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OST - 01.03.01 Using Keyboard and Other Shortcuts to Make Entering Information into OST More Efficient

Views: 8574 Last Updated: 02/06/2024 11:49 am 100 Rating/ 3 Voters
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On-Screen Takeoff includes shortcuts to make using the program more efficient. Familiarize yourself with the shortcuts below to save valuable time.

Note
Throughout this User Guide, you will find Notes in boxes such as this. Many of these Notes indicate some 'time saver' or 'best practices' tip/suggestion.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Download a printable Keyboard Shortcuts key here (or navigate to this URL: https://downloads.oncenter.com/Downloads/OST/OST_Keyboard_Shortcut_Card_v5.jpg)

Keystroke ComboButtonWhat it does/What it means...
<Ctrl> + <A>   SELECT ALL - Selects all objects on current page or window
<Ctrl> + <C> Copy button COPY - Copies the selection to memory to be Pasted later - COPY
<Ctrl> + <D> Duplicate button DUPLICATE - Duplicates the selected Bid, Condition or Master table record
<Ctrl> + <E> Enhance Image buttonENHANCE - Toggles image enhancement on/off for current page
(Button replaced with the "Adjust Images" button in 3.94.00 and newer)
<Ctrl> + <G> GO TO - opens a dialog box where you can enter the number of the Page to which you want to navigate
<Ctrl> + <I> Adjust Images button Opens the Adjust Images dialog box on the Image Tab
<Ctrl> + <L> Layers Window toggle button LAYERS - Shows/Hides the Layers dockbar
<Ctrl> + <O> Open (Database) button OPEN - Activates the Open Databases dialog box
<Ctrl> + <P> Print button Print Preview button PRINT - Activates the Print and/or Print Preview screen depending on current focus
<Ctrl> + <R>   Activates the Rotate Takeoff controls (takeoff only, not the underlying Image)
 <Ctrl> + <S> Activates the Spin Takeoff control (takeoff only, not the underlying Image
<Ctrl> + < T>   Opens the Set Takeoff Area dialog box when using a Digitizer
<Ctrl> + < V> Paste button PASTE - Pastes the selection currently in memory to the selected location - PASTE
<Ctrl> + < X> Cut button CUT - Cuts the selection to memory to be Pasted later - MOVE
<Ctrl> + < Y> Redo button REDO - reverses the UNDO command
<Ctrl> + < Z> Undo button UNDO - reverses the previous action
<Alt> 1.) Activates the corresponding Menu when a letter is pressed at the same time 2.) On the Image Tab activates the Panning function
<Alt> + Mouse Activates the Pan tool for moving the plan around on the Image Tab
<Page Up> Previous Page button Previous Plan page (previous image in the list)
<Page Down> Next Page button Next Plan page (next image in the list)
<Ctrl> + <Page Up> Previous View button Cycles to previous Condition (from the Conditions Properties dialog box)
<Ctrl> + <Page Down> Next View button Cycles to next Condition (from the Conditions Properties dialog box)
<Insert> key New control Add New button COMBO button - adds a new Database, Bid, Condition, Alternate, Change Order, or Folder ADD (blue plus) - Inserts a new Bid, Condition or Master record depending on currently active screen
<Ctrl> + < Enter>   Accepts and Closes current dialog box
<Esc> (Escape) key Close button Dismisses dialog box and/or cancels command
<Spacebar>   Toggles between Takeoff and Select Tools   
<Ctrl> + < 2> Annotation and View Window button Opens the Annotation and View Window (a secondary window where you can see other pages/details, and create, modify, delete Annotation).
Closes open Annotation and View Window if already open.
<Ctrl> + < Shift> + <D> Darken Plans button DARKEN - Toggles the Darken option on/off for the current page
(Button replaced with the "Adjust Images" button in 3.94.00 and newer)
<Shift>   When performing takeoff, temporarily overrides the "Snap To" settings for Linear and Area conditions
<*> (asterisk)Zoom to Full Page button Zooms to FULL PAGE when focus is on the Image Window
Expands all collapsed Type groupings when top header has focus in the Conditions list.
Expands a collapsed Type grouping when the Type has focus in the Conditions list.
<+> (plus sign)Zoom In button Zooms IN when focus is on the Image Window
Expands a collapsed Type grouping when the Type has focus in the Conditions list.
<-> (minus sign)Zoom Out button Zooms OUT
Collapses a collapsed Type grouping when the Type has focus in the Conditions list.
</> (forward slash)Zoom 100% button Zooms to 100%

Function Keys

Function KeyWhat it does/What it means...
<F1>Program Help - opens a context sensitive User Guide article based on where and what you are doing in the program
<F2> Edit field or cell
<F4> Activate LOOKUP or Drop Down for current field or cell
<F9> Refreshes Takeoff Totals (resends information the Pricing application)

Scroll Wheel Functions (mouse)

See Related articles for additional "Advanced" mouse controls.

Function/ActionWhat it does/What it means...
Scroll Wheel Pans image Vertically (Up and Down)
Click on the Pages Drop Down on the Image Tab and use the scroll wheel to quickly cycle through the pages in the project
<Ctrl> + Scroll Zooms In and Out
<Shift> + Scroll Pans image Horizontally (Left and Right)

Control Buttons

Button IconName/DescriptionWhat it does/What it means...
Add New button Add New Depending on focus (where you last clicked), adds a new Condition, Folder, Blank Page, or Style
Edit button Edit Edits the selected Condition or Style
Delete button Delete Deletes the selection (when performed on a Master Table, cannot be undone)
Duplicate button Duplicate Duplicates the selected Bid, Condition, Page or Style
Add Folder button New Folder Create a new folder in the Cover Sheet pages grid or in the Condition window
Auto Add Pages button Auto-Add Opens a Browse window to navigate to any folder containing image files
Add Single Page with Image button Add Single File Opens a Browse window to navigate to any folder containing an image file
Change Folder button Change Folder Select multiple pages and change the folder where On-Screen Takeoff expects to find the image files
Lookup control Lookup Opens a dialog box where you can lookup an entry in a Master list
Move Up button Move Up Moves a selected entry, page, etc. up in a grid or list
Move Down button Move Down Moves a selected  entry, page, etc. down in a grid or list
Expand All button Expand Image Folders When working with folders on the Pages tab in the Cover Sheet, this expands all image folders.
Collapse All button Collapse Image Folders When working with folders on the Pages tab in the Cover Sheet, this collapses all image folders.

Most Drop Down lists can be expanded to see the entire contents. When a drop down menu is activated, click on the bottom right corner of the list and drag it down and to the right to expand the list.

Expand a drop-down list by dragging bottom corner

Context Menus

Many functions are available by right-clicking to bring up a Context Menu. Some options, such as showing decimals or grouping the Bids, Takeoff, and Worksheet Tabs, are only available from a context menu, although most are duplicated within the menus or toolbars.

Bids Tab Context menu
Example of a Bids Tab Context Menu

  • Context menus change based on the current screen and the location where the right-click occurred.
  • Context menus are detailed in the section explaining the screen on which they are invoked, see Related Articles.

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Product documentation (user guides) describes functionality in the latest version of each major release and may not match the functionality in the version you are using. Please check the Product Information and Downloads pages by clicking one of the product buttons above.

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