{"id":879,"date":"2023-12-31T11:06:24","date_gmt":"2023-12-31T11:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/?p=879"},"modified":"2023-12-31T13:32:11","modified_gmt":"2023-12-31T13:32:11","slug":"basic-keyboard-mouse-movement-control","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-keyboard-mouse-movement-control\/","title":{"rendered":"Blender Basics (#2): Keyboard &#038; Mouse Control"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-keyboard-mouse-movement-control\/#Moving_Around_the_3D_Viewport\" >Moving Around the 3D Viewport<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-keyboard-mouse-movement-control\/#3D_View_MMB\" >3D View: MMB<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-keyboard-mouse-movement-control\/#3D_View_Shift_MMB\" >3D View: Shift + MMB<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-keyboard-mouse-movement-control\/#3D_View_Ctrl_MMB\" >3D View: Ctrl + MMB<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>In the <a title=\"Blender 3D basics - interface and appearance\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-appearence-and-layout\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">first part of the Blender basics tutorial<\/a> we looked at how the application is essentially broken down into three sections with a number of key areas used when creating content. In this subsequent section of this tutorial series we&#8217;ll learn how to navigate and move around Blenders various view ports and areas using different keyboard and mouse click combinations; these form the core functionality of how objects are manipulated in Blender 3D when working.<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"background-color: #ddecf3; color: #000;\"><p><b>Download<\/b>: Chair exercise source file <a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/files\/tutorials\/katsbits_chair-source.zip\" title=\"Download the source file for the chair used in this tutorial series\">Katsbits chair source<\/a> (c. 600 KB | *.blend, *.tga).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><a id=\"viewports\" name=\"viewports\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Moving_Around_the_3D_Viewport\"><\/span>Moving Around the 3D Viewport<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Blender is slightly unusual in that a lot of the activities done with it are based around the use of both keyboard key and mouse combinations at the same time. This may seen odd at first, and is often contrary to how navigation is done in other 3D applications, but once the system has been learnt it becomes astonishingly quick to work with when manipulating and moving objects and scenes as you work.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"mmb\" name=\"mmb\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3D_View_MMB\"><\/span>3D View: MMB<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b>Middle-Mouse-Button (MMB), click-hold drag<\/b> will rotate the 3D view around a centralised pivot point (approximately centre of screen). Rotation is &#8216;universal&#8217; in that the view will rotate in all directions around that point depending on the mouse movement after the MMB has been pressed.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><b>Design note<\/b>: Using MMB in other view ports may just drag the view up-down, left-right depending on which one is being used.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"content_images\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/blender-basics-using-for-first-time\/blender-mouse-control-movement.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Middle-mouse control in Blender 3D\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/blender-basics-using-for-first-time\/blender-mouse-control-movement_sml.jpg\" alt=\"Middle-mouse control in Blender 3D\" width=\"640\" height=\"476\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Using <b>middle-mouse button (MMB) <\/b> to <b>rotate<\/b> the 3D Blender view port<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a id=\"shift\" name=\"shift\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3D_View_Shift_MMB\"><\/span>3D View: Shift + MMB<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b>Shift-Hold + Middle-Mouse-Button (Shift+MMB), click-hold drag<\/b> will do something called &#8216;<b>strafing<\/b>&#8216;, that is, using that combination will move the 3D view from left-right or up-down depending on the direction and distance the mouse is moved inside the view.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><b>Design note<\/b>: Using Shift+MMB in other view ports may not do anything other than dragging the view left-right, up-down, as described above.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"content_images\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/blender-basics-using-for-first-time\/blender-shift-mmb-move.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Using Shift + MMB to drag the 3D view left-right, up-down\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/blender-basics-using-for-first-time\/blender-shift-mmb-move_sml.jpg\" alt=\"Using Shift + MMB to drag the 3D view left-right, up-down\" width=\"640\" height=\"476\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Using <b>Shift + MMB<\/b> to <b>drag the 3D view<\/b> left-right, up-down<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a id=\"ctrl\" name=\"ctrl\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3D_View_Ctrl_MMB\"><\/span>3D View: Ctrl + MMB<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><b>Ctrl-Hold + Middle-Mouse-Button (Ctrl+MMB)<\/b>, <b>click-hold drag<\/b> will zoom the view in or out depending on mouse movement. The speed at which zoom happens is also dependant on the speed at which the mouse is moved. Zooming can also be done by <b>scrolling the MMB up or down<\/b> to zoom in or out. Note that doing this tends to zoom by &#8216;steps&#8217; (the view judders as the zoom happens), where-as using Ctrl+MMB will &#8216;free scroll&#8217; (scrolling is smoothing but less controlled).<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><b>Design note<\/b>: Using Ctrl+MMB in other views will also zoom the contents, so using this combination in the tool bar will increase the size of the tool buttons and panels.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<div class=\"content_images\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/blender-basics-using-for-first-time\/blender-ctrl-mmb-zoom-view.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Using Ctrl + MMB to 'zoom' the view in or out\" src=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/images\/tutorials\/blender-basics-using-for-first-time\/blender-ctrl-mmb-zoom-view_sml.jpg\" alt=\"Using Ctrl + MMB to 'zoom' the view in or out\" width=\"640\" height=\"476\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Using <b>Ctrl + MMB<\/b> to &#8216;<b>zoom<\/b>&#8216; the view in or out<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>So, <b>MMB<\/b> used in combination with <b>Shift<\/b> and <b>Ctrl<\/b> gives us the basic movement control of a scene and\/or objects with in it. There are many more <a title=\"Useful keyboard and mouse combinations for Blender 3D\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-keyboard-mouse-movement-control\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\"> keyboard and mouse combinations available in Blender<\/a>, but they are all best mentioned within the content of actually making something. That&#8217;s what we&#8217;ll be looking at next; making a simple 3D chair model.<\/p>\n<div class=\"subNav\">\n<p>[<a title=\"appearance and interface\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-appearence-and-layout\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">1: Display<\/a> | <a title=\"navigating around the application movement control\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-keyboard-mouse-movement-control\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">2: Navigation<\/a> | <a title=\"Blender basics: using blender to make a simple model\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-modeling-mesh-editing\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">3: Model<\/a> | <a title=\"Materials, Textures and images\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-applying-material-texture-images\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">4: Materials<\/a> | <a title=\"UVW unwrapping with Blender\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-unwrapping-uvw-maps\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">5: UV&#8217;s<\/a> | <a title=\"Blender Basics, optimising a mesh for export\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-optimise-models-for-export-to-games\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">6: Optimise<\/a> | <a title=\"Texture baking Ambient Occlusion\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-ambient-occlusion\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">7: Bake<\/a> | <a title=\"Video walkthru making a simple chair\" href=\"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/basic-video\/\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener\">8: Video<\/a>]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[230,225,233,250,249],"class_list":["post-879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","tag-blender-2-4x","tag-blender-basics","tag-learn-blender","tag-navigation","tag-shortcut-keys"],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=879"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":963,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions\/963"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/873"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.katsbits.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}