How to control OpenTZT

The the main method to control openTZT is by keyboard. It's also the only method that provides all (except for clip scratching and BPM dragging) functionality. So openTZT is basically a keyboard controlled program. It is recommended to use a full 101 keys keyboard since the num pad plays a major part in using the effects. Laptop users who have problems with the slightly different keyboard layout should try the keyboard_lang=ENG_LAPTOP option in the tzt.ini (read section "Configuration" for further details).

For better and easier work with openTZT, you should get a grasp of it's basic idea of using the keyboard to control a video performance. You should think of the keyboard as the keys of a piano, then your performance becomes a real performance. You "play" openTZT like a music instrument. But it's a lot easier to learn than a music instrument.

The main idea is to have groups of keys for different functions, like the letter keys basically for choosing clips and effects, the number keys for parameters and speed and the function keys to select a palette of clips, effects or presets. With the control keys (Shift, Ctrl, Alt) you tell openTZT which function you actually want to use.
Now check the table below, you can see that the most effects stuff is in colums Left CTRL and Right CTRL. There are other interesting things to find in this table.

Hinweis für deutsprachige Anwender: Um openTZT mit einer QWERTZ Tastatur vernünftig bedienen zu können, sollte die Option keyboard_lang in der tzt.ini auf keyboard_lang=GER gesetzt werden.

The following table shows the combination of standard keys (ABCDE ... 1234 ... F1 F2 F3 ...) with the openTZT control keys (Ctrl, Shift, Alt). If there are more than one key listed in one of the blocks in the left column, this means the whole range of keys is used for that particular function (like 1 to 9 for nine different playback speeds)

Download a detailed keyboard map (keys.pdf).

	Single Key	Left SHIFT	Left CTRL	Left ALT	Right ALT	Right CTRL	Right SHIFT	Arrow UP
Q W E R T Z A S D F G H Y X C V B N	load clips							load layer efx
			load left efx			load right efx
A				start/stop APP
Q W E R T				start/stop APP & set loopmode
U I O P [ ] J	set overlay mode mode 1 .. 7	overlay mode mode 8 .. 14					overlay mode mode 8 .. 14
M , . /	layer transition	transition speed
` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 - =	alpha value		value 1 left efx			value 1 right efx		value 1 layer efx
		value 2 left efx				value 2 right efx
							value 2 layer efx
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9		set reverse speed					set forward speed
0							toggle BPM sync
1				loop mode
2				ping-pong mode
3				one shot mode
#	swap clips	swap clips & efx					swap clips & efx
F1 – F9	material page	preset page	efx page			efx page	preset page
		change all banks				change all banks
F10	material bank	preset bank	efx bank
F12	toggle output recording
Arrow keys (left,down,right)	select player
ESC	change play layer temporary
BACKSPACE	hide clip	reverse play direction	hide left efx			hide right efx	reverse play direction
TAB	change edit layer
ENTER	pause/play clip	retrigger clip
SPACE	change play layer		apply last used layer transition
Numpad 0 – 9	apply temp efx	save preset	load preset	toggle APP selection
Numpad /	prev. temp efx page
Numpad *	next temp efx page
INS	resync bpm
HOME	teach bpm (press 5x)

This table shows the english keyboard settings only. For german mapping download the keys.pdf (see above).

The following sections will show the keyboard assignments like this: A B LShift+4
This means a feature uses a group of keys consisting of the "A" for one function, the "B" for another function and the left "Shift" and "4" pressed together for a third function. In case of Shift (no leading L or R), both Shift keys can be used for this shortcut. Some features also use three keys pressed together. (LCtrl+LShift+4 sets value 2 of the left effect)

Even though many funtions can used by mouse, there are some major functions that cannot controlled by mouse (e.g. activating multiple players). On the other hand, some functions can controlled solely by mouse like clip scratching or BPM dragging.

It's also possible that using the mouse slow's down the program a little (only after clicking) since the calculation where a mouse click has occured is more complex than recognizing the key that has been pressed.