Oolite Keyboard Controls

Keyconfig's Virtual Keyboard
(for easily changing one or two key settings)

Non-English language Keyboards

• See the BB discussion here.
• Keyconfig.plist for French AZERTY keyboard (Gracieuseté du Monsieur le Commandant STyx).
• Keyconfig.plist for German QWERTZ Linux keyboard (Mit reichlichem Gruß an Kommandant Freiherr von Tsoj, 2021).
• Keyconfig.plist for German QWERTZ Linux keyboard (Genugtuung an den wundersamen und illustren Kommandanten Slartibartfast, 2021). This might work for Windows, too.
• Keyconfig.plist for Latin American (Gracias al Supremo, Serendipitoso y Sereno El Señor Comandante Reval).

Galcop Health Warning for non-English Linux Keyboards

Problems with non-English Linux keyboard layouts have been known for ages and are not so much an Oolite issue, rather than an SDL 1.2.x one. All keyboards are treated as if they were US layout and one finds quite a few projects using SDL that have similar inconveniences.

Using SDL 1.2.x's unicode inputs seems to help, but unfortunately unicode inputs recognize only keydown events and not keyup ones. Getting this to work properly may not be impossible, but it is not straightforward either. See here.

German Linux is listed above

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 anticlockwise.
Roll Right	key_roll_right	Right arrow	252	FC	.	Roll clockwise.
Pitch Forward	key_pitch_forward	Up arrow	255	FF	s	Pitch down (dive).
Pitch Back	key_pitch_back	Down arrow	254	FE	x	Pitch up (climb).
Yaw Left	key_yaw_left	,	44	2C	Left arrow	Yaw (turn) left.
Yaw Right	key_yaw_right	.	46	2E	Right arrow	Yaw (turn) right.
Increase Speed	key_increase_speed	w	119	77	Space	Speed increase.
Inject Fuel	key_inject_fuel	i	105	69	i	Witchspace Fuel Injectors. Only available when equipment installed.
Decrease Speed	key_decrease_speed	s	115	73	/	Speed decrease.
Activate Ident System	key_ident_system	r	114	72	r	Activate Ident System.
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	_	Toggle weapon lockdown (laser and turrets).
Fire Lasers	key_fire_lasers	a	97	61	a	Fire laser in current view (if installed).
Activate Missile-targeting system	key_target_missile	t	116	74	t	Activate Missile-targeting system.
Deactivate Missile-targeting system	key_untarget_missile	u	117	75	u	Deactivate Missile-targeting system.
Launch Missile	key_launch_missile	m	109	6D	m	Launch Missile or Mine.
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. (Strict mode only from v1.77 on.)
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).
Activate optional equipment secondary function	key_mode_equipment	b	98	62	b	From Oolite v1.77. 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 (F6 screen)

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	Toggles between names & additional system information (economy/government/TL).
Cycle Map Highlight	(?)	?	(?)	(?)		Toggles colour of systems (sun colour/economy/government/TL).

Market Controls (F8 screen)

Action	Keyconfig Entry	Key	Keycode (Dec)	Keycode (Hex)	BBC Key	Notes
Buy/sell maximum amount	?	Enter or Return	?	?	?	Once item is selected: buys/sells maximum and then sells/buys on second press
Sort market goods	?	/	?	?		Toggles between default sort/alphabetical/price/quantity for sale/quantity in hold/unit mass
Filter market goods	Select market goods	?	(?)	(?)		Toggles between all goods/carried or in stock/carried/in stock/'legal'/'illegal'.

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_pausebutton	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.)

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, create a 'Config' folder in your local AddOns folder, and copy keyconfig.plist into it, then edit the copy:

• 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+.

Numeric Keypads

Oolite does not make use of the numeric keypad. This ensures the game is playable on laptops. However, since some players may wish to make use of it, here are the keycodes for all the numeric pad keys.

Key Name	Keycode (Dec)	Keycode (Hex)	Suggested keyconfig.plist usage
gvArrowKeyRight	252	FC	252; // gvArrowKeyRight
gvArrowKeyLeft	253	FD	253; // gvArrowKeyLeft
gvArrowKeyDown	254	FE	254; // gvArrowKeyDown
gvArrowKeyUp	255	FF	255; // gvArrowKeyUp
gvHomeKey	303	12F	303; // gvHomeKey
gvEndKey	304	130	304; // gvEndKey
gvInsertKey	305	131	305; // gvInsertKey
gvDeleteKey	306	132	306; // gvDeleteKey
gvPageUpKey	307	133	307; // gvPageUpKey
gvPageDownKey	308	134	308; // gvPageDownKey
gvNumberPadKey0	310	136	310; // gvNumberPadKey0
gvNumberPadKey1	311	137	311; // gvNumberPadKey1
gvNumberPadKey2	312	138	312; // gvNumberPadKey2
gvNumberPadKey3	313	139	313; // gvNumberPadKey3
gvNumberPadKey4	314	13A	314; // gvNumberPadKey4
gvNumberPadKey5	315	13B	315; // gvNumberPadKey5
gvNumberPadKey6	316	13C	316; // gvNumberPadKey6
gvNumberPadKey7	317	13D	317; // gvNumberPadKey7
gvNumberPadKey8	318	13E	318; // gvNumberPadKey8
gvNumberPadKey9	319	13F	319; // gvNumberPadKey9

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 is a download link to grab the keyconfig.plist file that you need to change the keys.

• Classic Elite keyboard config hosted on Box.com. Includes a Readme with installation Instructions and a list of the keys.

Download this file, put it into a Config folder, and put that in your AddOns folder.

OXPs

• Classic Elite keyboard config (just above!)
• Keyboard Cobra alters the effects of your roll/pitch/yaw keys to make your cobra more manoeuverable

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!