Roto
Tools
Shortcut
Action
T
Cycles through Transform Shape and Transform Points modes
R
Cycles through Reshape, Magnetic Reshape and Brush Reshape modes
Y
Selects IK (Inverse Kinematics)
B
Selects B-Spline
S
Selects X-Spline
Shift-B
Selects Bézier
Shift-F
Selects Magnetic Freehand
Shift-S
Selects Square
Shift-C
Selects Circle
Shift-T
Selects Tracker
M
Selects MultiFrame
Shift-O
Selects RotoOverlay
Alt-F
Toggles the shape feather handle on/off
Alt-K
Adds weighted keyframe
V
Draws unselected/inactive shape outlines using the shape opacity value
Bézier Splines
Shortcut
Action
Curve
No key needed
Adjust the length of one tangent while retaining a fixed angle between two tangents
Ctrl/Cmd
Adjust both tangents simultaneously while retaining a fixed angle between two tangents
Alt
Adjusts only one tangent to create corners
Shift
Adjusts only the length of one tangent (similar to the “No key needed” shortcut)
Ctrl/Cmd-Alt-1
Sets the point tension to Corner
 
Ctrl/Cmd-Alt-2
Sets the point tension to Cardinal
 
B-Spline Shapes
Shortcut
Action
Alt-drag control point right
Creates a corner point
Alt-drag control point left
Creates a smooth point
Alt-clicking control point
Cycles through the preset weight settings of the point
Ctrl/Cmd-Alt-1
Sets the point tension to Corner
Ctrl/Cmd-Alt-3
Sets the point tension to B-Spline
Brush Reshape
Shortcut
Action
Ctrl/Cmd-drag left/right
Sizes the brush
[ and ]
Sizes the brush
Shift-drag
Disables magnetic behavior
Shift-Alt-drag on open area
Specifies the magnet pull position
Cut / Copy / Paste
Shortcut
Action
Ctrl/Cmd-X
Cuts an object
Ctrl/Cmd-C
Copies an object
Ctrl/Cmd-V
Pastes an object
Feather
Shortcut
Action
Alt-F
Toggles the shape feather handle on/off
Shift-Drag Shape Point
Moves shape and feather points simultaneously
Shift-Drag Feather Handle
Moves selected feather handles the same amount
E
Incrementally expands the feather outward
IK (Inverse Kinematics) Tool
Action
Result
Click-drag bone or shape
Rotates the shape around the parent’s anchor point
Click-drag joint
Uses IK to rotate all joints up the chain
Alt-click-drag joint
Moves the joint but tries to keep other joints in place
Right-click bone-Add Key
Sets keyframes for the selected bones
Layer Transform On-Screen Controls
Shortcut
Action
Drag within large center circle
Moves the layer
Shift-drag within large center circle
Constrain layer movement horizontally or vertically
Drag the intersection of the center square and the horizontal and vertical lines
Scales the layer horizontally or vertically
Drag the center square corner
Proportionally scale the layer
Drag large center circle
Rotate the layer
Ctrl/Cmd-drag large center circle
Rotates the layer with finer control
Drag handles on corners of image
Corner-pins the layer
Drag small center circle
Moves the Anchor point
Q
Activates / Deactivates translation of selected layers
W
Activates / Deactivates rotation of selected layers
E
Activates / Deactivates scaling of selected layers
Q, W, E then Ctrl/Cmd
Translates, Rotates or Scales in finer increments
Magnetic Freehand Shapes
Tracing
Shortcut
Action
Click while tracing
Anchors the currently drawn path by adding a shape point
Shift-click
Draws a straight line between the new and previous shape points
Stroke Marking
Shortcut
Action
Shift-click-drag
Creates a foreground stroke
Alt-click-drag
Creates a background stroke
Esc
Clears foreground and background strokes / Deselects current shape
Nudging
Shortcut
Action
Arrow keys
Moves by 1 pixel
Shift-Arrow keys
Moves by 10 pixels
Ctrl/Cmd-Arrow keys
Moves by one tenth of a pixel
Hold down Arrow keys
Moves continuously
Q, W, E then Ctrl/Cmd-drag
Translates, Rotates or Scales in finer increments
Q, W, E then Arrow keys
Translates, Rotates or Scales by 1 pixel
Q, W, E then Shift-Arrow keys
Translates, Rotates or Scales by 10 pixels
Q, W, E then Ctrl/Cmd-Arrow keys
Translates, Rotates or Scales by 1/10 of a pixel
Object List
Shortcut
Action
Click on an object
Selects the object
Shift-click an object
Adds an object to the current selection
Ctrl/Cmd-click on an object
Toggles the object selection
Shift-click color pot
Selects shapes of same color
Alt-click the Visibility icon
Solos an object
Alt-Ctrl/Cmd-click the Visibility icon
Forces the visibility of all objects to the on position
Shift-click the +/- icon
Expands or collapses all nested layers inside that layer
Double-click an object
Selects the object so it can be renamed
Point Groups
Shortcut
Action
Ctrl-Shift click on the spline within a grouped area
Selects point group
Alt-[1-8]
Selects point group
Shift-Alt-[1-8]
Defines point group
Selecting / Deselecting Control Points
Shortcut
Action
Click on a control point. If the control point is part of a Bézier curve, its tangents appear
Selects the control point
Drag select multiple control points
Selects multiple control points
Shift-click start and end control points
Selects a range of control points
Shift-click unselected point with current selection
Extends current selection
Ctrl/Cmd-drag to begin a selection, release Ctrl/Cmd and complete the selection
Freehand select multiple control points
Ctrl/Cmd-click on a control point
Toggles the point selection
Ctrl/Cmd-Alt-I
Inverts the point selection
Alt-Shift-A
Selects all control points
Alt-Ctrl/Cmd-A
Deselects all control points
Click anywhere off the shape
Deselects all control points
Ctrl-Shift click on the spline within a grouped area
Selects point group
Alt-[1-8]
Selects point group
Selecting / Deselecting Shapes
Shortcut
Action
Click on a shape
Selects the shape
Shift-click a shape or drag select multiple shapes
Selects multiple shapes
Ctrl/Cmd-click on a shape
Toggles the shape selection
Click anywhere off the shape
Deselects all shapes
Shift-click color pot in the Object List
Selects shapes of same color
Shift-W
Toggles Template Mode
Tracker
Shortcut
Action
Alt-click in Viewer
Creates a new tracker
Transform Tool
Shortcut
Action
Drag shape
Moves the shape
Shift-drag shape
Constrain shape movement horizontally or vertically
Drag bounding box corner or edge handle
Scales a shape
Shift-drag bounding box corner or edge handle
Proportionally scale a shape
Ctrl/Cmd-drag on a bounding box corner handle
Rotate a shape
Alt-drag on a bounding box corner handle
Corner-pin a shape
Alt-Shift-drag on a bounding box corner handle
Constrains the corner-pin movement to one axis
Ctrl/Cmd-drag on a bounding box edge handle
Shear a shape
. (period key)
Turns the Anchor Point on or off
Drag on Anchor Point
Moves the Anchor Point
Shift-. (period key)
Moves the Anchor Point to the mouse location
Q
Activates / Deactivates translation of selected shapes or layers
W
Activates / Deactivates rotation of selected shapes or layers
E
Activates / Deactivates scaling of selected shapes or layers
Q, W, E then Ctrl/Cmd
Translates, Rotates or Scales in finer increments
Ctrl/Cmd-W
Rotates without setting the anchor point
Ctrl/Cmd-E
Scales without setting the anchor point
Transform On-Screen Controls
Shortcut
Action
Drag small center cross
Moves the image’s X/Y Position
Drag on the large cross’s horizontal and vertical lines
Scales the image horizontally or vertically
Drag large center circle
Proportionally scales the image
Drag small circle at 3 o’clock position
Rotates the image
Drag crosses on corners of image
Corner-pins the image
Drag bars at 9 and 12 o’clock positions
Shears the image
Alt-click-drag
Moves the anchor point to a different area of the image
X-Spline Shapes
Shortcut
Action
Alt-drag control point right
Adjusts the weight of the point from Cardinal to Corner to B-Spline
Alt-drag control point left
When the weight is set to B-Spline, it adjusts the weight of the point from B-Spline to Corner to Cardinal
Alt-clicking control point
Cycles through preset weight settings of the point
Ctrl/Cmd-Alt-1
Sets the point tension to Corner
Ctrl/Cmd-Alt-2
Sets the point tension to Cardinal
Ctrl/Cmd-Alt-3
Sets the point tension to B-Spline
Alt-S
Snap selected control points to the nearest detectable edge
Drag Points-Hold Alt-S
Snap selected control points to the nearest detectable edge
View Menu
Shortcut
Action
1
View the Output
2
View the Foreground
3
View the Background
4
View the Color Comp
5
View Composite
6
View Channels