Deswik Keyboard Shortcuts File
In the world of mining engineering and geological modelling, speed is survival. Whether you are designing stopes in Deswik.CAD, building solids in Deswik.SMD, or managing data in Deswik.DH (Data Handler), every second counts. The difference between an average engineer and a power user often comes down to one thing: mastering the keyboard .
Deswik, renowned for its powerful suite of tools (Deswik.CAD, Deswik.Sched, Deswik.MD, Deswik.UG), is a mouse-heavy interface by default. However, hidden beneath the dropdown menus is a layer of efficiency that can cut your design time by over 30%. This article serves as your definitive encyclopedia of . deswik keyboard shortcuts
We will cover everything from basic navigation to advanced custom macros, industry-specific bindings for underground mining, and how to create your own shortcuts using the .key file system. Deswik handles massive datasets—drillhole databases with millions of rows, triangulated surfaces with hundreds of thousands of triangles, and complex 3D wireframes. Navigating these with the mouse alone leads to "context switching fatigue." Every time you reach for the toolbar, you lose focus. In the world of mining engineering and geological
| Shortcut | Command Name | Mining Use Case | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Line | Drawing a crest or toe line. | | PL | Polyline | Creating a continuous string for a ramp centreline. | | A | Arc | Drawing curved haul roads. | | C | Circle | Defining a shaft or ventilation raise footprint. | | TR | Trim | Cutting strings at intersections (e.g., trimming drives against a fault). | | EX | Extend | Lengthening strings to a boundary. | | CP | Copy | Duplicating profiles along a drive. | | M | Move | Shifting a block model cell or string. | | E | Erase (Delete) | Removing bad vertices. | | O | Offset | Creating parallel strings (e.g., 5m offset for a buffer zone). | | RO | Rotate | Rotating a design around a point. | | X | Explode | Breaking a polyline into individual line segments. | | J | Join | Connecting multiple lines into a single polyline. | View & Inquiry | Shortcut | Command | Purpose | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Z + E | Zoom Extents | Faster than F2 for some users. | | Z + P | Zoom Previous | Return to last view after zooming in. | | DI | Distance | Measure between two points (e.g., drift width). | | ID | List Coordinates | Get the X,Y,Z of a point. | | LIST | Properties | Opens the object property table. | Part 4: Productivity "Chords" (Ctrl + & Alt + Combos) These are the shortcuts that separate the novice from the expert. They involve holding modifier keys while pressing another key. Deswik, renowned for its powerful suite of tools (Deswik
Start today. Pick three shortcuts from this list that you don't currently use (e.g., TR for trim, SHIFT+Middle Mouse for pan, and Ctrl+1 for inspector). Force yourself to use them for one week. You will be surprised how quickly they become automatic.
Once you master the defaults, dive into the .key file and build a personalized environment that matches your specific mining workflow—whether you're designing a block caving layout or modeling a narrow vein gold deposit.
