Application controls

This document describes the basic controls for Meshbex using a mouse, touch controls and a keyboard. Some keyboard shortcuts only work when the cursor is not in a text field (graphical user interface panels, document editor, dialogue boxes).

Mouse – scene navigation

Standard camera controls (OrbitControls):

Action	Behaviour
Left button + drag	Orbit the view around the scene centre.
Right button + drag	Pan the view.
Mouse wheel	Zoom in / out.
Middle button + drag	Dolly zoom in / out.

While dragging the transform gizmo, a box selection, or using certain tools, orbit may be temporarily disabled.

Orientation gizmo

Click an axis in the bottom-right corner of the viewport to snap to top, side, or front views.

Mouse – object selection

Action	Behaviour
Left click	Select the object under the cursor (when selection is allowed).
Ctrl + left click	Add or remove the object from the multi-selection.
Click empty space	Clear the selection.
Shift + left button + drag	Box-select multiple objects. Set partial / full / centre mode in View → Group Selection → Box select mode.
Ctrl on box-select release	Add picked objects to the current selection instead of replacing it.

Mouse – context menu

Action	Behaviour
Right click	Context menu depending on context: empty scene, selected object, measurement, dimension, or annotation.
Right click during CAD dimension placement	Cycle dimension axis X / Y / Z (instead of opening the menu).
Double-click annotation text	Edit the annotation text.
Click a measurement / dimension / annotation label	Select the item; drag to move the label or the whole dimension (depending on the context-menu mode).

Mouse – Tools panel

After activating a tool in the Tools panel, left-click on the model surface to place points. The Flat / 3D dropdown at the top of the panel sets the label type for Dist. measure, Angle measure, Dimension, and Annotation.

Dist. measure – two points (distance).
Angle measure – four points (two line segments; measures the angle).
Dimension – two points on the model, then place the dimension; in the final step, right-click cycles the axis.
Annotation – first click sets the anchor on the model; second click places the text (also in empty space on the second click).

Small mouse movement between press and release (> 3 px) is not treated as a click – this prevents accidental measurements while orbiting.

Escape or the Cancel button in the Tools panel ends the active tool.

Mouse – object editing (object context menu)

Face-to-face snap – two clicks: source face on the object to move, target face to align to.
Point-to-point snap – two clicks: source point on the object, target point; the object moves by their difference.

Touch (tablet / mobile)

One finger – same actions as the mouse (orbit, selection, tools).
Hold ~0.5 s – opens the context menu (like right-click).
Drag measurement / dimension label – supported via touch handlers on the selected item.

Keyboard – file and history

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl + O	Open a local GLB file.
Ctrl + S	Save GLB.
Ctrl + Shift + S	Save GLB as…
Ctrl + Z	Undo (scene).
Ctrl + Y or Ctrl + Shift + Z	Redo (scene).

Keyboard – selection and editing

Shortcut	Action
Delete	Delete selected dimension / measurement; otherwise delete the group or selected object.
Escape	End active tool, snap modes, deviation map; deselect measurement/dimension; clear object and group selection.
/	Add or remove the current object from the group selection.
*	Toggle group transform (multi-select gizmo).
←	Select parent object in the hierarchy.
→	Previous item in selection history.

Keyboard – transform gizmo

When TransformControl is active on the selected object:

Shortcut	Action
T	Translate mode.
R	Rotate mode.
S	Scale mode.
Q	Toggle local / world gizmo space.
Space	Enable / disable the gizmo.
+ / −	Increase / decrease gizmo size.
X / Y / Z	Show / hide the corresponding gizmo axis.

Keyboard – outliner (scene tree)

When the Scene outliner panel is open:

Shortcut	Action
↑ / ↓	Previous / next object in the list.
Ctrl + ↑ / ↓	Toggle multi-selection on the neighbouring object.

Keyboard – Assembly

Shortcut	Action
Page Up	Previous assembly step.
Page Down	Next assembly step.
Shift + Page Up	Animate to the start of the sequence.
Shift + Page Down	Animate to the end of the sequence.
Home	Jump to the first step (no animation).
End	Jump to the last step (no animation).

Keyboard – group history (View panel)

Shortcut	Action
7	Previous group-history entry.
8	Restore the previewed entry as the active group.
9	Next group-history entry.

More Meshbex tips

Fit View – in the View panel or empty-scene context menu; fits the camera to the whole model (no F key in the main viewport).
The status bar shows the active mode (Navigate, Measuring distance, …); click it to open the Tools panel.
When the document or image editor is open, scene shortcuts are often blocked – close the editor first.