Keyboard Shortcuts

sight·line is built for keyboard-driven observation. During active recording, you stay focused on the student rather than the screen. This page is the complete reference for all keyboard shortcuts across recording methods, results, and the write-up workspace.

During any recording session, press Cmd+/ to see a contextual shortcuts overlay for your current screen. Press ? (Shift + /) to see the behavior definitions overlay.

Interval and Frequency recording

Interval recording (whole, partial, momentary time sampling) and frequency recording share the same keyboard shortcuts.

Session control

Action	Shortcut
Start / pause / resume	Space
End session	Cmd+E
Return to current interval (if scrolled back)	Escape

Scoring

Action	Shortcut
Score behavior 1–9	1 – 9 (or custom keys)
Undo last score	Cmd+Z
Redo last undo	Cmd+Shift+Z

Overlays and UI

Action	Shortcut
Show shortcuts overlay	Cmd+/
Show behavior definitions	?
Add observation note	O
Toggle focus mode	Cmd+Shift+F

Focus mode hides UI chrome and shows only the essential scoring interface — useful for low-distraction environments.

Duration and Latency recording

Duration and latency recording use similar session control but differ on scoring. Note: focus mode and the shortcuts overlay (Cmd+/) are not available on this screen.

Session control

Action	Shortcut
Start / pause / resume	Space
End session	Cmd+E

Scoring

Action	Shortcut
Duration: toggle timing for behavior 1–9	1 – 9
Latency: record response for current trial	1 – 9
Latency: start trial	Enter
Latency: no response	N
Latency: cancel trial	Escape
Undo	Cmd+Z

Overlays

Action	Shortcut
Show behavior definitions	?
Add observation note	O

Narrative recording

Narrative recording uses a text editor to capture free-form notes and behavior descriptions.

Session control

Action	Shortcut
Start / pause / resume	Space
End session	Cmd+E

Overlays and UI

Action	Shortcut
Show shortcuts overlay	Cmd+/
Show behavior definitions	?
Toggle zen mode	Cmd+Shift+F

Zen mode provides a minimal, distraction-free editor view.

Editor

Action	Shortcut
Accept quick phrase completion	Tab

See Hashtags and Quick Phrases for how quick phrase ghost-text works.

ABC recording

ABC recording has two layers of keyboard interaction: main screen controls and event entry shortcuts.

Main screen (session control and activity)

Action	Shortcut
Start / pause / resume	Space
End session	Cmd+E
Show shortcuts overlay	Cmd+/
Show behavior definitions	?
Toggle zen mode	Cmd+Shift+F

Event entry (ABC scoring panel)

When an ABC entry is in progress (antecedent–behavior–consequence panel is open), these shortcuts operate on the entry itself.

Action	Shortcut
Start new entry	N (only when no entry in progress)
Duplicate last entry	Shift+N
Move to next column	Tab
Move to previous column	Shift+Tab
Select tag 1–9 in A or C column	1 – 9
Select behavior 1–9 in B column	1 – 9
Advance to next column or commit	Enter
Commit entry from any column	Cmd+Enter

To cancel an entry in progress, click the Cancel button in the panel.

Activity selection

When activity context is enabled (available on interval, frequency, and ABC recording), use these shortcuts to select and toggle activity.

Activity	Shortcut
Large group instruction	Shift+1
Small group work	Shift+2
Independent work	Shift+3
Unstructured time	Shift+4
Transition	Shift+5
Other (custom label picker)	Shift+6

Press the same activity shortcut again to clear the current activity selection.

Results screen

Action	Shortcut
Export PDF	Cmd+P
Export CSV	Cmd+Shift+C
Start new observation	Cmd+N
Show shortcuts overlay	Cmd+/

Write-Up Workspace

The write-up workspace includes an evidence rail for citations and an editor for composing your observation summary. See Write-Up Workspace for a detailed guide to editing and citing.

Evidence rail and citation

Action	Shortcut
Toggle evidence rail open / closed	Cmd+\ (Mac) / Ctrl+\ (Windows/Linux)
Insert single citation	Click a rail item
Add to multi-select	Shift+click or Cmd+click a rail item
Batch-cite all selected items	Cmd+Enter
Clear multi-select	Escape

Editor

Action	Shortcut
Open slash command menu	/
Navigate and insert from menu	Arrow keys + Enter

Standard formatting modifiers and Tab work via the editor’s default bindings.

Assigning custom behavior keys

By default, behaviors are assigned keys 1, 2, 3, and so on in the order they appear on the Setup screen.

To assign a custom key to a behavior:

1. Open the Setup screen for a new or existing session.
2. Tap the key badge next to a behavior.
3. Press the key you want to assign.

Any letter or number key is available for assignment. Avoid reserved keys (see below).

Reserved keys

These keys cannot be assigned to behaviors because they control core session and editor functions:

Key(s)	Reserved for
Space	Start / pause / resume during recording
?	Behavior definitions overlay during recording
O	Observation note input during recording (interval, frequency, duration, latency, ABC)
Cmd+ any key	System shortcuts (undo, end session, export, etc.)
Enter, N	Latency recording: trial control
Tab	ABC event entry: column navigation; Narrative: quick phrase acceptance
Escape	Latency: cancel trial; Interval/Frequency: return to current interval

Other keys are available for custom behavior assignment on a per-session basis.