Notation for Accelerator Keys (Hot Keys) and Mouse Clicks

Smaart runs on both Windows and MacOS, meaning that there are some minor differences in keyboard and mouse commands between the two versions. Specifically, the Control [Ctrl] key serves the same purposes on a Windows computer as the Command [Cmd] key (also commonly called the Apple key or flower key) on a Mac. Similarly, the [Alt] key in the Windows version of Smaart maps to the [Option] key on Mac keyboards. Additionally, most PC mice have at least two buttons (left and right) whereas many Mac’s have only one.

We will write the names of keys used for keyboard shortcuts (also called “hot keys” or accelerator keys) in square brackets to distinguish them from other text. In cases where a key has one name on a Windows keyboard and another on a Mac, both names will appear inside the brackets with a slash in between, for example, [Ctrl/Cmd] means press the [Ctrl] key on a Windows machine or the [Cmd] key on a Mac.

Summary of notational conventions for keyboard and mouse operations:

As regards the mouse (or other pointing device), the left button on a Windows mouse corresponds to a normal mouse click on Mac, so if we say “left-click,” Mac users just click and if we just say “click,” Windows users left-click. A right-click operation on Windows can be accomplished on a Mac by holding down the [Ctrl] key (not to be confused with the [Cmd] key) while you click. On a touchscreen device, “left-click” may equate to a quick tap on the screen with your finger or stylus and “right-click” may mean a longer press and hold.