Working Units

To set working units for the current project, use the dialog box at Options > Project Preferences >
Working Units.

Project Location and Project North

The Project Location dialog box is available:
from Options > Project Preferences > Project Location
from the context menu of the Project Name in the Navigator

The Options > Project Preferences menu contains the Project Preferences tab pages where you set
standards and working methods specific to the project you are working on, and which are saved
along with the project.
Note: Working Units and Teamwork Project Settings are separate dialog boxes, also opened
from the Options > Project Preferences menu.
If another user opens the Project on his or her own computer, the same settings will be applied.
In Teamwork, you must have access rights and must reserve the Project Preference dialog box in
order to change these preferences.
The Project Preferences dialog box contains a popup menu at top left listing each preference
category (which you can also access directly from Options > Project Preferences). Clicking the Next
and Previous buttons allows you to go from one screen to the other
For details on each of these controls, see:
Dimensions Preferences
Calculation Units and Rules Preferences
Zones Preferences
Legacy Preferences
Reference Levels Preferences

Attributes
Options > Element Attributes.

About Layers
Document > Layers > Layer Settings (shortcut: Ctrl+L)
 Shortcuts
Shortcut Window
Command Name Description
Key Type
New Ctrl + N Creates a new, empty ArchiCAD project. All Types
Creates a new, empty ArchiCAD project and applies
New & Reset All Ctrl + Alt + N All Types
default settings.
Open... Ctrl + O Opens an existing document. All Types
Open/Join Teamwork
Ctrl + Alt + O Open or Join an existing Teamwork Project. All Types
Project...
Ctrl + Shift +
Close Project Closes the project. All Types
W
Save Ctrl + S Saves the project. All Types
Ctrl + Shift +
Save as... Saves the project with a new name. All Types
S
Ctrl + Shift + Browse for an existing library part and open its script
Open Object... All Types
O window.
Ctrl + Shift +
Page Setup... Changes the page layout settings. All Types
P
Print... Ctrl + P Prints the current project. All Types
Exit Ctrl + Q Quits the application; prompts to save documents. All Types
Undo Ctrl + Z Undoes the last action. Non-Text
Ctrl + Shift +
Redo Redoes the previously undone action. Non-Text
Z
Repeat Last
Ctrl + B Repeats the last executed menu command. Non-Text
Command
Removes the selected items and copies them onto
Cut Ctrl + X Non-Text
the Clipboard.
Copies the selected items to the Clipboard. Use
Copy Ctrl + C Non-Text
Paste to put them in the new location.
Inserts the items you have copied or cut into the
Paste Ctrl + V Non-Text
selected location.
Select All Ctrl + A Selects all items of the desired type. Non-Text
Displays selection criteria for finding and selecting
Find & Select... Ctrl + F Non-Text
items.
Group Ctrl + G Creates a new group out of the selected items. Non-Text
Ctrl + Shift + Revokes the last Group command issued on the
Ungroup All Types
G selected items.
Suspend Groups Alt + G Enables editing of individual elements inside Groups. All Types
Drag Ctrl + D Drags the selected items. All Types
Rotate Ctrl + E Rotates the selected items. All Types
Mirror Ctrl + M Mirrors the selected items. Non-Text
Elevate... Ctrl + 9 Elevates the selected items. All Types
 Ctrl + Shift +
Drag a Copy Drags a duplicate of the selected item. All Types
D
Ctrl + Shift +
Rotate a Copy Rotates a duplicate of the selected item. All Types
E
Ctrl + Shift +
Mirror a Copy Mirrors a duplicate of the selected item. All Types
M
Multiply... Ctrl + U Opens Multiply dialog box. Non-Text
Stretch Ctrl + H Stretches or shrinks the selected items. Non-Text
Resize... Ctrl + K Resizes the selected items. All Types
Adjust Ctrl + - Adjusts the selected items to a line or other item. All Types
Explode into Current Transforms the selected elements into independent
Ctrl + = All Types
View 2D drawing elements.
Ctrl + Shift +
Edit Selection Set... Edits the common parameters of the selected items. Non-Text
T
Changes the settings of the selected or newly created
Tool Settings... Ctrl + T Non-Text
items of this type.
Picks up an element's parameters and sets them as
Pick Up Parameters Alt + C Non-Text
the default for that tool type.
Inject Parameters Ctrl + Alt + C Injects the default parameters into an element. Non-Text
Undo(text) Ctrl + Z Undoes the last action in a text window. Text
Ctrl + Shift + Redoes the previously undone action in a text
Redo(text) Text
Z window.
Repeat Last Repeats the last executed menu command in a text
Ctrl + B Text
Command(text) window.
Removes the selected items from a text window and
Cut(text) Ctrl + X Text
copies them onto the Clipboard.
Copies the selected items to the Clipboard. Use
Copy(text) Ctrl + C Text
Paste to put them in a new location in a text window.
Inserts the items you have copied or cut into the
Paste(text) Ctrl + V Text
selected location in a text window.
Select All(text) Ctrl + A Selects all items of the desired type in a text window. Text
Find & Replace... Ctrl + F Replaces the specified text with different text. Text
Find Selection Ctrl + H Finds the selected text. Text
Find Selection Ctrl + Shift +
Finds the selected text backwards. Text
Backwards H
Find Again Ctrl + G Finds next occurrence of the specified text. Text
Replace Again Ctrl + T Repeats the last replace action. Text
Replace Again Ctrl + Shift + Repeats the last replace action, moving backwards
Text
Backwards T through the window.
Go to Line... Ctrl + L Goes to the specified line. Text
Comment Ctrl + M Comments the selected line. Text
Uncomment Ctrl + U Removes the comment sign from the selected line. Text
Go Up a Story Shift + F2 Goes up one story. All Types
Go Up a Story Ctrl + Up Goes up one story. All Types
Go Down a Story Ctrl + F2 Goes down one story. All Types
Go Down a Story Ctrl + Down Goes down one story. All Types
Ctrl + Shift +
Go to Story... Goes to the desired story. All Types
F2
Ctrl + Shift +
Go to First Layout Goes to the first Layout. All Types
Left
Go to Previous
Ctrl + F7 Goes to the previous Layout. All Types
Layout
Go to Previous
Alt + Left Goes to the previous Layout. All Types
Layout
Go to Next Layout Shift + F7 Goes to the next Layout. All Types
Go to Next Layout Alt + Right Goes to the next Layout. All Types
Ctrl + Shift +
Go to Last Layout Goes to the last Layout. All Types
Right
Grid Snap Alt + S Toggles snap-to-grid input on and off. All Types
Show/Hide Guide
L Toggles guide lines on and off. Non-Text
Lines
Create Guide Line
Alt + L Creates a user-defined guide line segment. Non-Text
Segment
Ctrl + Shift + Sets the view to display all selected items in the
Zoom to Selection All Types
' Window.
Fit in Window Ctrl + ' Sets the view to display all items in the Window. All Types
Rotate Orientation Ctrl + , Rotates the view orientation. Non-Text
Previous Zoom Ctrl + [ Jumps back to the previous zoom. All Types
Next Zoom Ctrl + ] Jumps to the next zoom. All Types
Opens the 3D Window to display the elements
Show Selection in 3D F5 All Types
selected by the Arrow tool.
Opens the 3D Window to display the entire model in
Show All in 3D
Ctrl + F5 3D (limited only by the active 3D Element Filters and All Types
(Filtered)
3D Cut Planes if any).
Filter and Cut Selects a subset of project elements to display in the
Ctrl + Alt + A All Types
Elements in 3D... 3D window, or change cut surface display.
3D Cutaway Ctrl + Y Switches 3D cut planes on and off. All Types
3D Projection Ctrl + Shift +
Changes the 3D viewpoint, camera and sun settings. All Types
Settings... F3
Alt + Shift +
Hidden Line Displays items in 3D window using hidden line mode. All Types
F6
Redraw Ctrl + R Refreshes the active window. All Types
Ctrl + Shift +
Rebuild Rebuilds the content of the active window. All Types
R
Ctrl + Alt + Rebuilds and regenerates the content of the active
Rebuild & Regenerate All Types
Shift + R window.
Open 3D Window F3 Opens or activates 3D window. All Types
Horizontal (Editing
Shift + E Changes Editing Plane orientation to Horizontal. Non-Text
Plane Orientation)
Next Plane E Click to cycle through context-specific editing planes. Non-Text
Element Snap Alt + E Toggles element snapping on and off. All Types
Story Settings... Ctrl + 7 Creates and changes the stories. All Types
Crop to Single-plane Crops walls, columns, slabs, beams and library parts
Ctrl + 0 All Types
Roof... to Single-plane Roofs.
Sends Changes to shared project on server
Send Changes Ctrl + Alt + S All Types
(Teamwork).
Creates and changes the layers and layer
Layer Settings... Ctrl + L Non-Text
combinations.
Save View and Place
Alt + F7 Saves a new view and places it on the active layout. All Types
on Layout
Full Screen Ctrl + \ Toggles Full Screen mode on and off. All Types
Close Window Ctrl + W Closes the window. All Types
Floor Plan F2 Activates Floor Plan window. All Types
Last Section (context
F6 Activates the window of the last section. All Types
menu)
Last Layout (context
F7 Activates the window of the last layout. All Types
menu)
Switch Geometry Switches among the Geometry Methods in the Info
G All Types
Methods Box.
Switches among the Wall Reference Line, Slab
Switch Construction
C Reference Plane and Construction Methods in the All Types
Methods
Info Box.
Top Elevation T Activates the top elevation value in the Info Box. All Types
Top Elevation Shift + T Activates the top elevation value in the Info Box. All Types
Bottom Elevation B Activates the bottom elevation value in the Info Box. All Types
Bottom Elevation Shift + B Activates the bottom elevation value in the Info Box. All Types
Cursor Snap Variants Shift + Q Switches among Cursor Snap Variants. All Types
Previous Tool in Activates the Tool located above the currently active
PageUp All Types
Toolbox tool in the Classic Toolbox.
Activates the Tool located below the currently active
Next Tool in Toolbox PageDown All Types
tool in the Classic Toolbox.
Arrow Tool/Last Tool Toggles between the Arrow tool and the last used
W All Types
Toggle Tool.
Change Grid Snap Switches among cursor snap grid options: none, snap
Shift + S All Types
States grid and construction grid.
Scroll Up Up Scrolls the window up. All Types
Scroll Down Down Scrolls the window down. All Types
Scroll Left Left Scrolls the window left. All Types
Scroll Right Right Scrolls the window right. All Types
Zoom In (scrollbar) + Zooms in on the screen. All Types
Zoom Out (scrollbar) - Zooms out from the screen. All Types
Force Guide Line Displays the next Guide Line Group (Main-direction or
Q Non-Text
Display Relative-direction) or the Edge/Arc Extension Guide
 Line without waiting for the user-set lag time to
expire.
Switch to the Next Pet
F Switches to the next item of the Pet Palette. All Types
Palette Item
Switch to the
Previous Pet Palette Shift + F Switches to the previous item of the Pet Palette. Non-Text
Item
Alt + Shift + Nudges the selected element(s) up (Construction
Nudge Up (Larger) All Types
Up Grid increment).
Alt + Shift + Nudges the selected element(s) down (Construction
Nudge Down (Larger) All Types
Down Grid increment).
Alt + Shift + Nudges the selected element(s) left (Construction
Nudge Left (Larger) All Types
Left Grid increment).
Alt + Shift + Nudges the selected element(s) right (Construction
Nudge Right (Larger) All Types
Right Grid increment).
Nudges the selected element(s) up (Snap Grid
Nudge Up Shift + Up All Types
increment).
Nudges the selected element(s) down (Snap Grid
Nudge Down Shift + Down All Types
increment).
Nudges the selected element(s) left (Snap Grid
Nudge Left Shift + Left All Types
increment).
Nudges the selected element(s) right (Snap Grid
Nudge Right Shift + Right All Types
increment).
Change Flip Status P Changes the Flip Status of the Wall or Shell. Non-Text
Switch Geometry Switches among the Geometry Methods in the Info
Shift + G All Types
Methods Backward Box backward.
Orbit O Switches Orbit Mode on and off. All Types
Perspective Shift + F3 Perspective All Types
Axonometry Ctrl + F3 Axonometry All Types
Edit value in Tracker N Brings up the Tracker for numeric input. All Types
Prefer polar
During straight vector editing, Tracker shows Radius
coordinates in / All Types
and Angle instead of X - Y coordinates.
Tracker
Automatically places new element on top of an
Gravity Alt + V All Types
existing element.
Switches among gravity modes: none, Slab, Roof, or
Gravity Shift + V All Types
Mesh.
Show distances/angles of cursor from reference point
Measure M or Guide Line. During input/editing, this measurement All Types
will appear in the Tracker.
Show distances/angles of cursor from reference point
Measure Shift + M or Guide Line. During input/editing, this measurement All Types
will appear in the Tracker.
X Coordinate X Activates the X Coordinate value. All Types
X Coordinate Shift + X Activates the X Coordinate value. All Types
Y Coordinate Y Activates the Y Coordinate value. All Types
Y Coordinate Shift + Y Activates the Y Coordinate value. All Types
Z Coordinate Z Activates the Z Coordinate value. All Types
Z Coordinate Shift + Z Activates the Z Coordinate value. All Types
Radius/Distance R Activates the Radius or the Distance value. All Types
Radius/Distance Shift + R Activates the Radius or the Distance value. All Types
Radius/Distance Shift + D Activates the Radius or the Distance value. All Types
Radius/Distance D Activates the Radius or the Distance value. All Types
Angle A Activates the Angle value. All Types
Angle Shift + A Activates the Angle value. All Types
Home Story H Activates the Home Story value. All Types
Home Story Shift + H Activates the Home Story value. All Types
Lock X Coordinate Alt + X Locks the X Coordinate value. All Types
Alt + Shift +
Lock X Coordinate Locks the X Coordinate value. All Types
X
Lock Y Coordinate Alt + Y Locks the Y Coordinate value. All Types
Alt + Shift +
Lock Y Coordinate Locks the Y Coordinate value. All Types
Y
Lock Z Coordinate Alt + Z Locks the Z Coordinate value. All Types
Alt + Shift +
Lock Z Coordinate Locks the Z Coordinate value. All Types
Z
Lock Radius/Distance Alt + R Locks the Radius or the Distance value. All Types
Alt + Shift +
Lock Radius/Distance Locks the Radius or the Distance value. All Types
R
Lock Radius/Distance Alt + D Locks the Radius or the Distance value. All Types
Alt + Shift +
Lock Radius/Distance Locks the Radius or the Distance value. All Types
D
Lock Angle Alt + A Locks the Angle value. All Types
Alt + Shift +
Lock Angle Locks the Angle value. All Types
A
Activate Next Tracker Brings up the Tracker for numeric input; switches to
* Non-Text
Value the next Value in the Tracker.
Activate Previous Brings up the Tracker for numeric input; switches to
Shift + * All Types
Tracker Value the previous Value in the Tracker.
Trace On/Off Alt + F2 Turns Trace Reference feature On/Off. Non-Text
Polyline Shift + L Polyline Tool All Types
IFC Manager (IFC
Ctrl + Alt + I IFC Manager Non-Text
2x3)

Non-customizable shortcuts
Command Name Shortcut Key Description
 During input: cancel the operation.
Selected item(s): deselect.
Esc
Selected item(s) with Marquee: remove Marquee.
Cancel operations If nothing is selected: switch to Arrow tool.
During input: cancel the operation.
Backspace
Selected item(s): delete.
Pick Up Parameters Alt Pick an element parameters to be the default.
Inject Parameters Ctrl + Alt Inject the default parameters into an element.
Temporarily Enables/Disables selection of elements
Quick Selection Toggle Spacebar
by their surfaces.
Activate the Magic Wand tool on the fly with other
Magic Wand Spacebar
Tools.
When element snap is on: toggles among moving
Element Snap Toggle Spacebar
elements snappable points.
Suspend Cursor snap Suspends cursor snap when moving an element
Spacebar
during Element snap while Element snap is on.
Constrain to Horizontal, Vertical, Fixed or Custom
Mouse Constrain Angles /
Shift Angle pairs. Constrain to instant or Lasting Guide
Guide Lines
Lines.
Toggles to arrow tool temporarily while another tool
Instant Arrow tool Shift
is active.
Element Highlight Shift Highlights detected Element.
If Arrow tool is active: Adds/removes elements
Select/Deselect Element Shift + Click
to/from selection.
Toggles among overlapping elements with Highlight
Highlight Toggle TAB
(selection or element input).
If no selection: Trims the clicked part of an element
Trim Ctrl + Click
beyond the endpoint or intersection point.
Adjusts selected short elements and splits long ones
along the clicked non-parallel edge.
Split and Adjust Ctrl + Click If tool other than that of the selected element(s) is
active: hotspots will be generated.
If arrow tool is active: nothing happens.
Adjusts selected short elements and splits long ones
along the clicked non-parallel edge.
If tool other than that of the selected element(s) is
Divide Element Ctrl + Click
active: hotspots will be generated.
If arrow tool is active: The clicked intersecting
element will be trimmed by the selected one.
If Roof is selected: Opens the Roof Elevations dialog
Roof Elevations Ctrl + Click
box.
Move the User Origin to a node of an existing
Move the User Origin Alt + Shift
element.
Undo last node Backspace Remove last node while polygon input.
Delete Elements Delete Delete selected elements.
Help F1 Opens ArchiCAD Help.
Suspend Selection
Ctrl + Spacebar Suspends highlight of selected elements.
Highlight
Double-click Mouse Resizes the view to accommodate all the visible
Fit in Window
wheel elements.
Shift + Click Mouse
Temporary Orbit Mode In 3D: temporarily simulates Orbit mode.
wheel
Click left side button
Previous Zoom Jumps back to the previous zoom.
(5 button mouse)
Click right side button
Next Zoom Jumps to the next zoom.
(5 button mouse)