Keyboard shortcuts
Every Boldbobbin keyboard shortcut, grouped by task, and how to change them. Use this page to look up a key, or to set the keys up like a drawing app you already know.
Below, Ctrl/Cmd means Cmd on macOS and Ctrl on
Windows/Linux. In the app, macOS shows glyphs (⌘ ⇧ ⌥) and Windows/Linux shows
Ctrl+Shift+….
Open the in-app shortcut sheet any time with Keyboard shortcuts… (Ctrl/Cmd+/), and the command palette with Ctrl/Cmd+K to run any command by name. Both speak your chosen language, and the palette matches on the names you actually see.
File and app
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New design | Ctrl/Cmd+N |
| Open (.vemb)… | Ctrl/Cmd+O |
| Save (cloud on web; asks once on desktop, then remembers) | Ctrl/Cmd+S |
| Save to this computer / Download (.vemb) | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+S |
| Export embroidery… | Ctrl/Cmd+E |
| Export Run Sheet (PDF)… | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+E |
| Preferences (Settings)… | Ctrl/Cmd+, |
| Command palette… | Ctrl/Cmd+K |
| Keyboard shortcuts… | Ctrl/Cmd+/ |
| Report a bug… | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+B |
Edit
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Undo | Ctrl/Cmd+Z |
| Redo | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Z |
| Cut | Ctrl/Cmd+X |
| Copy | Ctrl/Cmd+C |
| Paste | Ctrl/Cmd+V |
| Select all | Ctrl/Cmd+A |
| Deselect | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+A |
| Delete selection | Delete (or Backspace) |
| Duplicate selection | Ctrl/Cmd+D |
| Escape / cancel | Esc |
| Commit draft (pen / satin) | Enter (or ✓ on the draft bar) |
| Group selection | Ctrl/Cmd+G |
| Ungroup selection | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+G |
| Hide / show selection | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+H |
| Send forward | Ctrl/Cmd+] |
| Send to front | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+] |
| Send backward | Ctrl/Cmd+[ |
| Send to back | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+[ |
Boldbobbin's Copy copies design objects, so in a text field (a design's name, a search box, a description) the same keys have to mean the ordinary thing instead. They do, and as of v1.3.0 they do on the macOS desktop app too, where they previously did nothing in a text field.
On the canvas nothing changed. The keys still copy and paste design objects.
Nudge the selection
Arrow keys move the selected objects (in node-edit, the selected nodes). The step depends on the modifier:
| Step | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| 0.1 mm | Arrow key |
| 1 mm | Shift + Arrow |
| 10 mm | Ctrl/Cmd + Arrow |
For example, to move a name exactly 5 mm to the right, select it and press Shift+→ five times.
Node edit
While you are editing nodes, some keys change meaning. New in v1.3.2.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Add a node or segment to the selection | Shift+click |
| Select a box of nodes | Drag across empty canvas |
| Select every node / none | Ctrl/Cmd+A / Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+A |
| Slide a node along its lines | Ctrl/Cmd+drag |
| Pull out a node's tangents | Alt+drag |
| Move / rotate / scale the selected nodes with the pointer | G / R / S |
| Lock the move or scale to one axis | X or Y (again to free it) |
| Exact value | Type a number (- flips the sign) |
| Snap (1 mm, 15°, 0.1×) | Hold Ctrl/Cmd |
| Apply / cancel the transform | Click or Enter / Esc or right-click |
| Nudge the selected nodes | Arrow keys (Shift 1 mm, Ctrl/Cmd 10 mm) |
| Commit / cancel the edit | Enter / Esc |
G, R, and S are only taken while something is selected in node-edit, so S still picks the Individual stitch tool the rest of the time. For example, S X - 1 Enter mirrors the selected nodes left to right.
Pen and satin column
New in v1.3.3: the pen and the satin column tool follow the corner-and-curve rhythm of embroidery software. A click places a corner, a right-click places a curve point.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Place a corner point | Click |
| Place a curve point | Right-click (a two-finger click on a Mac trackpad) |
| Finish the path or the column | Enter, or ✓ on the draft bar |
| Take back the last point | Backspace, or the orange arrow on the draft bar |
| Discard the draft | Esc |
A right-click no longer finishes a satin column. If you are used to ending a column with a right-click, press Enter or click ✓ instead. The Individual stitch tool is not affected: it has no curves, so a right-click still finishes it.
Without a right button (on an iPad, say), turn on Curve points on the draft bar while you draw with the pen or the satin tool. While it is on, a plain click places a curve point and Shift-click still places a corner. See Draw a path with the pen and Create a satin column.
Shapes and fills
New in v1.3.3: keys for the steps you repeat while digitizing. The buttons they stand for show the key in their tooltips, following your preset and any keys you changed.
| Action | Illustrator / Affinity (default) | Inkscape preset |
|---|---|---|
| Edit shape (press again to leave node editing) | A | N |
| Draw the angle (the tatami fill-angle picker; press again to put it down) | Shift+A | A |
| Union | Alt+Shift+U | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+= |
| Subtract | Alt+Shift+S | Ctrl/Cmd+- |
| Intersection | Alt+Shift+I | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+8 |
| Exclude | Alt+Shift+X | Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+6 |
| Divide by drawing | (no key) | (no key) |
On a Mac the path operations read ⌥⇧U, ⌥⇧S, ⌥⇧I and ⌥⇧X.
- Edit shape does what double-clicking the selected object does: node editing for a shape or a path, the pixel editor for a sprite, and the line-art editor for a line drawing. It needs exactly one such object selected, and does nothing on text.
- Draw the angle works with a tatami fill selected. Drag across the shape to aim its rows.
- Divide by drawing has no key by default, but you can give it one. See Divide by drawing.
For example, with the default preset, select two overlapping circles and press Alt+Shift+U to merge them into one shape, then A to edit its outline, and A again when you are done.
On a Mac, Option changes the character a letter key types. As of v1.3.3 Boldbobbin reads a letter held with Option by the key itself, so the Option keys work on every keyboard layout. If, before v1.3.3, you set your own shortcut on Option plus a letter, set it again in Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts: the old one no longer fires.
View and zoom
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Zoom in | Ctrl/Cmd+= |
| Zoom out | Ctrl/Cmd+- |
| Zoom to fit | Ctrl/Cmd+0 |
| Zoom to selection | Shift+2 |
| Zoom to hoop | (no key) |
| Zoom 1:1 (actual size) | Ctrl/Cmd+1 |
| Zoom 3× | Ctrl/Cmd+3 |
| Zoom 6× | Ctrl/Cmd+6 |
| Zoom 0.5× (half size) | (no key) |
| Cycle render mode | Shift+S |
| Toggle snapping | Shift+Y |
| Toggle jumps overlay | Shift+J |
| Toggle trims overlay | Shift+T |
| Toggle penetration points | Shift+P |
| Toggle grid | Shift+G |
Toggle snapping and Toggle penetration points have keys but no View menu entry. Snapping is also in Settings; the penetration overlay has a button in the canvas HUD.
Tools
Single keys, no modifier. These are the default (Illustrator) preset; you can change any of them or switch presets under Customizing shortcuts.
| Tool | Key |
|---|---|
| Select | V |
| Pen | P |
| Individual stitch | S |
| Text | T |
| Color select | C |
| Polygon | Y |
| Rectangle | M |
| Ellipse | L |
| Freehand | N |
| Lasso select | Q |
| Ruler (guide line) | Backslash (\) |
| Cutter | K |
| Pan | H |
| Magic wand | W |
Magic wand (W, in every preset) is new in v1.3.3. See Use the magic wand.
The Satin column and Star tools, the Ruler's Rectangle guide / Ellipse guide variants, New pixel art and New line art have no keyboard shortcut.
The pixel editor is its own mode with its own keys: while it is open, the design's shortcuts don't apply.
The line-art editor (new in v1.3.3) keeps the design's keys for what it offers, with your preset and your own keys: Select, Pan, Pen, Freehand, Rectangle, Ellipse and Star, Undo and Redo, Select all and Deselect, Duplicate, Delete, Enter and Esc, the arrow keys, the zoom keys, Shift+S to switch between its Vector, Stitch and Realistic views, and Ctrl/Cmd+S for Save. The design's other keys don't apply while it is open. Inside it:
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Pick the piece of a line between two crossings or separators | Click (Shift+click for more) |
| Pick the whole line | Ctrl/Cmd+click, or right-click |
| Remove what is picked, or the selected separator | Delete (or Backspace) |
| Finish moving a separator | Enter |
Chat
In Bobby's message box in the Chat panel (new in v1.4.0; see Design with Bobby):
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Send the message | Enter |
| New line in the message | Shift+Enter |
| Undo / redo in the design, with the box empty | Ctrl/Cmd+Z / Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+Z |
Once you have typed something, Ctrl/Cmd+Z undoes your typing instead. A click on the canvas hands the keyboard back to the design, so the design's keys work again straight away (new in v1.4.0).
Customizing shortcuts
Open Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts to remap commands. Pick a Preset to match an app you already know:
-
Illustrator (the default): Rectangle M, Ellipse L, Freehand N, Lasso Q, and (as of v1.3.3) Edit shape A and Draw the angle Shift+A.
-
Affinity Designer: the same tool letters as Illustrator.
-
Inkscape: Select S, Pen B, Freehand P, and Individual stitch moves to I. Edit shape is N, Inkscape's node tool, and Draw the angle is A. As of v1.3.1 it covers much more of Inkscape's own keyboard:
Action Inkscape preset Zoom 1:1 / 0.5× / to selection / to fit / to hoop 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 Zoom in / out = (or +) / - Send to front / forward / backward / to back Home / Page Up / Page Down / End Union / Subtract / Intersection / Exclude Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+= / Ctrl/Cmd+- / Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+8 / Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+6 Translate… (Inkscape's Transform) Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+M Layers panel / Properties panel (Inkscape's Fill and Stroke) Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+L / Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+F Import SVG / PDF… Ctrl/Cmd+I Toggle grid / Toggle snapping Shift+3 (#) / Shift+5 (%) Star tool Shift+8 (*) Enter full screen F11 Pick palette color 1–9 Alt+1 … Alt+9 (the bare digits are zoom) Inkscape names some of these by the character they type (#, %, *). Boldbobbin writes them as Shift+digit, and that is what the menus and Settings show.
To rebind one command, click Change, press the key combination, and confirm. If those keys are already in use, Boldbobbin offers to swap the two. Unbind clears a shortcut, Reset returns a command to the preset's key, and Reset all to defaults restores the whole preset. Canvas gestures (copy/paste, Escape, Enter, Delete) keep their standard keys and can't be remapped.
Some commands have no key by default but can be given one (new in v1.3.1): the import commands, Translate…, Rotate…, Divide by drawing (new in v1.3.3), Zoom to hoop, Zoom 0.5×, the Layers, Scene and Properties panels, Enter full screen, and the Star and Satin column tools. They are listed in Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts like any other command. (The four path operations were on this list until v1.3.3, when they got keys of their own.)
As of v1.3.1 the desktop app's menu bar shows each command's shortcut, and it follows your preset and any keys you changed. On macOS they appear the way any Mac menu shows its shortcuts; on Windows and Linux they are listed beside each item. Either way the keys behave exactly as before.
The tool rail shows each tool's current shortcut, so a tool's badge always matches your active preset and any changes you've made.
Palette colors
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Pick palette color 1–9 | 1 … 9 |
As of v1.3.1 the number keys also work on an AZERTY keyboard: press the
top-row key marked with the digit, without Shift, even though on its own it types
&, é, " and so on. The same goes for Shift+2, Zoom to
selection.
Many actions (Import SVG/PDF, Import embroidery, New from Template, Translate…, Rotate…, Add shape, New Pixel Art, New Line Art, Publish to community, Calibrate display, and others) have no key. Run them from the menus, the tool rail, or the command palette (Ctrl/Cmd+K).