Keys
| |
|---|
Alt+Tab
| Switches between windows. A list of windows that you can select is displayed.
Release the keys to select a window. You can press the Shift key
to cycle through the windows in reverse order.
|
Alt+Esc
| Switches between windows. Release the keys to select a window. Use the
Shift key to cycle through the windows in reverse order.
|
Alt+F4
| Closes the currently focused window.
|
Alt+F5
| Minimizes the current window, if it is maximized.
|
Alt+F7
| Moves the currently focused window. After pressing this shortcut, you
can move the window using either the mouse or arrow keys. To finish the operation,
click the mouse or press any key on the keyboard.
|
Alt+F8
| Resizes the currently focused window. You can use this shortcut to
resize the window using either the mouse or arrow keys. To finish the operation,
click the mouse or press any key on the keyboard.
|
Alt+F9
| Minimizes the current window.
|
Alt+F10
| Maximizes the current window.
|
Alt+Spacebar
| Opens the menu for the currently selected window. The window menu enables
you to perform actions on the window, such as minimizing, moving between workspaces,
and closing.
|
Shift+Ctrl+Alt+Arrow
keys
| Moves the current window to another workspace in the specified direction.
See Workspaces Overview for more information
about working with multiple workspaces. |
|
Application Keys
Application shortcut keys enable you to perform application tasks. The
following table lists some of the application shortcut keys.
Table B-3 Application Shortcut Keys
| |
|---|
Ctrl+N
| Creates a new document or window.
|
Ctrl+X
| Cuts the selected text or region and places it on the clipboard.
|
Ctrl+C
| Copies the selected text or region to the clipboard.
|
Ctrl+V
| Pastes the contents of the clipboard.
|
Ctrl+Z
| Cancels the last action.
|
Ctrl+S
| Saves the current document to disk.
|
F1
| Loads the online help document for the application.
|
|
In addition to these shortcut keys, all applications support a set of
navigation keys and actions associated with the user interface. These keys
allow you to perform operations that you might perform with a mouse. The following
table describes some interface control keys.
Table B-4 Interface Control Keys
| |
|---|
Arrow keys or Tab
| Moves between controls in the interface or items in a list.
|
Return or Spacebar
| Activates or chooses the selected item.
|
F10
| Activates the left-most menu of the application window.
|
Shift+F10
| Activates the context menu for the selected item.
|
Esc
| Closes a menu without selecting a menu item, or cancels a drag operation.
|
|
Access Keys
An access key is an underlined letter in a menubar, menu, or a dialog
that you can use to perform an action.
To open a menu, hold the Alt key, and then press the
access key. To choose a menu item when a menu is displayed, you can press
the access key for the menu item.
For example, to open a new window in the Help application, press Alt+F to open the File menu, and then press N to
activate the New Window menu item. You can also use access keys to access
elements in a dialog. To access a particular dialog element, hold the Alt key, and then press the access key.