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manual/getting_started/basics/interface/input_devices.rst
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| Input Devices | Input Devices | ||||
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| Blender's workflows are optimized for parallel usage of mouse and keyboard. | Blender supports various types of input devices: | ||||
| That's why we have evolved the 'golden rule': | |||||
| **Keep one hand on the mouse and the other on the keyboard** | - Keyboard (recommended: keyboard with numeric keypad, english layout works best) | ||||
gregzaal: Doesn't matter if people use US, UK, French, German etc - all that changes is where the letters… | |||||
Not Done Inline Actions
gaiaclary: - Keyboard (recommended: keyboard with numeric keypad, english keyboard layout works best) | |||||
| - Mouse (recommended: 3 button mouse with scroll wheel) | |||||
| - NDOF Devices (Space Navigator, etc.) | |||||
| - Graphic Tablets | |||||
Not Done Inline ActionsPerhaps specify "Graphic Tablets" so people don't think we mean iPad or so :) gregzaal: Perhaps specify "Graphic Tablets" so people don't think we mean iPad or so :) | |||||
| The most frequently used keys are grouped so that they can be reached by the left hand in | |||||
| standard position (index finger on :kbd:`F`) on the English keyboard layout. | |||||
| This assumes that you use the mouse with your right hand. | |||||
| Input configuration | |||||
| =================== | |||||
| Blender's interface is designed to be used with the following recommended input configuration: | |||||
| - A three-button mouse with a scroll wheel | |||||
| - A full keyboard with a numeric keypad (NumLock should generally be switched on). | |||||
| :doc:`Read more about Blender configuration </preferences/index>` | |||||
| Usage of Mouse Buttons | Usage of Mouse Buttons | ||||
Not Done Inline ActionsI'm not sure this paragraph is necessary, or even true. Plenty of common hotkeys are on the other side of the keyboard. I don't really mind though, but "shortkeys" should be replaced with either "hotkeys" or "shortcuts" if you decide to keep it. gregzaal: I'm not sure this paragraph is necessary, or even true. Plenty of common hotkeys are on the… | |||||
| ====================== | ====================== | ||||
| The mouse takes an important role while working with Blender. | In Blender the :kbd:`RMB` (Right Mouse Button) is generally used for Selection | ||||
| Therefore we have established a general usage of the mouse buttons which apply in most cases: | and the :kbd:`LMB` (Left Mouse Button) initiates or confirms actions. | ||||
| Right Mouse Button | Exceptions from the rule | ||||
| Select an item | ------------------------ | ||||
| Left Mouse Button | |||||
| Initiate or confirm an action | |||||
| (These can be swapped in the Input tab of the User Preferences). | Unfortunately there are a few corner cases where action and selection | ||||
| might intertwine. And some parts in Blender even violate the principle | |||||
| such that now :kbd:`LMB` selects and :kbd:`RMB` takes action (example: the Outliner). | |||||
| .. note:: | The mouse usage summarized: | ||||
Not Done Inline ActionsThis whole section is rather confusing and IMO doesn't even need to be explained. Selection and actions are common terms in all applications and even part of the OS (selecting files, copying etc) - we don't need to try and explain what it means to select something or perform an action. It just leaves people asking "what is an action and how is it different from a button? Or keyboard shortcut? You could just say something like: "LMB is used to initiate or confirm actions, while RMB is used for selection." gregzaal: This whole section is rather confusing and IMO doesn't even need to be explained. Selection and… | |||||
| The Reference section contains details (and a short video guide) | .. list-table:: | ||||
| about the :doc:`Usage of Mouse Buttons for basic Operations </ce/userinterface/mousebuttons>` | :widths: 15 85 | ||||
| * - :kbd:`RMB` | |||||
| - To select an item | |||||
| * - :kbd:`SHIFT` :kbd:`RMB` | |||||
| - To add more items | |||||
| * - :kbd:`LMB` | |||||
| - to perform an action on the selection | |||||
| Conventions in this Manual | Video: `Learn more about Blender's Mouse Button usage <http://vimeo.com/76335056>`_ | ||||
| ========================== | |||||
| This manual uses the following conventions to describe user input: | |||||
| - The mouse buttons are referred to as: | |||||
| :kbd:`LMB` - Left Mouse Button | |||||
| :kbd:`MMB` - Middle Mouse Button | |||||
| :kbd:`RMB` - Right Mouse Button | |||||
| - If your mouse has a wheel | |||||
| :kbd:`MMB` - Middle Mouse Button (clicking the wheel) | |||||
| :kbd:`Wheel` - Scrolling the wheel. | |||||
| - Hotkey letters are shown in this manual like they appear on a keyboard; for example, | |||||
| :kbd:`G` - refers to the lowercase ``g``. | |||||
| :kbd:`Shift`, :kbd:`Ctrl` and :kbd:`Alt` are specified as modifier keys. | |||||
| :kbd:`Ctrl-W` or :kbd:`Shift-Alt-A` - indicates that these keys should be pressed simultaneously | |||||
| :kbd:`Numpad0` to :kbd:`Numpad9`, :kbd:`NumpadPlus` - and so on refer to the keys on the separate numeric keypad. | |||||
| Other keys are referred to by their names, such as :kbd:`Esc`, :kbd:`Tab`, :kbd:`F1` to :kbd:`F12`. | |||||
| Of special note are the arrow keys, :kbd:`Left`, :kbd:`Right` and so on. | |||||
| .. _mouse_button_emulation: | |||||
| Mouse Button Emulation | Mouse Button Emulation | ||||
| ====================== | ====================== | ||||
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Not Done Inline ActionsFormat as a header: Exceptions from the Rule ------------------------ gregzaal: Format as a header:
```
Exceptions from the Rule
------------------------
``` | |||||
Not Done Inline ActionsThe wrong way around? Should be "such that now LMB selects and RMB takes action" right? Otherwise that's not an exception. gregzaal: The wrong way around? Should be "such that now LMB selects and RMB takes action" right? | |||||
Not Done Inline ActionsCorrect spelling: "intertwine" gregzaal: Correct spelling: "intertwine" | |||||
Doesn't matter if people use US, UK, French, German etc - all that changes is where the letters are, the hotkeys don't change. Thus I don't think it actually matters at all whether a US keyboard is used or not, it's better for people to use what they are comfortable with.