• Keyboard Shortcuts in UiPath Studio

Keyboard Shortcuts in UiPath Studio

UiPath studio has keyboard shortcuts to perform various activities that can save users time. In this chapter, you will learn various keyboard shortcuts in UiPath Studio and their customization techniques in detail.

Keyboard shortcuts perform a task by using a sequence of one or more keys such as CTRL+S to invoke commands to save a process. Such tasks can also be done by menu, pointing tools, or an interface of the command line, etc.

File Management:
  • Ctrl+Shift+N − This keyboard shortcut will create a new blank process.
  • Ctrl+O − If you want to open a workflow, either .xaml or project.json, that is created previously, use the Ctrl+O keyboard shortcut.
  • Ctrl+L − With the help of this keyboard shortcut, we can open the folder where the Log files are stored.
  • Ctrl+S − It is a very familiar keyboard shortcut. It will save the currently open workflow.
  • Ctrl+Shift+S − Saves all the workflows that are currently open.
Comments:
  • Ctrl+D − With the help of this keyboard shortcut, you can ignore the activity that you recently selected.
  • Ctrl + E − It will remove the activity that was selected.
Debugging:
  • F7 − This function key runs the currently open workflow in debug mode.
  • F8 − This function key checks the currently open workflow for validation errors.
  • F9 − With the help of this function key, we can mark the selected activity or task with a breakpoint.
  • Shift + F9 − Opposite to F9, it removes all the breakpoints in the currently open workflow.
  • F11 − At the time of debugging, this function key enables us to step into a block of activities. Additionally, it will execute the first activity also.
  • Shift + F11 − At the time of debugging, this shortcut enables us to step over the execution of a block of activities in the currently selected workflow.
Recording:
  • Alt+Ctrl+W − opens the Web recording toolbar ('W' in this shortcut key stands for Web).
  • Alt+Ctrl+B− opens the Basic recording toolbar ('B' in this shortcut key stands for Basic).
  • Alt+Ctrl+C − opens the Citrix recording toolbar ('C' in this shortcut key stands for Citrix).
  • Alt+Ctrl+D − opens the Desktop recording toolbar ('D' in this shortcut key stands for Desktop).
  • F2 − This function key is used to add delay while recording.
  • F3 − This function key is used to specify a custom recording region.
  • F4 − With the help of this function key we can choose the UI framework, can be Default, AA and UIA, to record.
Workflow Execution:
  • F5 − This function key runs the workflow that is currently open.
  • F12 − This function key stops the execution of the current workflow. The workflow can be in normal or debug mode.
Selected Activity:
  • Ctrl + T − This shortcut key places the activity or task inside the TRY section of TRY-CATCH activity (Here 'T' stands for Try).
  • Ctrl + N − With the help of this shortcut key, we can create a new sequence diagram in the current project.
  • Ctrl + C − It will copy the selected activity or task (one or many) to the clipboard.
  • Ctrl + V − It will paste the copied activity or task (one or many) inside the selected item.

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Customization of Keyboard Shortcuts in Uipath

The keyboard shortcuts, discussed above, are by default shortcuts keys of UiPath studio. The UiPath studio provides the features to customize these shortcut keys, or we can create our own keyboard shortcuts.

Important points to remember for keyboard shortcuts customization

  • Location of supported keyboard shortcuts:
     First, we must have to know the location of all supported keyboard shortcuts. UiPath studio stores all of them in an .xml file. You can find that file at the location C:usersusernameAppDataUiPathUipathkeyboardmappings.xml. You can edit this file in Notepad.
  • What to edit : There are two important things to edit for customizing keyboard shortcuts :
  • The values between <Key> </Key> represent the main keyboard buttons to press and hence it must be changed as per your customization needs.
  • The values between <Modifiers> </Modifiers> represent the modifiers (Control, Alt, Windows), which can be changed as per your customization needs.

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Steps for Keyboard Shortcuts Customization in Uipath

To customize keyboard shortcuts, we need to follow below steps

  • First, we need to close the UiPath studio if it is open.
  • Now, open the keyboardmappings.xml file containing the supported keyboard shortcuts with a text editor like Notepad or Notepad++.
  • Find the keyword shortcuts you want to modify and change the values for keyboard buttons between <Key> </Key> and for modifiers between <Modifiers> </Modifiers>.
  • At last, we need to save and close the keyboardmappings.xml file.