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Keyboard Shortcuts and Keytips ​

TrueSize can be driven almost entirely from the keyboard. Press Alt (Option on a Mac) to show a letter on every ribbon tab, press the tab letter, then press the letter shown on the action you want. Other keys rotate, flip, copy and delete regions, move through search suggestions and step through the timeline.

The Keyboard Shortcuts dialog in TrueSize listing menu navigation, selection and dragged territory shortcuts

Open the list inside the app with Help, then Keyboard (Alt, E, K).

Ribbon keytips ​

  1. Press Alt (Option on a Mac). Letters appear on the six tabs.
  2. Press the letter of a tab to open it. Letters then appear on its actions.
  3. Press the letter of an action to run it.
  4. Press Alt again or Esc to hide the keytips.
The TrueSize ribbon showing keytip letters on each tab and action

Keytips on the ribbon. Press the tab letter first, then the action letter.

TabTab keyActions and their keys
HomeHFlags F, Labels L, Select S, Divide V, Merge M, Remove R
StyleSCustomize K, Visuals C, Reset R, Globe G, Clouds L, Terrain T, Seafloor W
ToolsTStats S, Find by flag F, Distance D, Bearing B, Population U, Draw W, Poster P, Zoom in I, Zoom out O
FunFChallenge C, Flags F, Nukes B, Compare P, Living Earth E, Planets M, Grid G, Size S, North N, Radio R
AdvancedAShare S, Load A, Import I, Export E
HelpEExamples E, Tutorial T, About A, Keyboard K, Reddit R, Support S

Some actions only appear when they apply. For example, Clouds needs the globe, and Poster is not available on the MapToolkit basemap.

Alt+Q jumps straight to the search box on the Home tab, whatever tab is open.

Dragged territory ​

These keys work while you hold a region with the mouse, or when a single region is selected.

KeyWhat it does
R (hold)Rotates 5 degrees counter-clockwise
Shift + RRotates 5 degrees clockwise
[Rotates 1 degree counter-clockwise
]Rotates 1 degree clockwise
FFlips (mirrors) the region
EEdits the region or custom shape in the shape editor
Delete or BackspaceRemoves the region
Ctrl/Cmd + CCopies the region or union
Ctrl/Cmd + VPastes the copy at the mouse position

Selection and map ​

KeyWhat it does
Shift + clickAdds a region to the selection
Shift + dragDraws a box and selects every region inside it
EscCloses the summary, clears the selection or leaves selection mode

Selection shortcuts work with Shift held down, or while the Select button on the Home tab is active. The Moving and Comparing page shows them in action.

When the map is tilted (3D perspective), Ctrl/Cmd with the arrow keys changes the pitch and bearing, and Ctrl/Cmd+0 resets the view.

Search fields ​

KeyWhat it does
Down and UpMove through the suggestions
EnterLoads the highlighted suggestion
EscCloses the suggestion list

Timeline ​

These keys work while the timeline panel is open. Open it with the Modern/Historical switch on the Home tab. See Historical Borders Map.

KeyWhat it does
Left arrowPrevious change
Right arrowNext change
Shift + Left arrowOne year back
Shift + Right arrowOne year forward
SpacePlay or pause
TJump to today
Home / EndFirst year / today (when the slider is focused)
IShow the info card

Shape editor ​

These keys and mouse actions work while the toolbar from Edit shape is open.

ActionWhat it does
Click a pointSelects it
Drag a pointMoves it
Click a midpointInserts a new point
Shift + dragSelects several points
DelDeletes the selected points

Games and dialogs ​

The two games are played with the mouse or by touch. Direct links open them without the ribbon: truesize.net/#game and truesize.net/#flagquiz. Read more on the TrueSize Challenge and Flag Quiz pages.

Where it works ​

Keyboard shortcuts and keytips are a web feature, designed for desktop computers. The mobile app has no keyboard shortcuts, and uses touch gestures and its bottom ribbon instead.


Next: Suggest Flags, Names and Borders

Please rotate your device

The map needs portrait orientation on small screens — landscape leaves too little height to work with.