Command Panel¶

The command panel is located at the bottom of the VektorCAD editor. It provides a command-line interface (CUI) for precise control over drawing operations. Every command available in the toolbar can also be executed by typing its name here.

Two ways to work

VektorCAD supports both GUI (click toolbar buttons) and CUI (type commands). You can mix both freely — use whichever is faster for the task at hand.

Panel Layout¶

The command panel contains the following elements from left to right:

Element	Description
History toggle (▲/▼)	Expand or collapse the command history log
Prompt text	Current command prompt (e.g., `Specify next point`)
Keywords	Clickable keyword links shown in brackets (e.g., `[Arc] [Close] [Undo]`)
Input field	Where you type commands, coordinates, and values
Keyboard button	Toggle the virtual keyboard
Enter button (✓)	Confirm the current input (same as pressing Enter)
Cancel button (✕)	Cancel the active command (same as pressing Escape)

Executing Commands¶

Click on the input field or press any key to activate it
Type a command name and press Enter
Follow the prompts — the panel will ask for required inputs (points, distances, etc.)
Press Enter to confirm, or Esc to cancel

Command: line
Specify first point: 0,0
Specify next point: @100,0
Specify next point: @0,50
Specify next point: (Enter to finish)

Command Autocomplete¶

As you type a command name, an autocomplete dropdown appears with matching suggestions:

Use Up / Down to highlight a suggestion
Press Tab to accept the highlighted suggestion (or the only match)
Click a suggestion to select it
Continue typing to narrow the list

Repeat Last Command¶

Press Enter on an empty command line to instantly repeat the last command — useful for placing multiple copies or drawing repeated geometry.

Transparent Commands¶

While a command is active, you can run a secondary command by prefixing it with ' (single quote):

Specify next point: 'zoom       → runs zoom, then returns to the active command

Clickable Keywords¶

When a command prompt includes keywords (options), they appear as clickable links in square brackets next to the prompt:

Specify next point [Arc / Close / Undo]:

Click any keyword to select that option instantly
Or type the keyword name in the input field and press Enter

Keywords change dynamically based on the current command state and the number of points entered.

Enter & Cancel Buttons¶

The Enter (✓) and Cancel (✕) buttons are located to the right of the input field. They are especially useful on touch devices:

Button	Action	Keyboard equivalent
✓ Enter	Confirm input / execute command / accept default	`Enter`
✕ Cancel	Cancel the active command and clear selection	`Esc`

Touch workflow

On iPad and tablets, tap the Enter button to confirm each input step. Tap Cancel to abort a command without needing a physical keyboard.

Command History¶

History Log¶

The expandable history log sits above the input line and shows all executed commands, inputs, and messages in sequence.

Click the ▲/▼ toggle button (top-left) to expand or collapse the log
The log auto-scrolls to show the latest entry
Useful for reviewing what inputs led to a result

Press Up / Down in the input field to scroll through previously typed inputs:

Key	Action
`Up`	Recall the previous input (most recent first)
`Down`	Move forward through history, or restore your current input

Note

Command history is maintained for the current session. It resets when the drawing is closed or reloaded.

Virtual Keyboard¶

Click the keyboard icon (⌨) to the right of the input field to toggle the virtual keyboard. The keyboard is draggable — grab the handle (⋮⋮) to reposition it anywhere on screen.

Keyboard Layouts¶

The virtual keyboard has three layouts, switchable via the header buttons:

123 — Number Layout (Default)¶

Optimized for coordinate and distance input:

Row	Keys
1	`7` `8` `9` `-`
2	`4` `5` `6` `.`
3	`1` `2` `3` `,`
4	`0` `@` `<` `Tab`
5	`Esc` `Bksp` `Enter`

Includes @ for relative coordinates, < for polar angles, and , for coordinate separators.

ABC — Text Layout¶

Full QWERTY layout for typing command names, keywords, and text input:

Shift key toggles uppercase/lowercase
Includes @, <, Space, ., Enter, and Bksp
Automatically activates when the command expects text or keyword input

fx — Calculator Layout¶

A scientific calculator for computing values before entering them:

Category	Keys
Trig	`sin` `cos` `tan`
Functions	`sqrt` `log` `ln`
Constants	`pi` `e`
Operators	`+` `-` `*` `/` `^` `%`
Controls	`C` (clear) `=` (evaluate) `Enter` (send result to input)

Type an expression (e.g., sqrt(2)*50) and press = to evaluate
Live preview shows the result as you type
Press the Enter (↵) key on the calculator to send the computed result directly to the command input

When to use the calculator

Use the calculator to compute distances, angles, or offsets on the fly — for example, sin(30)*100 for a projected length, or 360/8 for equal angular spacing.

Coordinate Input¶

VektorCAD supports three types of coordinate input for precise point placement:

Type	Format	Example	Meaning
Absolute	`x,y`	`100,50`	Point at X=100, Y=50 from the origin
Relative	`@x,y`	`@20,0`	20 units in X from the last point
Polar	`@distance<angle`	`@50<30`	50 units at 30° from the last point

Specify next point: 200,100       → absolute point
Specify next point: @50,0         → 50 units to the right
Specify next point: @30<45        → 30 units at 45 degrees

Coordinate input works everywhere

Any time VektorCAD prompts for a point, you can type coordinates instead of clicking on the sheet. This is essential for precision drafting.

Learn more: Point Input | Distance Input | Angle Input

Keyboard Shortcuts¶

Command Panel Keys¶

Key	Action
`Enter`	Execute command / confirm input / repeat last command
`Esc`	Cancel the active command and clear selection
`Up`	Previous input from history (or navigate autocomplete)
`Down`	Next input from history (or navigate autocomplete)
`Tab`	Accept autocomplete suggestion
`Del` / `Backspace`	Erase selected entities (when no command is active)

Function Keys¶

Key	Action
`F2`	Toggle Ortho mode
`F3`	Toggle Object Snap (Osnap)
`F4`	Toggle Object Tracking (Otrack)
`F5`	Toggle Isometric Plane
`F9`	Toggle Snap to Grid
`F10`	Toggle Grid display

Ctrl Shortcuts¶

Key	Action
`Ctrl`+`Z`	Undo
`Ctrl`+`Y`	Redo
`Ctrl`+`S`	Save
`Ctrl`+`C`	Copy selected entities to clipboard
`Ctrl`+`X`	Cut selected entities to clipboard
`Ctrl`+`V`	Paste from clipboard

Common Commands Reference¶

Command	Description
`line`	Draw line segments
`pline`	Draw polyline (line + arc segments)
`circle`	Draw a circle
`arc`	Draw an arc
`trim`	Trim entities at boundaries
`fillet`	Round corners
`chamfer`	Bevel corners
`offset`	Create parallel copies
`copy`	Duplicate entities
`move`	Relocate entities
`erase`	Delete entities
`dimlin`	Linear dimension
`leader`	Annotation leader
`undo`	Undo last action
`redo`	Redo last undone action
`zoom`	Change view magnification
`pan`	Move the view

For the full list of commands, see the Toolbar Reference.