SolidWorks 2010 Bible

Part I: SolidWorks Basics

Mouse gestures will probably not replace hotkeys or the “S” toolbar, but they do add effective

quick access for a few functions.

Using the keyboard .........................................................................................

Moving between the mouse and the keyboard can be bothersome and time-consuming. In addition

to the hotkey approach, you can use another keyboard method to save time. Many users become

adept at using the Alt-key combinations to invoke menu items. Most menu items in Windows

applications contain a single underlined letter.

To access a top-level menu, you can hold down the Alt key and press the underlined letter for that

menu, and then just press an underlined letter in the menu to access specific commands. This

technique enables you to navigate most of the interface without using the mouse. For example, to

exit SolidWorks, instead of using the mouse to click the red X in the upper-right corner, you could

press Alt+F, X. In Figure 2.32, you can see that the F in File is underlined, as is the X in Exit.

You may potentially run into conflicts when using Alt-keys. A combination of Alt + another key-

board key is a valid use of a hotkey combination. If you use any Alt hotkey combinations, it is

likely that you have seen a conflict like this. In cases of conflict, the hotkey combination seems to

gain priority over the Alt-key accelerator.

FIGURE 2.32

Alt-Keys in the File menu