Before you start
This reference covers Nanolathe’s implemented window, battle, menu, and text-entry bindings. Classic and modern GPU modes share the controls below, except for the modern-only controls. Switch renderers with F10 during a battle.
Key names refer to the physical keyboard: Ctrl means Control, including on macOS. Letter keys are written in uppercase for readability; press them without Shift unless it is listed. Punctuation aliases assume a US keyboard layout. Chat, dialogs, and the active command panel get first use of their keys, so the same letter can do different things in different contexts.
Window and battle controls
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Alt + Enter | Toggle fullscreen. Also works in menus and chat. |
| Tab | Open or close battle options. When paused with no options window open, resume directly. |
| F2 | Open or close battle options; use this to reach options from a paused game. |
| Escape | Cancel the current command or build placement. If no command is armed, clear selection. In dialogs, use that dialog’s cancel action. |
| Pause | Pause or resume the battle. |
| + or = | Increase requested game speed, up to 20. |
| − or _ | Decrease requested game speed, down to 1. |
| F10 | Switch between classic and modern GPU rendering. |
| F9 | Cycle zoom. Classic: 1× → 1.5× → 2× → 1×. For modern’s different cycle, see below. |
| Ctrl + Shift + F11 | Pause and write a diagnostic bundle under ~/Nanolathe/diagnostics. Works while paused and in battle dialogs; resume manually afterward. This is a development capture, not a saved game. |
The + and − characters can also come from the numeric keypad. Options and other modal dialogs own input while open; ordinary battle shortcuts do not bypass them.
Selection and categories
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + A | Add all your selectable units to the selection. |
| Ctrl + S | Replace the selection with your selectable units on screen. |
| Ctrl + Z | Select your units whose types match any currently selected type. |
| Ctrl + C | Select the authored commander category, then follow the commander. |
| Ctrl + D | Toggle self-destruct for the selected units. |
| Ctrl + B | Select the authored builder category. |
| Ctrl + F | Select the authored factory category. |
| Ctrl + M | Select the authored mine category. |
| Ctrl + P | Select the authored CTRL_P category, primarily combat aircraft in stock data. |
| Ctrl + R | Select the authored radar/sensor category. |
| Ctrl + V | Select the authored aircraft category. |
| Ctrl + W | Select the authored weapon-unit category. |
| Ctrl + E, G, H, I, J, K, L, N, O, Q, T, U, X, or Y | Select the corresponding CTRL_<letter> category. These categories are empty in the audited stock catalog, so these bindings normally clear selection. Mods may populate them. |
| Ctrl + Shift + category letter | Add that category to the selection instead of replacing it. An empty category leaves selection unchanged. Modern reserves Ctrl + Shift + G for metallic glint. |
Category shortcuts follow the installed unit data, not a guessed class or current activity: Ctrl+B is not an “idle builders” filter. The CTRL_P set even includes Thud in the audited catalog. Shift’s additive behavior applies to category keys, including Ctrl+C; it does not change the replacing behavior of Ctrl+S or Ctrl+Z.
Squads and build pages
There are nine squad slots and nine numbered build-page keys. By default, plain digits choose build pages and Alt+digits recall squads. The “SwitchAlt” option swaps those two actions.
| Key | Default setting | SwitchAlt enabled |
|---|---|---|
| Ctrl + 1–9 | Assign selected units to that squad. | Same. |
| 1–9 | Choose build page 1–9. | Recall squad 1–9. |
| Alt + 1–9 | Recall squad 1–9. | Choose build page 1–9. |
| Shift + Alt + 1–9 | Recall squad with additive/toggle selection behavior. | Choose build page; additive squad recall is unavailable from the keyboard in this setting. |
| . or Page Up or Shift + Right arrow | Next build page. | Same. |
| , or Page Down or Shift + Left arrow | Previous build page. | Same. |
Ctrl+Shift+1–9 still assigns the squad. There is no squad 0 binding. Shift+1, Shift+3, and Shift+8 toggle unit labels; Shift+digit alone is not additive squad recall. Other shifted digits have no residual battle action. Build-page keys only have an effect when a suitable build menu is available.
Camera and information
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Hold arrow keys | Pan the camera. Chat suppresses this. Shift+Left/Right also changes build pages. |
| T | Follow the next selected unit. |
| Shift + T | Follow the previous selected unit. |
| N | Glide to the next unvisited owned unit without changing selection. Uppercase N (Shift+N) has no battle action. |
| Ctrl + F5, F6, F7, or F8 | Save the current camera position in one of four bookmarks. |
| F5, F6, F7, or F8 | Recall the matching bookmark. |
| F1 | Show information for the hovered unit or hovered build-button product. Requires no Ctrl or Shift. |
| F3 | Glide to the latest available message source. |
| Hold Space | Show the score panel. |
| F4 | Keep the score panel visible and enable kill/loss number flashes; press again to toggle off. |
| Backtick (`) or ~ | Toggle labels/health bars for all units. |
| !, #, or * | The same label toggle (Shift+1, Shift+3, or Shift+8 on US keyboards). |
| F12 | Clear the message history. |
Command-panel keys
Commands use the active panel’s button shortcuts. They are available only when the selected unit and displayed panel offer that button. Installed GUI files and localized captions can change the keys; use the button’s highlighted letter for the current binding. Letter matching is case-insensitive, and Alt+letter can activate an admitted button shortcut while a text field owns input.
| Usual key | Command |
|---|---|
| M | Move. |
| S | Stop. |
| A | Attack. |
| D | Special attack / D-gun, where available. |
| P | Patrol. |
| G | Guard / defend. Some authored build panels use Q (ARM) or D (CORE) instead. |
| R | Repair / help build. |
| E | Reclaim; resurrection-capable units use their supported reclaim/resurrect action. |
| C | Capture. |
| L | Load a transport. |
| U | Unload a transport. |
| X | Toggle activation (on/off), where available. |
| K | Toggle cloaking, where available. |
| F | Cycle fire stance. |
| V | Cycle movement stance. |
| B | Show the build panel. |
| O | Show the orders panel. |
| Other highlighted button keys | Queue stockpile ammunition or choose an authored build product. These are panel-specific, not additional global bindings. |
A targeting command arms the cursor; click a valid target or location to issue it. Stop and toggles act immediately. Do not substitute Shift+N for stockpile production: ammunition is queued through the relevant stockpile button.
Shared mouse modifiers
These keyboard modifiers accompany mouse actions in both renderers.
| Modifier and gesture | Action |
|---|---|
| Shift + unit click / selection drag | Add to or toggle the selection rather than starting a fresh selection. |
| Shift + command click | Append the order to the queue; keep the command armed for more targets while Shift remains held. |
| Shift + build placement | Queue another building and keep placement armed while Shift remains held. |
| Shift + factory product button | Add five units; right-click subtracts five. |
| Alt + factory product button | Add twenty units; right-click subtracts twenty. Alt takes precedence over Shift. |
| Ctrl + right-drag | Drag-scroll in the classic left-click order interface (Interface Type 0), when no selection or command takes precedence. |
Without a modifier, factory product buttons add one unit, or subtract one on right-click. Middle-button dragging also pans the camera in both renderers.
Modern GPU mode only
These controls require the modern GPU renderer. F9 also exists in classic mode, but uses the different zoom cycle listed above.
| Key or gesture | Action |
|---|---|
| F9 | Animate through 1× → 2× → 0.25× tactical view → 1×. Map size can limit the furthest zoom-out. |
| Mouse wheel over the battlefield | Zoom between tactical, native, and detail stops. Trackpad zoom gestures also work where supported by the host. |
| Left double-click with an idle mobile builder selected | Queue an extractor on a metal deposit, geothermal plant near a vent, or solar collector on ordinary ground, if available to that builder. Always appends, with or without Shift; Ctrl or Alt prevents this shortcut. |
| Hold Shift | Show tactical range guides for your selection, the hovered identified unit, and an armed build product. Selection and queue modifiers still apply. Guides hide during command drags, dialogs, and chat. |
| Ctrl + Shift + G | Toggle metallic glint on unit materials. |
| Alt + left-drag on the battlefield | Draw a movement formation from idle. Releasing Alt during the drag does not turn it into box selection. Ctrl prevents this shortcut. |
| Alt + left-click on the battlefield | Issue an explicit point Move, including over a unit or feature. |
| M, then left-drag | Draw a movement formation with Move armed. |
| Left-drag while placing a building | Lay out a straight row of buildings. |
| Alt + left-drag while placing a building | Lay out a rectangular building grid. |
| R, then left-drag | Queue repair for your visible damaged or unfinished units in a rectangular area. |
| E, then left-drag | Queue reclaim for visible reclaimable features in a rectangular area. |
| Shift when releasing a command drag | Append its commands instead of replacing existing orders. |
| Escape during a command drag | Cancel the preview. A right-click also cancels a left-button command drag. |
Armed commands take precedence over idle Alt movement: Alt chooses a grid during construction, and Repair/Reclaim retain their area actions. Range guides return after a drag if Shift remains held. With Interface Type 1, an idle right-drag on empty ground also draws a formation.
For the symbols visible at tactical zoom, see Strategic icons.
Chat, menus, and text entry
| Key | Context and action |
|---|---|
| Enter | In battle, open chat. In chat, submit the text. In menus, activate the usable default action or focused control. |
| Escape | Cancel chat; a captured text editor clears its text and exits. In menus, activate the available cancel/back action. |
| Tab / Shift + Tab | Move focus forward/backward in menus that enable keyboard navigation. |
| Space | Activate a supported focused button, list, or surface in menus. |
| Left / Right arrow | Move menu focus, adjust a focused horizontal slider, or move the caret in a text field. |
| Up / Down arrow | Move through a focused list or navigate between controls. Lists stop at their ends. |
| Home / End | Move to the start/end of a text field. |
| Backspace / Delete | Delete before/at the caret. |
| Highlighted letter, or Alt + letter | Activate that dialog’s available button or linked label; bindings depend on the panel and localized caption. |
| Any printable character, Enter, Escape, Tab, or Backspace | Skip an intro movie. |
| Alt + F4 | Quit during an intro movie. Other OS window-close shortcuts depend on the platform. |
| Any key | Skip a supported post-battle tally/transition when its input gate opens. |
Chat accepts text and a bounded set of + commands; these are typed commands, not keyboard shortcuts. Text entry currently supports the ASCII character range. Insert and Ctrl+V do not paste yet in the portable host.
Unavailable retail bindings
For completeness, these familiar or reserved keys do not currently provide their retail action in Nanolathe:
| Key | Status |
|---|---|
| H | Multiplayer sharing dialog is not implemented. |
| Shift + F2 | Retail Unit Builder Probe is not implemented. |
| Backslash, Ctrl + F10, F11 | Retail developer controls are not implemented. |
| Ctrl + F9 | Retail screenshot binding has no capture writer; use Ctrl+Shift+F11 for a diagnostic capture. |
| Ctrl + 0 | No squad assignment action. |
| Shift + N | No stockpile action or next-unit action. |
Reference version
Verified against engine revision 5839714. The implemented bindings are defined by the battle input dispatcher, interface and input design, GPU renderer design, and diagnostic capture guide. Catalog-dependent descriptions reflect the 278-definition reference installation; mods and localization may differ.