Deswik, renowned for its powerful suite of tools (Deswik.CAD, Deswik.Sched, Deswik.MD, Deswik.UG), is a mouse-heavy interface by default. However, hidden beneath the dropdown menus is a layer of efficiency that can cut your design time by over 30%. This article serves as your definitive encyclopedia of .
| Shortcut | Command Name | Mining Use Case | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Line | Drawing a crest or toe line. | | PL | Polyline | Creating a continuous string for a ramp centreline. | | A | Arc | Drawing curved haul roads. | | C | Circle | Defining a shaft or ventilation raise footprint. | | TR | Trim | Cutting strings at intersections (e.g., trimming drives against a fault). | | EX | Extend | Lengthening strings to a boundary. | | CP | Copy | Duplicating profiles along a drive. | | M | Move | Shifting a block model cell or string. | | E | Erase (Delete) | Removing bad vertices. | | O | Offset | Creating parallel strings (e.g., 5m offset for a buffer zone). | | RO | Rotate | Rotating a design around a point. | | X | Explode | Breaking a polyline into individual line segments. | | J | Join | Connecting multiple lines into a single polyline. | View & Inquiry | Shortcut | Command | Purpose | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Z + E | Zoom Extents | Faster than F2 for some users. | | Z + P | Zoom Previous | Return to last view after zooming in. | | DI | Distance | Measure between two points (e.g., drift width). | | ID | List Coordinates | Get the X,Y,Z of a point. | | LIST | Properties | Opens the object property table. | Part 4: Productivity "Chords" (Ctrl + & Alt + Combos) These are the shortcuts that separate the novice from the expert. They involve holding modifier keys while pressing another key.
F4 "ViewTop" F5 "ViewFront" F6 "ViewLeft" Deswik has a suite of utilities that are rarely documented. deswik keyboard shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action | Pro Tip | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Zoom Extents (All) | Brings everything back into view. Essential after "losing" your model. | | Ctrl + Middle Mouse | Dynamic Zoom | Hold Ctrl, hold the scroll wheel, drag up/down. | | Shift + Middle Mouse | Pan | Hold Shift, hold scroll wheel, drag. | | Ctrl + Shift + Middle Mouse | 3D Orbit (Rotate) | The classic "tumble" to view from all angles. | | F3 | Toggle Ortho Mode | Locks cursor to horizontal/vertical axes (Crucial for stope design). | | F8 | Toggle Grid Snap | Snaps cursor to grid points. Useful for rough layouts, annoying for fine work. | Selection & Layer Management | Shortcut | Action | | :--- | :--- | | Ctrl + A | Select All objects in current view. | | Ctrl + T | Select Similar (Type/Properties). Select one line, hit Ctrl+T, Deswik finds all identical line types. | | Ctrl + L | Isolate Layer (Hide all other layers). The single most powerful CAD shortcut. | | Ctrl + Shift + L | End Isolate (Unhide all layers). | | Ctrl + H | Hide Selected Objects (Temporary invisibility). | | Ctrl + Shift + H | Unhide All. | Part 3: Deswik.CAD Specific Shortcuts (The Design Suite) Deswik.CAD is the 3D design powerhouse for mining. These shortcuts align closely with AutoCAD veterans but have Deswik-specific tweaks. Drawing & Editing (The "Create" Commands) Note: Deswik uses a "Command Bar" similar to AutoCAD. You type these letters and press Enter.
Have a custom shortcut we missed? Deswik users are a collaborative community. Share your .key file secrets in the comments below! Deswik, renowned for its powerful suite of tools (Deswik
| Shortcut | Module | Action | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | CAD | Open Property Inspector (Quick edit vertices). | | Ctrl + 2 | DH | Open Drillhole Display Manager. | | Ctrl + 3 | CAD | Open Layers Tree (Layer Manager). | | Ctrl + N | All | New File. | | Ctrl + O | All | Open File. | | Ctrl + S | All | Save. (Get muscle memory for this. Deswik does not autosave aggressively). | | Ctrl + P | All | Print / Export to PDF layout. | | Ctrl + Z | All | Undo. | | Ctrl + Y | All | Redo. | | Alt + F8 | Sched | Run Gantt Chart schedule. | | Alt + F4 | All | Close Deswik. | Part 5: Deswik.SMD (Solid Modelling) Shortcuts Surface and solid modelling requires constant toggling between selection modes.
Start today. Pick three shortcuts from this list that you don't currently use (e.g., TR for trim, SHIFT+Middle Mouse for pan, and Ctrl+1 for inspector). Force yourself to use them for one week. You will be surprised how quickly they become automatic. | Shortcut | Command Name | Mining Use
In the world of mining engineering and geological modelling, speed is survival. Whether you are designing stopes in Deswik.CAD, building solids in Deswik.SMD, or managing data in Deswik.DH (Data Handler), every second counts. The difference between an average engineer and a power user often comes down to one thing: mastering the keyboard .