Beam Bench Docs

Hotkeys

Every default keyboard binding in Beam Bench, grouped by category. Rebind them in Settings, Shortcuts.

Beam Bench ships with a default keyboard binding for most actions. Bindings are platform-aware: on macOS, Ctrl here means ⌘ (Cmd). On Windows and Linux, Ctrl is Ctrl.

Beam Bench currently has 150 customizable commands, including commands that do not have a shortcut by default. Change them in Settings → Shortcuts or in the standalone Hotkey Editor.

File

ActionHotkeyEditable
NewCtrl+N✓
OpenCtrl+O✓
ImportCtrl+I✓
Project NotesCtrl+Alt+N✓
SaveCtrl+S✓
Save AsCtrl+Shift+S✓
ExportAlt+X✓
PrintCtrl+P✓
Save Machine FilesAlt+Shift+L✓

Edit

ActionHotkeyEditable
UndoCtrl+Z✓
RedoCtrl+Shift+Z✓
Select AllCtrl+A✓
Invert SelectionCtrl+Shift+I✓
CutCtrl+X✓
CopyCtrl+C✓
PasteCtrl+V✓
Paste in PlaceAlt+V✓
DuplicateCtrl+D✓
DeleteBackspace✓
Convert to PathCtrl+Shift+C✓
Convert to BitmapCtrl+Shift+B✓
Auto-JoinAlt+J✓
OptimizeAlt+Shift+O✓
Delete DuplicatesAlt+D✓

Tools

ActionHotkeyEditable
SelectEsc✓
Draw LinesCtrl+L✓
RectangleCtrl+R✓
EllipseCtrl+E✓
TrimCtrl+K✓
TextCtrl+T✓
MeasureCtrl+M✓
Edit NodesCtrl+` ✓
Position LaserCtrl+Shift+L✓
Add TabsAlt+Shift+T✓
Offset ShapesAlt+O✓
Weld ShapesCtrl+W✓
Boolean UnionAlt+Shift+U✓
Boolean SubtractAlt+-✓
Boolean IntersectionAlt+Shift+I✓
Boolean AssistantCtrl+B✓
Cut ShapesAlt+Shift+C✓
Adjust ImageAlt+I✓
Trace ImageAlt+T✓

Arrange

ActionHotkeyEditable
GroupCtrl+G✓
UngroupCtrl+U✓
Bring ForwardPageUp✓
Send BackwardPageDown✓
Bring to FrontCtrl+PageUp✓
Send to BackCtrl+PageDown✓
Two-Point Rotate / ScaleCtrl+2✓
Flip HorizontalCtrl+Shift+H✓
Flip VerticalCtrl+Shift+V✓
Mirror Across LineCtrl+Shift+M✓
Rotate 90° CW.✓
Rotate 90° CCW,✓
Align LeftAlt+Left✓
Align RightAlt+Right✓
Align TopAlt+Up✓
Align BottomAlt+Down✓
Align Horizontal CentersAlt+PageDown✓
Align Vertical CentersAlt+PageUp✓
Move H TogetherAlt+Shift+H✓
Move V TogetherAlt+Shift+V✓
Move to Page Centerp✓
Jog Laser LeftAlt+Ctrl+[✓
Jog Laser RightAlt+Ctrl+]✓
Jog Laser UpCtrl+Shift+]✓
Jog Laser DownCtrl+Shift+[✓
Break ApartAlt+B✓

View

ActionHotkeyEditable
GridG✓
Snap to GridCtrl+Shift+G✓

Window

ActionHotkeyEditable
PreviewAlt+P✓
Refresh PreviewShift+P✓
Zoom to PageCtrl+0✓
Zoom InCtrl+=✓
Zoom OutCtrl+-✓
Frame SelectionCtrl+Shift+A✓
Toggle Wireframe / FilledAlt+Shift+W✓
Side PanelsF12✓
Activate LayersAlt+1✓
Activate PropertiesAlt+2✓
Activate OutlinerAlt+3✓

Preferences

ActionHotkeyEditable
SettingsCtrl+,✓

App

ActionHotkeyEditable
QuitCtrl+Q✓

Help

ActionHotkeyEditable
Quick HelpF1✓

Selection nudge keys (not editable)

ActionHotkey
Nudge selectionArrow keys
Fine nudgeShift+Arrow
Coarse nudgeCtrl+Arrow

Nudge distances are configured in Settings, Units & Grid.

Canvas gestures (not editable)

ActionGesture
PanMiddle-mouse drag, or hold Space + left-drag
ZoomScroll wheel (or Ctrl+scroll, per Settings, Display)
Zoom to fitCtrl+0
Frame SelectionCtrl+Shift+A
Cancel current tool / clear selection / exit text editEsc
Add to selectionShift+click
Toggle in selectionCtrl+click
Marquee selectdrag
Enter text editdouble-click text object

Reserved combinations

These combinations cannot be assigned as custom shortcuts:

  • Ctrl+Q (Quit)
  • Ctrl+Tab (system or app switching)
  • Ctrl+Space
  • Alt+Tab (OS app switcher)

Plus the OS-reserved equivalents on macOS (⌘+Q, ⌘+Tab, ⌘+Space).

Customizing hotkeys

Open Settings → Shortcuts or the standalone Hotkey Editor. Search by command, group, id, or shortcut. Select Assign, press the new combination, then save your changes. Conflicts with another command, a macro, or a reserved combination are shown immediately.

Use Reset to restore one command to its default, or Reset All to restore every command. Shortcut customizations are included when you import or export app preferences.

On this page

FileEditToolsArrangeViewWindowPreferencesAppHelpSelection nudge keys (not editable)Canvas gestures (not editable)Reserved combinationsCustomizing hotkeysRelated