Keyboard shortcut

This is a complete list of LabVIEW development environment keyboard shortcut keys.

Object Movement

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Shift-click	Selects multiple objects; adds object to current selection.
Ctrl-click	Toggles a single object to join or leave the current selection.
Arrow keys	Moves selected objects one pixel at a time.
Shift-Arrow keys	Moves selected objects several pixels at a time. If the Alignment Grid is enabled, the object will move to align with the grid and thereafter will move in grid increments.
Shift-click (drag)	Moves selected objects in one axis.
Ctrl-click (drag)	Duplicates selected object
Ctrl-Shift-click (drag)	Duplicates selected object and moves it in one axis.
Shift-resize	Resizes selected object while maintaining aspect ratio.
Ctrl-resize	Resizes selected object while maintaining center point.
Ctrl-Shift-resize	Resizes selected object while maintaining center point and aspect ratio.
Ctrl-drag a rectangle	Adds more working space to the front panel or block diagram.
Ctrl-Alt-drag a rectangle	Removes space from the front panel or block diagram.
Ctrl-A	Selects all front panel or block diagram items.
Ctrl-Shift-A	Performs last alignment operation on objects.
Ctrl-D	Performs last distribution operation on objects.
Double-click open space	Adds a free label to the front panel or block diagram if automatic tool selection is enabled.
Ctrl-mouse wheel	Scrolls through subdiagrams of a Case, Event, or Stacked Sequence structure.
g or G (no modifier keys)	While dragging an object with the mouse, this momentarily toggles on or off the alignment grid
a or A (no modifier keys)	While dragging an object on the block diagram, this momentarily toggles on or off the automatic wiring
w or W (no modifier keys)	While dragging a selection on the block diagram into or out of a structure, turns off auto-wiring across structure boundaries
Spacebar (drag)	Disables preset alignment positions when moving object labels or captions.

Navigating the LabVIEW Environment

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl-F	Finds objects or text.
Ctrl-Shift-F	Displays Search Results window or the Find Project Items dialog box with the previous search results.
Ctrl-G	Searches for next instance of object or text.
Ctrl-Shift-G	Searches for previous instance of VIs, object, or text.
Ctrl-Tab	Cycles through LabVIEW windows in the order the windows appear onscreen. The order of the windows depends on the window manager you use.
Ctrl-Shift-Tab	Cycles the opposite direction through LabVIEW windows.
Ctrl-L	Displays the Error List window.
Ctrl-Shift-W	Displays the All Windows dialog box.
Ctrl-Shift-B	Displays the Class Browser window.

Navigating Front Panels and Block Diagrams

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl-E	Displays block diagram or front panel window.
Ctrl-Space	Displays the Quick Drop dialog box. On Chinese keyboards, press the <Ctrl-Shift-Space> keys. (Mac OS X) Press the <Command-Shift-Space> keys.
Ctrl-#	Enables or disables grid alignment. On French keyboards, press the <Ctrl-"> keys. (Mac OS) Press the <Command-*> keys.
Ctrl-/	Maximizes and restores window.
Ctrl-T	Tiles front panel and block diagram windows.
Ctrl-Shift-N	Displays the Navigation window.
Ctrl-I	Displays the VI Properties dialog box.
Ctrl-Y	Displays the History window.

Navigating the VI Hierarchy Window

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl-D	Redraws the VI Hierarchy window.
Ctrl-A	Shows all VIs in the VI Hierarchy window.
Ctrl-click VI	Displays the subVIs and other nodes that make up the VI you select in the VI Hierarchy window.
Enter	Finds the next node that matches the search string after initiating a search by typing in the VI Hierarchy window.
Shift-Enter	Finds the previous node that matches the search string after initiating a search by typing in the VI Hierarchy window.

Debugging

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl-Down arrow	Steps into node.
Ctrl-Right arrow	Steps over node.
Ctrl-Up arrow	Steps out of node.
Ctrl-click on wire	In run mode place a probe
Click on wire or block diagram space	In run mode place a breakpoint

File Operations

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl-N	Opens a new, blank VI.
Ctrl-O	Opens an existing VI.
Ctrl-W	Closes the VI.
Ctrl-S	Saves the VI.
Ctrl-Shift-S	Saves all open files.
Ctrl-P	Prints the window.
Ctrl-Q	Quits LabVIEW.

Basic Editing

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl-Z	Undoes last action.
Ctrl-Shift-Z	Redoes last action.
Ctrl-X	Cuts an object.
Ctrl-C	Copies an object.
Ctrl-V	Pastes an object.

Help

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl-H	Displays Context Help window.
Ctrl-Shift-L	Locks Context Help window.
Ctrl-? or <F1>	Displays LabVIEW Help.

Tools and Palettes

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl	Switches to next most useful tool.
Shift	Switches to Positioning tool.
Ctrl-Shift over open space	Switches to Scrolling tool.
Spacebar	Toggles between two most common tools if automatic tool selection is disabled.
Shift-Tab	Enables automatic tool selection.
Tab	Cycles through four most common tools if you disabled automatic tool selection by clicking the automatic tool selection button. Otherwise, enables automatic tool selection.
Arrow keys	Navigates temporary Controls and Functions palettes.
Enter	Navigates into a temporary palette.
Esc	Navigates out of a temporary palette.
Shift-right-click	Displays a temporary version of the Tools palette at the location of the cursor.

SubVIs

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Double-click subVI	Displays subVI front panel.
Ctrl-double-click subVI	Displays subVI block diagram and front panel.
Drag VI icon to block diagram	Places that VI as a subVI on the block diagram.
Shift-drag VI icon to block diagram	Places that VI as a subVI on the block diagram with constants wired for controls that have non-default values.
Ctrl-right-click block diagram and select VI from palette	Opens front panel of that VI.

Execution

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl-R	Runs the VI.
Ctrl-.	Aborts the VI, when used while VI is running.
Ctrl-M	Changes to run or edit mode.
Ctrl-Run button	Recompiles the current VI.
Ctrl-Shift-Run button	Recompiles all VIs in memory.
Ctrl-Down arrow	Moves key focus inside an array or cluster, when used while VI is running.
Ctrl-Up arrow	Moves key focus outside an array or cluster, when used while VI is running.
Tab	Navigates the controls or indicators according to tabbing order, when used while VI is running.
Shift-Tab	Navigates backward through the controls or indicators, when used while VI is running.

Wiring

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Ctrl-B	Deletes all broken wires in a VI.
Esc, right-click, or click terminal	Cancels a wire you started.
Single-click wire	Selects one segment.
Double-click wire	Selects a branch.
Triple-click wire	Selects entire wire.
A	While wiring, disables automatic wire routing temporarily.
Double-click (while wiring)	Tacks down wire without connecting it.
Spacebar	Toggles automatic wiring while moving objects.
Shift-click	Undoes last point where you set a wire.
Ctrl-click input on function with two inputs	Switches the two input wires.
Spacebar	Switches the direction of a wire between horizontal and vertical.

Text

Keyboard Shortcut	Description
Double-click	Selects a single word in a string.
Triple-click	Selects an entire string.
Ctrl-Right arrow	Moves forward in string by one word when using text that has characters that use single bytes, such as Western character sets. Moves forward in string by one character when using text that has characters that use multiple bytes, such as Asian character sets.
Ctrl-Left arrow	Moves backward in string by one word when using text that has characters that use single bytes, such as Western character sets. Moves backward in string by one character when using text that has characters that use multiple bytes, such as Asian character sets.
Home	Moves to beginning of current line in string.
End	Moves to end of current line in string.
Ctrl-Home	Moves to beginning of entire string.
Ctrl-End	Moves to end of entire string.
Shift-Enter	Adds new items when entering items in enumerated type controls and constants, ring controls and constants, or Case structures. In string constants, press the <Shift-Enter> keys on the keyboard to disable autosizing if it is enabled. If autosizing is disabled, press the <Shift-Enter> keys on the keyboard to display a scroll bar in the constant.
Ctrl-Shift-Enter	Duplicates the current case structure frame while editing the name of the current frame.
Esc	Cancels current edit in a string.
Ctrl-Enter	Ends text entry.
Ctrl-Shift-=	Increases the current font size.
Ctrl--	Decreases the current font size.
Ctrl-0	Displays the Font dialog box.
Ctrl-1	Changes to the Application font in Font dialog box.
Ctrl-2	Changes to the System font in the Font dialog box.
Ctrl-3	Changes to the Dialog font in the Font dialog box.
Ctrl-4	Changes to the current font in the Font dialog box.

See also

• Tips and tricks - LabVIEW tips and tricks.