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Hotkeys

Hotkeys, also called keyboard shortcuts, mean that you can interact with Alexandria more with your keyboard and less with your mouse!
You can also download the System Hotkeys Reference printout.
Table of Contents

To use a keyboard shortcut, or key combination, you press a modifier key with another key on your keyboard. For example, pressing the Command key (⌘) and the “C” key at the same time copies whatever is currently selected (text, graphics, and so forth) into your operating system clipboard.

A modifier key alters the way other keystrokes or mouse clicks are interpreted by your computer. 

Here are some of the modifier key symbols you can find in a Mac macOS menu: 

  • ⌘ (Command key) – On some Apple keyboards, this key also has an Apple logo. 
  • ⌃ (Control key)
  • ⌥ (Option key) – “Alt” may also appear on this key. 
  • ⇧ (Shift key)

Often, Mac and Windows operating system keystrokes are similar, where the Command on Mac is substituted for Control on Windows.

Accelerator and Hotkey Commands 

(This part is technical. It’s ok if you skip to the next section.)

Hotkeys. Hotkeys are the underlined characters in a menu item or dialogue box that allow users to access the item or control by pressing that character’s key on the keyboard. In the case of dialogue controls, the user may have to hold down the <alt> key before pressing the hotkey. Hotkeys are sometimes referred to as shortcut keys, access keys, or mnemonic keys.

Accelerator keys. An accelerator key is a keyboard shortcut that is accessed by holding down modifier keys (<shift>, <ctrl>, <alt>, or combinations of these) and pressing another key on the keyboard. Accelerator shortcuts appear to the right of a menu item text.

You can navigate most Alexandria interfaces using the Tab key to go to the next field/selection, and shift-tab to go back. 
Note that Safari has a Preferences > Advanced option for “Press Tab to highlight each item on a webpage” — it’s OFF by default, but must be turned ON for proper user interaction with the software.

These hotkeys are standard for browsers running on macOS or Windows Operating Systems. They also work in most Alexandria interfaces! NOTE: Use Command on macOS and Ctrl on Windows.

keysdescription
Command / Ctrl + CCopy selected text
Command / Ctrl + VPaste copied text
Command / Ctrl + XCut selected text
Command / Ctrl + ASelect all
Command / Ctrl + PPrints the current window
Command / Ctrl + NNew Window or Tab
Command / Ctrl + clickSelect multiple lines or records

keyfunction
ESCDialog – Closes any dialog that doesn’t require acknowledgment. 
EnterDialog – Executes the primary option unless input is required.

macwindowsgo to…
⌘ 1Ctrl 1Dashboard
⌘ 2Ctrl 2Circulation
⌘ 3Ctrl 3Items
⌘ 4Ctrl 4Patrons
⌘ 5Ctrl 5Operations
⌘⌥ 5Ctrl⌥ 5Reports
⌘ 6Ctrl 6Tools
⌘ 7Ctrl 7Builder
⌘⇧ 7Ctrl⇧ 7Researcher
⌘ 8Ctrl 8Preferences

In Patrons and Items Management.

macwindowswhat’s it do?
⌘ LCtrl + LToggles window lock
⌘ ACtrl + ANew record
⌘ SCtrl + SSaves current record _if_ the record is dirtied.
⌘ DELCtrl + DELRemoves current record(s). If multiple records are selected, will remove multiple records.
⌘ DCtrl +DDuplicates current record
⌘ ECtrl EItems – Quick export (exports single record)
⌘ FCtrl + Fjumps the cursor to the basic search field
⌘ ⇧ FCtrl + Shift + Fopens Advanced Search (where it exists)
⌘ [ / ]Ctrl + [ / ]Selects previous/next record in list.
⌘⇧ [HOMESelects FIRST record in list
⌘⇧ ]ENDENDSelects LAST record in list
ESCESCClear the currently selected record in Items or Patrons to get back to the “zero results” card view. 

In Patrons and Items Management.

macwindowswhat’s it do?
⇧ + clickShift + clickExpand/collapse all areas.

macwindowswhat’s it do?
⌘ ⌃ MCtrl MSwitch to MARC view
⌘ ACtrl AOpens SmartMARC Title dialog for adding an item. 
⌘ ⇧ ACtrl + Shift +AAdds a copy and opens the copy tab to the new copy.
⌘⇧ DELShift + DELRemoves the selected copy(s). (ONLY when in copies tab!) Can remove multiple records.
⌘ DCtrl DDuplicate a title.
⌘⇧ DCtrl + Shift + DDuplicate a copy.

MARC editor and mini editors. 

shortcutwhat’s it do?
Return / Double-click / long pressLets you edit the selected tag.
Shift + ReturnActivates add menu in MARC view, certain tabs (subjects, terms, notes, other), and editor dialogs from Publication tab (title, author, series, and genre). User can use arrow keys to highlight a tag (enter to confirm adding it) or ESC to exit the menu.
DELRemoves the selected tag
Up/down arrowMoves between selected fields
Return / Enter“OK” out of add/edit and returns back to the tag view
ESCCancels out of add/edit and returns back to the tag view
Alt + EnterCreates a new subfield

Click a day = closes the clicked day.

Click a day of the week name = closes that day for the month.


macwindowswhat’s it do?
⌘ ACtrl AAdds a bulletin board
⌘ ⇧ ACtrl + Shift +AAdds a bulletin to the board (or the board of the bulletin) the user is on.