Command Mode
To type text instead, enter Input Mode or exit the claw machine.
Press Control + Esc to exit Command Mode, or Shift + Control + Esc to close the claw machine outright.
Command sequences#
Sequences are usually letters, and they are case-sensitive. If a sequence is cc, typing c twice triggers it.
No sequence may be the prefix of another. That constraint is what lets a command fire the moment you finish typing it, with no delay and no confirmation key.
You can customize sequences in Settings, as long as the new ones do not collide with existing ones. Every command also accepts a keyboard shortcut, and those shortcuts work even when the claw machine is not running. See Choosing a Usage Style.
Working with your apps at the same time#
While you hold Command, Control, or Option, letters stop being command sequences and go through as a key combination. Command + C copies, Command + W closes a window, exactly as usual.
Other keys also reach the foreground app: arrows, Enter, Tab, and similar.
Space is the exception, since holding it enters Mouse Control Mode. To send a real Space while staying in Command Mode, press \. This fallback key may change in future versions.
For longer stretches of typing, hold the temporary passthrough key instead, described in Exit and Temporary Exit.
Command identifiers#
Commands use command.* or trigger.* identifiers. A few of the most used:
| Identifier | Action |
|---|---|
command.moveCursorToElement |
Move cursor to an element |
command.moveCursorToElementAndLeftClick |
Move to an element and left click |
command.moveCursorToElementAndRightClick |
Move to an element and right click |
command.dragCursorToElement |
Drag from the cursor to an element |
command.moveCursorToText |
Move cursor to text found by OCR |
command.toggleDrag |
Hold or release the mouse button |
command.enterGridModeAndLeftClick |
Enter Grid Mode, then left click |
command.moveAndFocusToWindow |
Focus a window and center the cursor |
command.enterScrollMode |
Enter Scroll Mode |
command.enterAdjustMode |
Enter Adjust Mode |
command.enterTextMode |
Enter Input Mode |
command.enterRawInputMode |
Enter Raw Input Mode |
command.revertCursorLocation |
Return the cursor where it was |
The full list is in the Command Reference.
Next#
- Element Mode, the most common destination
- Modes overview