When you are working in the 3D view, you will use several keys on the keyboard to build, customize, and get information from the model. The figure below shows the keyboard layout. Keys that are highlighted in yellow have meaning when interacting with FlexSim.
A, J: context sensitive connect
The A key is used to connect two objects depending on the type of objects. Hold down the A key, click on one object, holding the mouse button down, and drag to another object, releasing the mouse button on that object. Usually this connects the output ports of one object to the input ports of another object. For NetworkNodes, however, the A key connects a NetworkNode to TaskExecuters as travellers, to FixedResources as travel gateways, and to other NetworkNodes as travel paths. You can also use the J key if you are left handed. If you connect two objects with the A key, and don't see any changes, first, click on an empty area in the 3D view and make sure the Show Connections button is checked in the Quick Properties window. If still no change is apparent, then those objects are probably not supposed to be connected with the A key.
Q, U: context sensitive disconnect
The Q key is used to disconnect two objects depending on the type of objects. Hold down the Q key, click on one object, holding the mouse button down, and drag to another object, releasing the mouse button on that object. Usually this disconnects the output ports of one object from the input ports of another object. For NetworkNodes, however, the Q key disconnects a NetworkNode from TaskExecuters as travellers, from FixedResources as travel gateways, and sets one-way of a travel path connection to "no connection" (red). You can also use the U key if you are left handed.
S, K: central port connect
The S key is used to connect central ports of two objects. Central ports are used for referencing purposes, using the centerobject() command. Hold down the S key, click on one object, holding the mouse button down, and drag to another object, releasing the mouse button on that object. You can also use the K key if you are left handed.
W, I: central port disconnect
The W key is used to disconnect central ports of two objects. Hold down the W key, click on one object, holding the mouse button down, and drag to another object, releasing the mouse button on that object. You can also use the I key if you are left handed.
D: context sensitive connect
The D key is a second key for context sensitive connecting. The NetworkNode and the TrafficControl both implement this connection.
E: context sensitive disconnect
The E key is a second key for context sensitive disconnecting. The NetworkNode implements this connection.
X: context sensitive click/toggle
The X key is used to change an object or view information on the object, dependent on the type of object. Hold the X key down, and click on the object. The NetworkNode will toggle the whole network through different viewing modes. The X key also creates new spline points on a network path. Racks will also toggle through different viewing modes.
B: context sensitive click/toggle
The B key is an additional key used to change an object or view information on the object, dependent on the type of object. Hold the B key down, and click on the object. The NetworkNode will toggle the whole network through different viewing modes. The TrafficControl also uses the B key.
V: view input/output port connections
The V key is used to view an object's input/output port connections. Hold the V key down, and click on an object, holding both the V key and the mouse button down. If the mouse button is released first, then the information will disappear, but if the V key is released first, the information will persist.
C: view central port connections
The C key is used to view an object's central port connections. Hold the C key down, and click on an object. If the mouse button is released first, then the information will disappear, but if the C key is released first, the information will persist.
F: create library objects
The F key is used to quickly create library objects. Select an object in the library icon grid by clicking on it. Then click in the ortho/perspective view, and press and hold the F key down. Then click in the ortho view in the location you would like to create the object. The object will be created at that position.
R: create and connect library objects
The R key is like the F key, except it also connects consecutively created objects with an A connection.
Hot Keys / Accelerators
Ctrl + Space - Start and stop the model run.
Ctrl + Left Arrow - Reset the model.
Ctrl + Right Arrow - Step to the next model event.
Ctrl + Up Arrow - Increase the simulation run speed.
Ctrl + Down Arrow - Decrease the simulation run speed.
Ctrl + F - Find text in the open view.
Ctrl + H - Find and replace text in the open view.
Ctrl + C - Copy the selected object(s) to the clipboard.
Ctrl + X - Cut the selected object(s) to the clipboard.
Ctrl + V - Paste the object(s) in the clipboard.
Ctrl + T - Open a new tabbed document window (based on the currently active document window, 3D or Tree only)
Ctrl + Tab - Switch to the next window tab.
Ctrl + Shift + Tab - Switch to the previous window tab.
Ctrl + L - Scale the selected object(s) up by 5%.
Ctrl + K - Scale the selected object(s) down by 5%.
Ctrl + Shift + D - Add a keyframe to the presentation builder.
Ctrl + W - Close the active document window or floating window.
Ctrl + Alt + E - Switch Environments. If an environment is currently active, exit the environment, otherwise, enter the Minimal environment.
F1 - Open the Command Helper and search for the selected text.
F11 - Switch in and out of Full Screen Mode (3D View).
P - Takes a screen shot of the active view and saves it to projects folder/screenshots (adds pointer data if highlighted a node in the tree)
Tree Window Shortcuts
The following are available in the Tree Window:
Spacebar - Insert a new node after.
Enter - Insert a new node into.
Del - Delete selected node(s).
N - Add number data to the highlighted node.
T - Add string (text) data to the highlighted node.
O - Add object data to the highlighted node.
P - Add pointer data to the highlighted node.
Shift + Del - Delete node data.
