Oolite Keyboard Controls

Default Key Assignments

Key assignments are stored in the file keyconfig.plist. This file, by default, is in the following location:

• Linux: /usr/lib/GNUstep/Applications/oolite.app/Resources/Config/keyconfig.plist
• Windows: C:\Oolite\oolite.app\Resources\Config\keyconfig.plist - (was C:\Program Files\Oolite\... before 1.73.x)
• Mac OS-X: In “Extras” folder, or in Oolite.app/Contents/Resources/Config/keyconfig.plist

++Please Note: All characters in capitals are shift + character, i.e. R = shift + r.++

++Additional: the column labelled BBC, refers to the alternate BBC keyboard controls.++

Flight Controls

Action	Keyconfig Entry	Key	Keycode (Dec)	Keycode (Hex)	BBC Key	Notes
Roll Left	key_roll_left	Left arrow	253	FD	,	<
Roll Right	key_roll_right	Right arrow	252	FC	.	>
Pitch Forward	key_pitch_forward	Up arrow	255	FF	s
Pitch Back	key_pitch_back	Down arrow	254	FE	x
Yaw Left	key_yaw_left	,	44	2C	Left arrow
Yaw Right	key_yaw_right	.	46	2E	Right arrow
Increase Speed	key_increase_speed	w	119	77	Space
Inject Fuel	key_inject_fuel	i	105	69	i
Decrease Speed	key_decrease_speed	s	115	73	/
Activate Ident System	key_ident_system	r	114	72	r
Deactivate Ident system	key_untarget_missile	u	117	75	u	NB: This is the same action as "Deactivate Missile-targeting system"
Launch Escape Pod	key_launch_escapepod	Esc	27	1B	Esc	Requires an Escape Pod to be fitted
Jumpdrive	key_jumpdrive	j	106	6A	j	Cannot activate when close to planets or ships
Hyperspace	key_hyperspace	h	104	68	h	Requires a hyperspace-capable ship
Galactic Hyperspace	key_galactic_hyperspace	g	103	67	g	Must have a Galactic Hyperdrive fitted.
Ask for docking clearance	key_docking_clearance_request	L	76	4C	L	The targeted station will give you clearance (or not). Carriers might stop when giving clearance.
Autopilot	key_autopilot	c	99	63	c	Requires Docking Computer. Slow-docking.
Autodock	key_autodock	C	68	44	C	Requires Docking Computer. Instant-docking.

Combat Controls

Action	Keyconfig Entry	Key	Keycode (Dec)	Keycode (Hex)	BBC Key	Notes
Toggle Weapons On/Off	key_weapons_online_toggle	_	95	5f	_
Fire Lasers	key_fire_lasers	a	97	61	a
Activate Missile-targeting system	key_target_missile	t	116	74	t
Deactivate Missile-targeting system	key_untarget_missile	u	117	75	u
Launch Missile	key_launch_missile	m	109	6D	m
Next Missile	key_next_missile	y	121	79	y	Multi-Targeting System required in Oolite versions before 1.74
Cycle forward between targets	key_next_target	+	43	2B	+	Target System Memory Upgrade required
Cycle backward between targets	key_previous_target	-	45	2D	-	Target System Memory Upgrade required
Activate ECM	key_ecm	e	101	65	e	ECM System required
Target nearest incoming missile	key_target_incoming_missile	T	84	54	e
Energy Bomb	key_energy_bomb	Tab ("\t")	9	09	Tab	Energy Bomb required
Toggle cloaking device	key_cloaking_device	0	48	30	0	Cloaking Device required

In-Flight Controls

Action	Keyconfig Entry	Key	Keycode (Dec)	Keycode (Hex)	BBC Key	Notes
Dump Cargo	key_dump_cargo	d	100	64	d
Cycle cargo to dump	key_rotate_cargo	R	82	52	R
Prime optional equipment	key_prime_equipment	N	78	4e	N	From Oolite v1.76. Requires OXP-installed equipment (not in core game)
Activate optional equipment	key_activate_equipment	n	110	6e	N	From Oolite v1.76. Requires OXP-installed equipment (not in core game)
Scanner Zoom	key_scanner_zoom	z	122	7A	z
Reset Scanner Zoom	key_scanner_unzoom	Z	90	5A	Z
Next Compass Target	key_next_compass_mode	\ or #	92	5C	\
Previous Compass Target	key_prev_compass_mode	|	124	7C	|	Oolite V1.77 or later
Comms Log	key_comms_log	`	96	60	`

Map Controls

Action	Keyconfig Entry	Key	Keycode (Dec)	Keycode (Hex)	BBC Key	Notes
Advanced Navigational Array	key_advanced_nav_array	^	94	5E	^	In Galactic-Chart Mode: Hold down to activate, release to deactivate
Map Home	key_map_home	Home or ↖	302	12E	O	In Galactic-Chart Mode: Selects your current system
Map Info	key_map_info	i	105	69	i	In Galactic-Chart Mode: Additional system information while held down

Misc. Controls

Action	Keyconfig Entry	Key	Keycode (Dec)	Keycode (Hex)	BBC Key	Notes
Docking Music Toggle	key_docking_music	s	115	73	q	Only if Docking Computer fitted!
Cycle through external views	key_custom_view	v	118	76	v
Take a Snapshot	key_snapshot	* (shift+8)	42	2A	* (shift+8)	Written to $HOME/oolite-saves
Toggle Hud	key_hud_toggle	o	111	6F	o	Oolite 1.76 or later (replaces fixed debug key). Useful for screen dumps.
Pause Game	key_pause	p	112	70	p
Toggle Mouse Control	key_mouse_control	M	77	4D	M	When activated, the mouse becomes a virtual joystick (in full screen mode only). The left mouse button fires and the right re-centres your ship.
Display Frame Rate	key_show_fps	F	70	46	F	Displays frame rate, object- and collision-counter and player's pwm-coordinates. (Only available in test releases.)
Dump Target State	key_dump_target_state	H	72	48	H	Writes a detailed dump of your current target to the logfile. If no target is chosen, the player's state will be dumped. (Only available in test releases.)

Old Table

Action	keyconfig entry	Key	Keycode (Dec)	Keycode (Hex)	BBC Key	Notes
Roll Left	Left arrow	253	FD	,	<
Roll Right	Right arrow	252	FC	.	>
Pitch Forward	Up arrow	255	FF	s
Pitch Back	Down arrow	254	FE	x
Yaw Left	,	44	2C	Left arrow
Yaw Right	.	46	2E	Right arrow
Increase Speed	w	119	77	Space
Inject Fuel	i	105	69	i	Requires Fuel Injectors
Decrease Speed	s	115	73	/
Toggle Weapons On/Off	_	95	5f	_
Fire Lasers	a	97	61	a
Activate Missile-targeting system	t	116	74	t
Deactivate Missile-targeting system	u	117	75	u
Launch Missile	m	109	6D	m
Next Missile	y	121	79	y	Multi-Targeting System required in Oolite versions before 1.74
Activate Ident System	r	114	72	r
Cycle forward between targets	+	43	2B	+	Target System Memory Upgrade required
Cycle backward between targets	-	45	2D	-	Target System Memory Upgrade required
Activate ECM	e	101	65	e
Target nearest incoming missile	T	84	54	e
Launch Escape Pod	Esc	27	1B	Esc
Energy Bomb	Tab	9	09	Tab
Energy Bomb (On the Mac)	Tab	"\t"	09	Tab
Prime optional equipment	N	78	4e	N	Requires OXP-installed equipment (not in core game)
Activate optional equipment	n	110	6e	N	Requires OXP-installed equipment (not in core game)
Galactic Hyperspace	g	103	67	g
Advanced Navigational Array	^	94	5E	^	Hold down to activate, release to deactivate
Hyperspace	h	104	68	h
Jumpdrive	j	106	6A	j
Dump Cargo	d	100	64	d
Cycle cargo to dump	R	82	52	R
Autopilot	c	99	63	c	Only if Docking Computer fitted!
Autodock	C	68	44	C	Only if Docking Computer fitted!
Take a Snapshot	* (shift+8)	42	2A	* (shift+8)	Written to $HOME/oolite-saves
Docking Music Toggle	s	115	73	q	Only if Docking Computer fitted!
Scanner Zoom	z	122	7A	z
Map Home	Home or ↖	302	12E	O	Selects your current system
Comms Log	`	96	60	`
Next Compass Mode	\ or #	92	5C	\
Display Frame Rate	F	70	46	F	Displays frame rate, object- and collision-counter and player's pwm-coordinates.
Cycle through external views	v	118	76	v
Pause Game	p	112	70	p
Toggle Mouse Control	M	77	4D	M	When activated, the mouse becomes a virtual joystick (in full screen mode only). The left mouse button fires and the right re-centres your ship.
Toggle Hud	o	111	6F	o	When activated, the hud toggles between hidden and visible. Useful for screen dumps. Will be added in the 1.76 release. Before it was a fixed debug key. (see 'Debugging Keys' below)
Ask for docking clearance	l	76	4C	l	The targeted station will give you clearance (or not). Carriers might stop when giving clearance.
Dump Target State	H	72	48	H	Writes a detailed dump of your current target to the logfile. If no target is chosen, the player's state will be dumped. (Only available in test releases.)

Debugging Keys

The following keys only work while you have paused the game by pressing p. Most of them will dump debug-messages to Oolite's logfile. This is highly useful for debugging OXPs or helping to debug Oolite.

Action	Key	Notes
Entity Dump	0 (zero)	Writes a list of all entities in your current system to the logfile. Useful e.g. to find out whether a certain ship exists.
Collision Debug	b	Enables collision test debugging.
Octree Debug	c	Enables octree debugging, which will print the line “DEBUG Octrees collide!” in the logfile whenever two objects collide.
Complete Debug	d	Enables all debug flags.
Shader Debug	s	Enables shader debug messages.
Entity Boxes	x	Enables drawing of bounding boxes around all entities in the game.
Planet Textures	t	Turns on the experimental on-the-fly generation of planet textures. Dock and launch or hyperjump to see the effect. This feature is still under development and may produce unintended results. Therefore it is disabled in Oolite 1.69.1.
Switch off HUD	o	Switches off the HUD.
End Debugging	n	Disables all debug flags and the textured planets. Switches the HUD back on.

Changing Key Assignments

If you want to change key assignments don't alter the default file. Instead copy keyconfig.plist into your local AddOns directory:

• Linux: ~/.Oolite/AddOns
• Windows (except Vista): C:\Program Files\Oolite\AddOns
• Windows Vista: C:\Oolite\AddOns
• Mac OS-X: ~/Library/Application Support/Oolite/AddOns

You can edit keyconfig.plist with any standard text editor. In Oolite 1.65 and earlier, keys are specified as key codes. You'll find a list of Linux keycodes here. Note that Oolite uses decimal values whereas most keycodes are expressed in hexadecimal. This can cause confusion. For example the comma key produces a keycode of 2C (hex) which translates to 44 (decimal), whereas keycode 44 (hex) refers to the uppercase "D" key, which is actually 68 (decimal)! (If you don't have a hex/decimal calculator handy try this table or this online converter.)

In current test releases, key assignments can be specified as text instead.

If you can't be bothered with manual editing try Keyconfig - a small helper for creating your personal keymapping for Oolite 1.76+.

Classic Elite keyboard controls

In the original BBC version, you could control your ship with the following controls: S and X to dive and climb; < and > (well "," and ".") to roll left and right; and A to fire the lasers.

Here are a couple of download links to grab the keyconfig.plist file that you need to change the keys.

• Classic Elite keyboard config hosted on Berlios.

• Classic Elite keyboard config alternative hosting on Box.com.

Download one of these files, put it into a Config folder, and put that in your AddOns folder.

Silly Keyboard Tricks

• Change key_launch_missile to 112. Now you'll need to hit "p" to launch a missile - which also pauses the game. You'll sometimes get a nice snapshot of the departing missile!