Keyboard Bindings

Pythonwin has a new, flexible keyboard binding mechanism. Bindings (and even code) can be defined in a configuration file, stored in the pywin directory.

Many bindings are still builtin to Python using Window's accelerators - see the Pythonwin menus for the specific keyboard shortcuts.

The default configuration file is named default.cfg. You can view this file with a text editor (eg, Pythonwin) This file has extensive comments, including how to create your own configuration based on the default. An example configuration which provides keyboard bindings similar to IDLE exists in IDLE.cfg, and this makes a good example of a custom configuration.

Please see default.cfg for a complete list, but the default bindings provided with Pythonwin are:

Common Keystrokes Description

Alt+Q Reformat the current paragraph/comment block. Note this does NOT reformat code correctly - use only within comment blocks!

Ctrl+W Toggle view whitespace.

Alt+/ Expand the word at the cursor. Eg, pressing "st<Alt+/>" will complete based on all words in the current file - eg, "string" would be likely to result assuming the code has an "import string" statement. Pressing the key again expands to the next match.

. Auto expand the attribute. Eg, typing "string." will display a listbox with the contents of the string module. Select an item with TAB or the mouse.

Alt+I Toggle focus to/from the interactive window.

Builtin Keystrokes Keystrokes built into Scintilla

Ctrl+Keypad+Plus Zoom-in for the current window. Non True-Type fonts may require multiple presses.

Ctrl+Keypad+Minus Zoom-out for the current window. Non True-Type fonts may require multiple presses.

Ctrl+Backspace Delete the word to the left of the cursor.

Ctrl+Z Undo

Ctrl+Y Redo

Ctrl+X Cut

Ctrl+C Copy

Ctrl+V Paste

Ctrl+A Select All

Ctrl+Shift+L Delete the current line

Ctrl+T Transpose (swap) the current line with the line above

Ctrl+U Convert the selection to lower case

Ctrl+Shift+U Convert the selection to upper case

Editor Specific Keystrokes Description

F2 Move to the next bookmark.

Ctrl+F2 Add or remove a bookmark on the current line.

Ctrl+G Prompt for and goto a specific line number.

Alt+B Adds a simple comment banner at the current location.

Alt+3 Block comment the selected region.

Shift+Alt+3 Uncomment the selected region.

Alt+4 Uncomment the selected region (IDLE default keystroke)

Alt+5 Tabify the selected region.

Alt+6 Untabify the selected region.

BackSpace Remove selected region or one character or indent to the left.

Ctrl+T Toggle the use of tabs for the current file (after confirmation)

Alt+U Change the indent width for the current file.

Enter Insert a newline and indent.

Tab Insert an indent, perform a block indent if a selection exists, or accept an attribute selection.

Shift-Tab Block dedent the selection

F6 Toggle view when editor splitter is open.

Keypad-Plus If the current line is a collapsed fold, expand it (see Folding )

Alt-Keypad-Plus Expand all folds in the current file (see Folding )

Keypad-Minus If the current line is an expanded fold, collapse it (see Folding )

Alt-Keypad-Minus Collapse all folds in the current file. regardless of how deep the fold becomes. (see Folding )

Keypad-Multiply Expand or collapse all top-level folds in the current file. No second level or deeper folds are changed. If the first fold in the file is collapsed, all top-level folds are opened. Otherwise, all top-level folds are collapsed (see Folding )

Debugger Keystrokes Description

F9 Toggle breakpoint

F5 Run (ie, go)

Shift+F5 Stop debugging

F11 Single step into functions

F10 Step over functions

Shift+F11 Step out of the current function

Interactive Window Specific Keystrokes Description

Ctrl+Up Recall the previous command in the history list.

Ctrl+Down Recall the next command in the history list.

Common Keystrokes	Description

Alt+Q	Reformat the current paragraph/comment block. Note this does NOT reformat code correctly - use only within comment blocks!
Ctrl+W	Toggle view whitespace.
Alt+/	Expand the word at the cursor. Eg, pressing "st<Alt+/>" will complete based on all words in the current file - eg, "string" would be likely to result assuming the code has an "import string" statement. Pressing the key again expands to the next match.
.	Auto expand the attribute. Eg, typing "string." will display a listbox with the contents of the string module. Select an item with TAB or the mouse.
Alt+I	Toggle focus to/from the interactive window.

Builtin Keystrokes	Keystrokes built into Scintilla

Ctrl+Keypad+Plus	Zoom-in for the current window. Non True-Type fonts may require multiple presses.
Ctrl+Keypad+Minus	Zoom-out for the current window. Non True-Type fonts may require multiple presses.
Ctrl+Backspace	Delete the word to the left of the cursor.
Ctrl+Z	Undo
Ctrl+Y	Redo
Ctrl+X	Cut
Ctrl+C	Copy
Ctrl+V	Paste
Ctrl+A	Select All
Ctrl+Shift+L	Delete the current line
Ctrl+T	Transpose (swap) the current line with the line above
Ctrl+U	Convert the selection to lower case
Ctrl+Shift+U	Convert the selection to upper case

Editor Specific Keystrokes	Description

F2	Move to the next bookmark.
Ctrl+F2	Add or remove a bookmark on the current line.
Ctrl+G	Prompt for and goto a specific line number.
Alt+B	Adds a simple comment banner at the current location.
Alt+3	Block comment the selected region.
Shift+Alt+3	Uncomment the selected region.
Alt+4	Uncomment the selected region (IDLE default keystroke)
Alt+5	Tabify the selected region.
Alt+6	Untabify the selected region.
BackSpace	Remove selected region or one character or indent to the left.
Ctrl+T	Toggle the use of tabs for the current file (after confirmation)
Alt+U	Change the indent width for the current file.
Enter	Insert a newline and indent.
Tab	Insert an indent, perform a block indent if a selection exists, or accept an attribute selection.
Shift-Tab	Block dedent the selection
F6	Toggle view when editor splitter is open.
Keypad-Plus	If the current line is a collapsed fold, expand it (see Folding )
Alt-Keypad-Plus	Expand all folds in the current file (see Folding )
Keypad-Minus	If the current line is an expanded fold, collapse it (see Folding )
Alt-Keypad-Minus	Collapse all folds in the current file. regardless of how deep the fold becomes. (see Folding )
Keypad-Multiply	Expand or collapse all top-level folds in the current file. No second level or deeper folds are changed. If the first fold in the file is collapsed, all top-level folds are opened. Otherwise, all top-level folds are collapsed (see Folding )

Debugger Keystrokes	Description

F9	Toggle breakpoint
F5	Run (ie, go)
Shift+F5	Stop debugging
F11	Single step into functions
F10	Step over functions
Shift+F11	Step out of the current function

Interactive Window Specific Keystrokes	Description

Ctrl+Up	Recall the previous command in the history list.
Ctrl+Down	Recall the next command in the history list.