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Application Menu

Ctrl Designer allows you to create your Workspace and configure your Ctrl Engine and Ctrl Player incidences.

The application Menu at the top of the user interface provides quick access to directly relevant functions to the Ctrl Designer application.

File​

Key options to manage your Ctrl Suite workspace.

New​

Opens a dialogue to allow a file location for the workspace to be saved to :

  • Set a workspace location.

Then press Save to create the workspace.

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+N

Open Workspace​

Opens a dialogue to select a workspace or workspace Bundle to be opened:

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl+O.

Opening a Workspace​

  • Navigate to where the workspace file is located on your computer.
  • Select the workspace and press Open to open it.

Ctrl Designer Workspaces feature a .cwd file extention.

Opening a Workspace Bundle​

Workspace bundles are used to transfer a workspace and all associated media assets between devices quickly and easily.

  • Navigate to where the Workspace bundle is located on your computer.
  • Select the bundle and press Open to unpack the associated workspace and Media Hub assets.
  • Next, select a location and file name to save the workspace as for editing or use on your computer.
  • Upon saving a workspace file will be save onto your computer (with the .cdw file extension) and all Media Hub assets will be added to the file directory.

Ctrl Designer Workspace Bundles feature a .cwd-bundle file extention.

Save Workspace As​

Ctrl auto-saves after every change; however, if you want to save your workspace with a different name:

  • Select Save Workspace As..., save the workspace location.
  • Press Open to open the workspace.

Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+shift+S.

Export Bundle​

Opens a dialogue to Export a Workspace as a bundle ready to be transfered to a difrent computer.

A Workspace Bundle contains the Ctrl Suite workspace and all associated image assets that have been added to Ctrl Suite's Media Hub by the user.

Workspace bundles are used to transfer a workspace and all associated media assets between devices quickly and easily.

  • Navigate to where you want to generate the Workspace bundle on your computer.
  • Press Export to export the workspace bundle.

This process can take up to 30 seconds to run.

Workspace bundles can be imported into Ctrl Designer using the Open Workspace option.

Ctrl/Cmd+shift+B.

Merge Workspaces​

Merge allows all nodes, variables and information from another workspace to be imported; this can speed up the creation of new workspaces by re-using your old workspaces.

  • Navigate to File > Merge Workspace...
  • Select the workspace you want to merge on in the file explorer.
  • Press Open.

Once selected, a dialogue will display showing the attributes available to be merged.

If unsure, it's recommended to select merge all, and then delete the nodes you don't plan to use from your workspace.

Note: once a workspace is merged, there is no way to undo this. All nodes and patches must be deleted.

Note: MediaHub assets are not currently imported as part of a merge.

Edit​

Several modifier functions targeted at text editing:

  • Undo - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+Z.

  • Redo - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+Y.

  • Select all - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+A.

  • Workspace Settings - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+O.

Note: modifier functions are not implemented for Nodes and other non-text entities.

View​

View options relate directly to Ctrl Designers’ user interface. Use these options to zoom or force a refresh.

  • Reload - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+R.

  • Actual size - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+0.

  • Zoom In - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+=.

  • Zoom Out - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+-.

  • Toggle Full Screen - Keyboard shortcut: F11.

Tools​

The Tools dropdown provides fast navigation to critical functions within Designer. The function of each of these is explained in detail elsewhere within the manual.

  • Manage Engines - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+E

  • Media Hub - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+M.

  • Variable Viewer - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+V.

  • Console - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+L.

Window​

Global commands to minimise or close the Window currently interacted with.

  • Minimize - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+M.
  • Close - Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd+W.

Help​

Resources useful for assistance within Ctrl: