Saturday, 26th August 2006Useful Keyboard Shortcuts (for Windows & Windows Applications)

A selection of common keyboard shortcuts - if you work on a computer an don't know these, learn and save time!

The keyboard shortcuts below are meant only as a useful guide for people look for a quick reference, it is particually pertinent to designers and web developers.

Generic Shortcuts

Copy	CTRL + C	Copys whatever you have selected (works with files, text, bits of an image, etc)
Cut	CTRL + X	Used with Paste to Move something (Cut files from a flash card and paste them to their job folder)
Paste	CTRL + V	Pastes whatever you copied with Copy.
Select All	CTRL + A	Used to select everything in the current Window, for example when looking at a flash card window, CTRL + A will select all the files.  When working on an email, it will select all of the text.  Its normally used to select something before using copy and paste.
Undo	CTRL + Z	Undoes the last action taken, for example if you deleted a block of text it would undo the delete.  Note: does not work with Photoshop, Photoshop uses its own method of Undo "Step Backwards"
Redo	CTRL + Y	Redoes an action undone with Undo.  Note: does not work with Photoshop, Photoshop uses its own method of Undo "Step Forwards"
Refresh	F5	Used to "Refresh" the contents of a Window (for example, if your looking at a job folder on the server and someone else adds to it, clicking "Refresh" will enable you to see what has changed (not normally required).  If you are looking at a website (for example BBC) and you know the information has changed, Refreshing will reload the page.
Save	CTRL + S	Saves the current document (with same filename, same location, etc).
Close Program	ALT + F4	Closes the current program (this will close all files open in the program as well - if they are not saved you will be prompted to save them).

Program Specific Shortcuts

Dreamweaver	Show / Hide Panels	F4	Shows / Hides all the design / tools panels.
Dreamweaver	Put	CTRL + SHIFT + U	Uploads the current document to the remote server.
Dreamweaver	Get	CTRL + ALT + SHIFT + U	Downloads the current document from the remote server.
Photoshop	Step Backwards / Undo	ALT + CTRL + Z	Photoshop Only.  Undoes the last action taken, for example if you adjusted the Brightness & Contrast.  It can be used repeatedly to go back through steps taken.
Photoshop / Illustrator	Step Forwards / Redo	SHIFT + CTRL + Z	Photoshop & Illustrator Only.  Redoes a step undone with "Step Backwards.
Illustrator	Hide / Show Tools	TAB	Shows / Hides all tools and palettes - if you are currently editing text, hit ESC first.
Illustrator	Paste in Front	CTRL + F	Pastes the current clipboard contents in front of all other objects on this layer - also does paste in place in Illustrator at same time.
Illustrator	Paste in Back	CTRL + B	Pastes the current clipboard contents behind all other objects on this layer - also does paste in place in Illustrator at same time.