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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/ivan-1f/phichain/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

Quick Reference

This page lists all keyboard shortcuts in the Phichain editor. All shortcuts can be customized in Settings > Hotkey Settings.
On macOS, Ctrl is typically Cmd (Command key). The editor will adapt to your platform automatically.

Note Placement

Place notes on the timeline by hovering your cursor and pressing these keys:
ShortcutActionDescription
QPlace Tap NotePlace a standard tap note at cursor position
WPlace Drag NotePlace a drag note at cursor position
EPlace Flick NotePlace a flick note at cursor position
RPlace Hold NotePress once to start, move cursor, press again to finish
EscCancelCancel pending hold note or event placement
The note will be placed on the currently selected line. Select a line in the Line List first.

Event Placement

Create line events on the event timeline:
ShortcutActionDescription
RPlace Transition EventCreate event with start → end value transition
QPlace Constant EventCreate event with constant value
EscCancelCancel pending event placement
Position your cursor on the desired event track (Move/Rotate/Speed/Alpha/Size) before placing events.

Editing & Selection

ShortcutActionDescription
ClickSelectSelect note or event
Ctrl+ClickMulti-selectAdd to selection
DragBox SelectDrag on timeline to select multiple objects
EscDeselect AllClear selection
BackspaceDelete SelectedRemove selected notes/events

Movement (Selected Objects)

Move selected notes or events with arrow keys:
ShortcutActionDescription
Move UpMove notes/events earlier in time by one snap unit
Move DownMove notes/events later in time by one snap unit
Move LeftMove notes left by one lane
Move RightMove notes right by one lane
The movement increment depends on your timeline snap settings (beat density).

Clipboard

Copy, cut, and paste operations:
ShortcutActionDescription
Ctrl+CCopyCopy selected notes/events to clipboard
Ctrl+XCutCut selected notes/events to clipboard
Ctrl+VPastePaste clipboard contents at cursor position
When pasting, the timing is automatically adjusted to the cursor position while preserving relative spacing.

Undo/Redo

ShortcutActionDescription
Ctrl+ZUndoRevert the last action
Ctrl+Shift+ZRedoReapply the last undone action

Playback

Control chart playback:
ShortcutActionDescription
SpacePlay/PauseToggle playback
[Seek BackwardStep backward in time (hold to scrub)
]Seek ForwardStep forward in time (hold to scrub)
Click on the timeline to seek to a specific position instantly.

Line Selection

Quickly select judgment lines:
ShortcutActionDescription
Ctrl+1Select Line 1Select the first line
Ctrl+2Select Line 2Select the second line
Ctrl+3Select Line 3Select the third line
Ctrl+4Select Line 4Select the fourth line
Ctrl+5Select Line 5Select the fifth line
Ctrl+6Select Line 6Select the sixth line
Ctrl+7Select Line 7Select the seventh line
Ctrl+8Select Line 8Select the eighth line
Ctrl+9Select Line 9Select the ninth line
Ctrl+↑Select Previous LineCycle to previous line in list
Ctrl+↓Select Next LineCycle to next line in list

Camera/View (Game View)

Control the camera in the Game View panel:
ShortcutActionDescription
Ctrl+= or Ctrl++Zoom InZoom camera in (closer view)
Ctrl+-Zoom OutZoom camera out (farther view)
Ctrl+0Reset ZoomReset camera to default zoom level

File Operations

ShortcutActionDescription
Ctrl+NNew ProjectCreate a new chart project
Ctrl+OOpen ProjectOpen an existing project
Ctrl+SSaveSave current project
Ctrl+Shift+SSave AsSave project with a new name

Customizing Shortcuts

All keyboard shortcuts can be customized:
1

Open Settings

Navigate to Settings > Hotkey Settings
2

Find Action

Locate the action you want to rebind in the list
3

Click Record

Click the Record button next to the action
4

Press New Key Combo

Press your desired key combination
5

Confirm

The new hotkey is saved immediately
The editor will warn you if your new hotkey conflicts with an existing one. Resolve conflicts before continuing.

Modifier Keys

The editor recognizes standard modifier keys:
  • Ctrl (or Cmd on macOS): Control/Command
  • Shift: Shift
  • Alt: Alt/Option
Modifiers can be combined (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+Z for Redo).

Contextual Shortcuts

Some shortcuts only work in specific contexts:
  • Note placement (Q/W/E/R)
  • Event placement (Q/R)
  • Arrow key movement
  • Box selection by dragging

Tips for Efficient Editing

Keep your left hand on Q, W, E, R while mousing with your right hand. You can place notes rapidly without looking at the keyboard.
Memorize Ctrl+1 through Ctrl+9 for your most-used lines. It’s much faster than clicking the Line List.
After placing notes roughly, use arrow keys to fine-tune positions. It’s faster and more precise than dragging with the mouse.
Build a complex pattern once, then copy-paste it to repeat. Adjust timings as needed.
Press Space frequently to hear how your chart sounds. Develop a play-pause-edit rhythm.

Configuration Files

Hotkey settings are stored in:
  • Linux/macOS: ~/.config/phichain/hotkey.yml
  • Windows: %APPDATA%\phichain\hotkey.yml
You can manually edit this YAML file to customize hotkeys, but the in-editor interface is recommended.

Resetting Hotkeys

To reset all hotkeys to defaults:
  1. Close the editor
  2. Delete the hotkey.yml file from the config directory
  3. Restart the editor (defaults will be regenerated)
Custom hotkey configurations are not currently portable between installations. Back up your hotkey.yml file if you want to transfer settings to another machine.

Next Steps

Basic Charting

Return to the charting guide to practice using these shortcuts

Advanced Features

Explore advanced techniques to speed up your workflow

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