Controls

This section describes the controls of Gaia Sky.

Keyboard controls

To check the most up-to-date controls go to the Controls tab in the preferences window. Here are the default keyboard controls depending on the current camera mode. Learn more about camera modes in the Camera modes section.

Focus and free camera modes

These keyboard controls apply to the focus mode and also to the free mode.

Key(s)	Action
ARROW_UP	Camera forward
ARROW_DOWN	Camera backward
ARROW_RIGHT	Rotate/yaw right
ARROW_LEFT	Rotate/yaw left
HOME	Back to Earth
TAB	Toggle minimap
NUMPAD_0 or 0	Free camera
NUMPAD_1 or 1	Focus camera
NUMPAD_2 or 2	Gaia scene camera
NUMPAD_3 or 3	Spacecraft mode
NUMPAD_4 or 4	Gaia FoV 1 camera
NUMPAD_5 or 5	Gaia FoV 2 camera
NUMPAD_6 or 6	Gaia FoV 1 and 2 camera
L-CTRL + 3	360 mode
L-CTRL + L-SHIFT + UP	Increase star point size
L-CTRL + L-SHIFT + DOWN	Decrease star point size
SPACE	Toggle simulation play/pause
F1	Help dialog
F5	Take screenshot
F6	Start/stop frame output mode
F11	Toggle fullscreen/windowed mode
L-CTRL + f or f	Search dialog
ESCAPE or q	Quit application
p	Open preferences dialog
h	Open help dialog
r	Run script dialog
c	Run camera path file dialog
-	Decrease limiting magnitude
+	Increase limiting magnitude
,	Divide time warp by two
.	Double time warp
*	Reset limiting magnitude
L-SHIFT + b	Toggle constellation boundaries
L-SHIFT + c	Toggle constellation lines
L-SHIFT + e	Toggle ecliptic grid
L-SHIFT + g	Toggle galactic grid
L-SHIFT + l	Toggle labels
L-SHIFT + m	Toggle moons
L-SHIFT + o	Toggle orbits
L-SHIFT + p	Toggle planets
L-SHIFT + q	Toggle equatorial grid
L-SHIFT + s	Toggle stars
L-SHIFT + t	Toggle satellites
L-SHIFT + v	Toggle star clusters
L-SHIFT + h	Toggle meshes
L-SHIFT + u	Expand/collapse controls window
L-CTRL + u	Toggle UI completely (hide/show user interface)
L-CTRL + d	Toggle debug info
L-CTRL + s	Toggle stereoscopic mode
L-CTRL + L-SHIFT + s	Switch between stereoscopic profiles
L-CTRL + K	Toggle 360 panorama mode
L-CTRL + L-SHIFT + k	Switch between 360 projections
L-CTRL + L-SHIFT + g	Toggle galaxy renderer

Spacecraft mode

These controls apply only to the spacecraft mode.

Key(s)	Action
w	Apply forward thrust
s	Apply backward thrust
a	Roll to the left
d	Roll to the right
k	Stop spaceship automatically
l	Stabilize spaceship automatically
ARROW_UP	Decrease pitch angle
ARROW_DOWN	Increase pitch angle
ARROW_LEFT	Increase yaw angle
ARROW_RIGHT	Decrease yaw angle
PAGE_UP	Increase engine power by a factor of 10
PAGE_DOWN	Decrease engine power by a factor of 10

Mouse controls

Here are the default mouse controls for the focus and free Camera modes. The other modes do not have mouse controls.

Focus mode

Mouse + keys	Action
L-MOUSE DOUBLE CLICK	Select focus object
L-MOUSE SINGLE CLICK	Stop all rotation and translation movement
L-MOUSE + DRAG	Apply rotation around focus
L-MOUSE + L-SHIFT + DRAG	Camera roll
R-MOUSE + DRAG	Pan view freely from focus
M-MOUSE + DRAG or WHEEL	Move towards/away from focus

Free mode

Mouse + keys	Action
L-MOUSE DOUBLE CLICK	Select object as focus (changes to focus mode)
L-MOUSE SINGLE CLICK	Stop all rotation and translation movement
L-MOUSE + DRAG	Pan view
L-MOUSE + L-SHIFT + DRAG	Camera roll
M-MOUSE + DRAG or WHEEL	Forward/backward movement

Gamepad controls

Gaia Sky supports (as of version 1.5.0) mappings for different controller types. However, so far only the mappings files for the Xbox 360 controller and the PS3 controller are provided.

Sometimes there are differences between the axes and buttons codes for the same controller device between operating systems. To solve this issue, we offer a way to describe operating system specific mappings. To do so, create a new mappings file with the format [controller_name].[os_family].controller, where os_family is linux, win, macos, unix or solaris. If the mappings for the given file name and OS family are found, they will be used. Otherwise, the file defined in the configuration file is used. For example, if we have the file xbox360.controller is defined in the configuration file, the system will look up xbox360.win.controller if on Windows, xbox360.linux.controller if on Linux, and so on. If found, the file is used. Otherwise, the default xbox360.controller file is used. Gaia Sky provides the default xbox360.controller file, which defines the Linux mappings, and also the Windows mappings xbox360.win.controller.

The mappings files (see here) must be in the $GS_INSTALL_LOCATION/mappings or in the $HOME/.gaiasky/mappings folder, and basically assign the button and axis codes for the particular controller to the actions.

# AXES

axis.roll=3
axis.pitch=1
axis.yaw=0
axis.move=4
axis.velocityup=5
axis.velocitydown=2

# BUTTONS

button.velocityup=2
button.velocitydown=0
button.velocitytenth=5
button.velocityhalf=4

The actions depend on the current camera mode (focus, free, spacecraft), and are described below.

Creating mappings files for new controllers

As of version 1.5.1 a new controller debug mode has been added to help create new mappings files. This mode prints to the log all key press and release events with their respective key codes, as well as trigger events, values and codes. It also prints controller connection and disconnection events.

In order to enable the controller debug mode, set the property controls.debugmode=true in the $HOME/.gaiasky/global.properties file.

Put your new files in $GS_INSTALL_LOCATION/mappings/ or $HOME/.gaiasky/mappings/. The name of the file should be [controller brand and model].mappings. For example, xboxone.mappings or logitech_f310.mappings.

Please, if you create mappings files for new game controllers, create a pull request in the gaiasky gitlab so that the community can benefit.

Focus mode

Xbox 360 controller in focus mode

Property	Action
button.velocityhalf	Hold to apply 0.5 factor to speed
button.velocitytenth	Hold to apply 0.1 factor to speed
axis.velocitydown	Move away from focus
axis.velocityup	Move towards focus
axis.yaw	Horizontal rotation around focus
axis.pitch	Vertical rotation around focus
axis.roll	Roll right and left
axis.move	Move towards or away from focus
button.velocityup	Move towards focus
button.velocitydown	Move away from focus

Free camera mode

Axis/button	Action
button.velocityhalf	Hold to apply 0.5 factor to speed
button.velocitytenth	Hold to apply 0.1 factor to speed
axis.velocitydown	Move away from focus
axis.velocityup	Move towards focus
axis.yaw	Yaw right and left
axis.pitch	Pitch up and down
axis.roll	Move sideways
axis.move	Move forward and backward
button.velocityup	Move towards focus
button.velocitydown	Move away from focus

Spacecraft mode

Axis/button	Action
button.velocityhalf	Stabilise spacecraft rotations
button.velocitytenth	Stop spacecraft
axis.velocitydown	Apply backward thrust
axis.velocityup	Apply forward thrust
axis.yaw	Yaw right and left
axis.pitch	Pitch up and down
axis.roll	Roll right and left
axis.move	None
button.velocityup	Increase engine power
button.velocitydown	Decrease engine power

Touch controls

No mobile version yet.