Additional key functionality

In the Vectorworks program, several keys have additional functionality beyond the standard conventions:

Key	Usage
Esc	Cancels the current operation. When a dialog box is open, this is the equivalent of pressing the Cancel button. In the Data bar or Object Info palette, cancels the entry in a field and returns the focus to the drawing area. Cancels rendering. Clears smart points. Deselects the working plane.
Return (Mac), Enter (Windows)	When a dialog box is open, this is the equivalent to pressing the Done or OK button. In a field in the Data bar or Object Info palette, this accepts the information and returns the focus to the drawing area. Adds a line of text to a text block. In the Object Info palette, press Shift+Return (Mac) or Shift+Enter (Windows) to save the entry and keep the focus in the same field, so that you can enter a different value if necessary.
Tab	Moves the cursor from one field to the next in the Data bar, Object Info palette, and dialog boxes. Press Shift+Tab to move backwards through the fields.
Delete (Mac), Backspace (Windows)	Removes the last segment of or cancels the creation of an object being drawn
Ctrl (Windows)	Prevents palettes from docking when they are moved near an edge
Space Bar	Engages the Pause/Boomerang mode. Holding down the Space Bar temporarily pauses the current tool. A second tool can then be selected and used. Release the Space Bar to return to the previous tool.
Alt (Windows), Cmd (Mac)	Temporarily activates the Selection tool, so you can change which objects are selected
Command (Mac), Shift (Windows)	Briefly expands the currently selected screen tip

Using arithmetic expressions

Arithmetic expressions can be entered into most of the edit fields, including the Object Info palette’s Shape tab and the Data bar. For this reason, the dash (-) cannot be used as a separator between feet and inches.

Parentheses can be used to override the default operator precedence. For example:

Values can be entered in any unit; the program converts it into the current unit. For example, if the current unit is Inches and an entry of 4ʺ + 3 cm is made into the Object Info palette X field, the program converts the units automatically. The result, 5.1811ʺ, is displayed.