14. Hotkeys reference
Every key on a single page — for printing and keeping next to your keyboard. Grouped by screen. Details for each group are in the corresponding chapter of the manual.
Global (any TUI screen)
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| q / Q | Quit the application |
| F10 | Exit (Commando, Summary, etc.) |
| F1 or ? | Help (overlay) — wherever help exists |
| Esc | Close the current overlay / cancel / back to the previous screen |
Startup overlays
Notice (first launch)
The overlay title is Notice; it holds two checkboxes — I have read and agree (required) and Don't show this at startup again.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space | Check / uncheck the focused checkbox |
| Tab | Switch focus between the two checkboxes |
| Enter | Continue (only when the "agree" box is checked) |
| Esc | Exit without saving consent |
Concurrent launch (when another dedcom holds the lock)
Overlay title Concurrent launch.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| R | Open read-only (observer) |
| F | Become operator (take the lock — dangerous) |
| Esc | Exit |
Commando — the default mode
First F-key layer (as drawn in the footer)
| Key | Label | Action |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Help | Help (or ?) |
| F2 | Scan | Scan the active panel's directory |
| F3 | File | Information about the file under the cursor (FileInfo) |
| F4 | Hash | Compute the hash of the file under the cursor (in the background) |
| F5 | Hard | Mark Hardlink |
| F6 | Ref | Mark Reflink |
| F7 | Keep | Mark Keeper |
| F8 | Del | Mark Delete |
| F9 | Menu | Menu (overlay with 14 items) |
| F10 | Exit | Exit |
| F11 | Exec | Apply the marked actions (Confirm overlay); also x, or the F9 menu |
| F12 | Sessions | Sessions list and scan results (wizard Resume) |
Second F-key layer (Shift+F<N> or ` then F<N>)
| Key | Label | Action |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Sync | All panels to the active panel's directory |
| F2 | Compare | Compare files and folders across the open panels |
| F3 | +Panel | Add a panel (≤ 4) |
| F4 | -Panel | Remove a panel (≥ 2) |
| F5 | Root | Change the active panel's root (to the next dataset) |
| F6 | Size | Recompute directory size (in the background) |
| F9 | Wizard | Open the ScanConfig wizard |
| F12 | Board | Triage Board (layout across 4 receivers) |
| F7, F8, F10, F11 | — | Unassigned |
Activating the second layer:
Shift+F<N>directly (if the terminal transmits it).`(backtick) — arms layer 2 for the single next F key press (for Proxmox's xterm.js).
When the terminal keeps an F-key for itself
F10 (menu) and F11 (fullscreen) are intercepted by most desktop terminals, so the application never sees them. Two ways in that no terminal can take away:
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| x | Apply the marked actions — the same as F11 |
` then 1…9 | F1…F9 |
` then 0 | F10 (exit) |
` then - | F11 (execute) |
` then = | F12 (sessions) |
Execute is also available from the F9 menu; see §13 Troubleshooting.
Letters and symbols in Commando
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| s / S | Cycle the sort (name → size → type → date → name) |
| v / V | Cycle the panel view (files → directories → groups → group files → duplicates → directory groups → group directories → files) |
| , | Side-by-side compare (on / off) |
| m / M | Inline triage: begin the layout — the next digit 1–4 = receiver |
| u / U | Undo the last move (Undo) |
| Insert | Add the file to the Select batch |
| Space | Set / clear Selected (or clear K/H/C/D) |
| o / O | Directory of the file under the cursor → into the adjacent right panel (in the group-files and duplicates views) |
| q / Q | Exit |
| ? | Help (synonym for F1) |
Navigation in Commando
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Tab | Focus the next panel |
| Shift+Tab | Focus the previous panel |
| ← / → | Focus the previous / next panel |
| ↑ / ↓ or k / j | Cursor up / down |
| PgUp / PgDn | Cursor by ±15 |
| Home / End | Cursor to the start / end of the list |
| Enter | Enter the directory / open the entry |
| Backspace | Go up to the parent directory |
Overlays in Commando
Menu (F9)
Overlay title Menu — F9. The 14 items: 1 Scan the active panel's directory · 2 Configure and start a scan… · 3 Sessions and scan results… ·
4 Execute marked actions (F11 or x) · 5 Clear all marks ·
6 Reload scan data · 7 Change panel mode (v) · 8 Synchronize panels (Shift+F1) · 9 Compare panels (Shift+F2) · 10 Add a panel (Shift+F3) ·
11 Remove a panel (Shift+F4) · 12 Change panel root (Shift+F5) ·
13 Recompute directory size (Shift+F6) · 14 Keyboard help.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ | Move the cursor through the items |
| Enter | Apply the selected item |
| Esc or F9 | Close |
Confirm (F11)
Overlay title Confirmation — F11; on the Commands tab it carries the scroll
position, Confirmation — F11 · lines X-Y of N (or · no script lines). Tabs
Summary / Commands. Footer hint on Summary:
[Tab] tab [S] save .sh [Y] execute [N]/[Esc] cancel; on Commands a scroll
line is added above it and the save reads [S] save .sh (whole script).
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ | Scroll one script line (Commands tab only) |
| PgUp / PgDn | Scroll a screenful (Commands tab only) |
| Home / End | First / last window of the script |
| Tab | Switch the tab (Summary ↔ Commands) |
| S | Save the plan as .sh — always the whole script |
| Y | Execute |
| Enter | Ignored — executing is deliberate, and only Y does it |
| N / Esc | Cancel |
FileInfo (F3)
Overlay title File — F3 · Esc to close.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Enter / Esc / F3 | Close |
ResumeScan (F2 when a session exists)
Overlay title Scan roots — F2. Options: [R]/[Enter] resume ·
[O] open completed · [N] new scan · [Esc] cancel.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| R | Resume the unfinished session |
| O | Open the result of a completed session |
| Enter | R, otherwise O |
| N | New scan (ignore the sessions) |
| Esc | Cancel |
ClearMarks (F9, item 5)
Overlay title Clear all marks — F9. Clears every saved mark of the scan it
names, keepers and marks no panel shows included; the Space/Insert selection
stays.
Hint [Y] yes · [N] no. Not opened while a mark is saving or while a plan, an F2
check, an F3 answer, a scan opening, the lookup of a panel's scan or auto-select
is still on its way.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Y | Clear every saved mark of the scan |
| N / Esc | Close; nothing is cleared |
| Enter | Ignored — clearing costs a deliberate Y |
Triage Board (Shift+F12 from Commando)
The bottom legend uses the labels SOURCE (center) and 1–4 (the four receivers).
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Tab or → | Focus the next panel (5 panels) |
| Shift+Tab or ← | Focus the previous panel |
| ↑ / ↓ or k / j | Cursor in the active panel |
| PgUp / PgDn | Cursor by ±15 |
| Home / End | Cursor to the start / end |
| Enter | Enter the subdirectory |
| Backspace | Go up to the parent |
| Insert | Mark the file into the batch |
| 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 | Send the file (or the batch) to receiver N |
| a / A + N | Assign the current directory to receiver N |
| S | Save the Board layout (board.json) |
| u / U | Undo the last move |
Esc or Shift+F12 or ` then F12 | Exit back to Commando |
| q / Q | Save the layout and quit the application |
Classic wizard
ScanConfig
Footer: ↑↓ · Space · F folder · P preset · C cache · G intensity · Del remove · S start · Q quit.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ or k / j | Move the cursor through the roots |
| Space | Select / deselect a root |
| F | Add an arbitrary folder → FolderPicker |
| P | Cycle the extension-filter preset |
| C | Enable / disable the hash cache |
| G | Intensity profile (Turbo → Balanced → Idle → Turbo) |
| Delete | Remove an arbitrarily added folder |
| S | Start the scan |
| q / Q | Exit |
FolderPicker
Footer: ↑↓ select · Enter enter · Backspace up · A select this directory · Esc cancel.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ or k / j | Cursor |
| Enter | Enter the subdirectory |
| Backspace or ← | Parent directory |
| A | Add the CURRENT directory as a root → ScanConfig |
| Esc | Back to ScanConfig without adding |
| q / Q | Exit |
Resume
Footer: ↑↓ · R/Enter open · Del to trash · t trash · N new · Q quit.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ or k / j | Move the cursor through the sessions |
| R / Enter | Resume the unfinished / open the completed session |
| N | New scan → ScanConfig |
| D | Compare the session with the next older one → ScanDiff |
| T | Open the session trash → Trash |
| Delete | Move the session to the trash (soft) |
| q / Q | Exit |
Scanning
Cancel hint: [Esc] stop — progress is saved, you can resume later.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Esc | Cancel the scan (progress is saved to the DB for resume) |
| q / Q | Quit the application |
Browser (viewing groups and marking)
Tabs [1] Folders / [2] Files. Footer: 1=Folders 2=Files · Tab · ↑↓/PgUp·PgDn/g·G · LMB·wheel · Enter=keeper · d/h/c=mark · Space=unmark · a=auto · v=view · r=review · ?=help.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 / 2 | Switch the tab (Folders / Files) |
| Tab | Switch focus (groups ↔ files) |
| ↑ / ↓ or k / j | Cursor |
| PgUp / PgDn | Cursor by a page |
| g / G | Cursor to the start / end |
| Enter | (on a file) Assign keeper |
| d / D | Mark Delete |
| h / H | Mark Hardlink |
| c / C | Mark Reflink |
| Space | Unmark |
| a / A | Auto-select across all groups, without asking: the newest stays, the rest marked Delete, replacing earlier marks (§8.9) |
| r / R | Action review → ActionReview |
| v / V | Path display style |
| Esc | Back to ScanConfig |
| q / Q | Exit |
The Browser row glyphs (left of each file): ★ keeper · = already
linked · x delete · h hardlink · c reflink; a marked row gets the
suffix -> DELETE / -> HARDLINK / -> REFLINK.
ActionReview
Footer: ↑↓/PgUp/PgDn/Home/End scroll · [Y] execute · [Esc] back to browser.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ | Scroll |
| PgUp / PgDn | Scroll a screenful |
| Home / End | First / last action of the plan |
| Y | Go to the final confirmation (modal) |
| Esc | Back to Browser |
| q / Q | Exit |
Final confirmation (modal, title Confirmation, body Execute {count} operations?):
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Y | Start apply |
| N / Esc | Stay in ActionReview |
Applying
Cancel hint: [Esc] stop after the current action — the snapshot is done, applied items are in quarantine.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Esc | Cancel after the current action (what is done is in quarantine) |
(q does not work — you must not abandon the process in the middle of a
destructive operation.)
Summary
Footer: [Esc] to configuration · [Q] quit.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Esc or Enter | Back to ScanConfig |
| q / Q | Exit |
ScanDiff
Footer: ↑↓ select · Tab/Shift+Tab category · Esc/F10 back. Categories
(cycled with Tab): New duplicates · Moved (inode) · Moved (hash) ·
Modified · Deleted · New.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Tab | Next category |
| Shift+Tab | Previous category |
| ↑ / ↓ or k / j | Cursor within the category |
| Esc or q / Q or F10 | Back to Resume |
Trash
Footer: ↑↓ select · R restore · Del purge permanently · Esc back.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ↑ / ↓ or k / j | Cursor |
| R / Enter | Restore the session |
| Delete | Purge permanently (modal Y/N) |
| Esc or q / Q | Back to Resume |
"Purge permanently" modal (title Purge from trash?):
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Y / Enter | Run the purge |
| N / Esc | Cancel |
Mark glyphs (in the files panel)
| Glyph | Meaning |
|---|---|
K | Keeper (the file to keep) |
H | Hardlink to the keeper |
C | Reflink to the keeper |
D | Delete (move to quarantine) |
* | Selected (batch for the layout) |
Side-by-side comparison glyphs
These appear in front of each file when side-by-side compare is on (the ,
key in Commando).
| Glyph | Meaning |
|---|---|
= | Identical file (same hash) |
≈ | Similar (close in size / date) |
~ | Differs |
+ | Present only in this panel |
"5 keys a day" cheat sheet
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| F9 | Menu — the entry point to everything |
| F11 | Apply the marked actions (with confirmation) |
| F12 | Sessions and scan results |
| F1 or ? | Help |
| Esc | Back / cancel / leave the overlay |
Printable card (one command)
To print just this chapter:
# from the host that holds the manual source
cat docs/manual/14-hotkeys.md | pandoc -o hotkeys.pdf
Or open it in a browser and press Ctrl+P → "Save as PDF".
What's next
- §01 Introduction — if you haven't read it yet.
- §13 Troubleshooting — if a key doesn't work the way you expect.
- Full manual README — table of contents for all chapters.
Published from docs/manual/14-hotkeys.md at v0.9.2 · last changed 2026-09-25