# Keyboard short cut to commands questions

**URL:** <https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/keyboard-short-cut-to-commands-questions/2579>\
**Category:** General Chat\
**Created:** [October 21, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/keyboard-short-cut-to-commands-questions/2579 "2023-10-21T17:57:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ROTM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/90ced4/32.png) [@ROTM](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/ROTM)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/keyboard-short-cut-to-commands-questions/2579/1 "2023-10-21T17:57:53Z")

</div>

Good day.  
I just got a small remote for my machine…something like this [amazon.com/Wireless-Keyboard-Control-Touchpad-Controller/dp/B08NSXBZ4T](https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Keyboard-Control-Touchpad-Controller/dp/B08NSXBZ4T)

this is such a time saver…

I am looking for some info how to set commands for example 1 button to Home, zero everything etc.

So let say I press Keyboard letter A - zero everything.  
Keyboard letter H - home machine.  
Keyboard letter S - set machine toolchange location  
etc etc.

Where would I find this info?  
Thank you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jjneeb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/jjneeb/32/244_2.png) [@jjneeb](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/jjneeb)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2023, 6:14pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/keyboard-short-cut-to-commands-questions/2579/2 "2023-10-21T18:14:57Z")

</div>

I made a video a while back on screen editing and keyboard shortcuts. There are also a couple other videos referenced in the description area.

[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/2X/1/1825dcaa75bd83b040142e857bc949bcf240316b.jpeg "Mach4 Screen Editing & new screen features for CNC laser support including laser touch plate support") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87unMhKO7u8&t=2852s)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ROTM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/90ced4/32.png) [@ROTM](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/ROTM)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/keyboard-short-cut-to-commands-questions/2579/3 "2023-10-21T19:36:24Z")

</div>

Going to look into it!

Thank you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![corbin](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/corbin/32/2800_2.png) [@corbin](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/corbin)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2023, 2:14am UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/keyboard-short-cut-to-commands-questions/2579/4 "2023-10-24T02:14:07Z")

</div>

I’d be cautious about making basic keys be shortcuts, unless you only ever run Mach 4 on the machine and nothing else. Otherwise, if you switch to any other program (ie Windows Explorer) and hit “A” you will invoke the shortcut, as Mach doesn’t have to be the “key” or “foreground” application – it consumes all keystrokes and interprets them. Just FYI! It’s better/easier to make Ctrl-A do the job if you use other apps.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jjneeb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/jjneeb/32/244_2.png) [@jjneeb](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/jjneeb)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 5:31am UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/keyboard-short-cut-to-commands-questions/2579/5 "2023-10-25T05:31:31Z")

</div>

> [@corbin](#):
>
> I’d be cautious about making basic keys be shortcuts,

Good point, I usually use Ctrl and/or shift in conjunction.

However, the arrow keys are already consumed for jogging, and I use those for editing text or Vcarve a lot, so I end up disabling the Mach4 keyboard plugin (via the keyboard icon in the windows taskbar) most of the time when I pull up another app on the same computer anyway.