Keyboard shortcuts

This page lists all of DreamShow's keyboard and mouse shortcuts, window by window. The keys of the cue window (GO, previous, blackout) can be changed in File > Remote (GO keys)…; the others are fixed.

Everywhere in the main screen (editor)

Key	Action
Space	GO: moves on to the next scene, like the GO (Space) button of the Scenes panel. No effect when the cursor is in a text field, or on a check box or a drop-down list.
Ctrl+S	Saves the show (like File > Save).
Key expected by a “Wait for a key…” block	When the timeline is stopped on that block, the chosen key restarts playback. It takes priority over any other shortcut.

In the editor, only the space bar does GO; the Enter key and the remote keys are only used in Show mode.

Cue window (Show mode)

Key	Action
Space or Enter (default)	GO.
Backspace (default)	◀ Previous: goes back to the previous scene.
N (default)	BLACKOUT: general blackout, a second press releases it.
F9	Switches between the full window and the ▭ Compact one (small strip always on top).
F11	Full screen (borderless) or back to the normal window; leaves the compact window first if needed.
Key expected by a “Wait for a key…” block	Restarts the cue list; it takes priority over any other shortcut.

The cue window's buttons remind you of the first key of each action: “GO (Space)”, “◀ Previous (Backspace)”, “BLACKOUT (N)”.

GO has no effect on the last scene and, in Manual GO, as long as the timeline of the current scene is not finished (the button is then greyed out).

Changing the keys (remote)

File > Remote (GO keys)… opens the Remote window, with three sections: GO (pas suivant) (GO (next step)), Previous step and Blackout.

+ Key… then press the key (or the button of a 2.4 GHz presentation remote, which sends keyboard keys): it is added to the action.
Esc during the capture cancels it instead of adding the key.
The small button on each key removes it.
OK saves. GO always keeps at least one key: if you remove them all, Space is put back.

See The remote (GO keys).

Scene timeline

Gesture	Action
Ctrl + wheel	Horizontal zoom of the timeline, centred on the mouse.
Wheel on the ruler (at the top of the timeline)	Zoom, without Ctrl.
Click on the ruler	Places the red line at that moment.
Drag a block	Moves its start (0.1 s steps, snapped to the start or end of neighbouring blocks).
Drag the right edge of a block	Changes its length (0.1 s steps).
Double-click on a block	Opens its properties; for an effect block, switches to editing the effect; for a trajectory, opens its editor; for a dynamic effect or a pixel mapping, opens its settings window.
Right-click on a block	Menu: Properties…, Delete, and depending on the block Edit the effect…, Edit the trajectory…, Replace with the current selection + settings.
Drag from Libraries	A group, a media item, an effect, a trajectory or an item of the Others list dropped on a track creates a block.

Libraries

Key or gesture	Action
Del in the Trajectories list	Deletes the selected trajectory (after confirmation).
Double-click on a trajectory	Opens its editor.
Double-click on an effect	Edits the effect.
Right-click on a media item	Media menu; the right-click first selects the item under the mouse.

Simulation (Venue panel)

2D view (plan):

Gesture	Action
Click on a fixture	Selects or deselects it.
Drag on the plan	Rectangle selection: replaces the selection.
Ctrl + drag	Adds the fixtures in the rectangle to the selection.
With Aim pressed: click-drag	The selected moving heads follow the mouse.
With the Zone tool: click-drag	Draws, moves or resizes the zone.

3D view:

Gesture	Action
Drag (left or right button)	Orbits around the venue.
Shift + drag, or drag with the wheel pressed	Pans the view.
Wheel	Zoom in / out.
Click (without moving) on a fixture	Selects or deselects it.
With Aim or the Zone tool: click-drag	As in 2D, on the surface under the mouse.

Zone rotation: in the rotation box (in degrees), Enter confirms the value.

See 2D and 3D simulation and Aiming and covering a zone with moving heads.

Trajectory editor

Key or gesture	Action
Double-click on an empty area of the keyframe strip	Adds a keyframe at that moment.
Click on a keyframe	Selects it; dragging moves it in time.
Drag on an empty area	Scrolls the preview.
Enter in the “Key — time (s):” box	Applies the time entered.

See Trajectories.

Fixtures, addresses, positions (venue editor)

Key	Action
Ctrl+Z	Undo (↶ button).
Ctrl+Y	Redo (↷ button).

In the Add a fixture — QLC+ library window: type your search, then down arrow / up arrow to browse the list without leaving the box, Enter (Add button) or double-click to choose.

DMX values and DMX faders

Key or gesture	Window	Action
Double-click on a channel	DMX values…	Opens the faders on that channel.
Enter in “First channel”	DMX faders…	Shows the page that starts at that channel.
Enter in a fader's value	DMX faders…	Applies the value typed.
Wheel on a fader	DMX faders…	±1.
Shift + wheel	DMX faders…	±10.

See DMX values and DMX faders.

Other windows

Key	Window	Action
T	Sound-to-light and tempo…	Tap tempo (like the TAP button), except when the cursor is in a text field.
Esc, any key or a click	🔎 Identify the screen test pattern (Venue > Screens…)	Closes the test pattern (it also closes by itself after a few seconds).
The key to wait for	Properties of a Wait for a key block	After a click on Set…, the key pressed becomes the expected key.

In all dialog boxes

Enter confirms the default button (OK, Add, Save… depending on the window).
Esc closes without confirming (Cancel or Close button), in windows that have one.
The usual text fields accept Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V, Ctrl+A, etc.