Documentation/4.0/SlicerApplication/MouseandKeyboardShortcuts

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Mouse Operations

Below is basic information about how to use the three-, two-, and one-button mouse (or trackpad) on Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms to perform basic interaction operations in Slicer:

Window & Level

Left-clicking and dragging the mouse in any Slice viewer is a quick way to adjust Window and Level.

• Adjust the middle value (level) of the greyscale window by moving the mouse up (increase level) or down (decrease level), and adjust the greyscale window size by moving the mouse to the left (decrease window size) or right (increase window size).
• Slicer's Volumes Module provides a "Display" interface for more precise adjustments.

Cross Reference

Holding down the Shift-Key while moving the mouse in any Slice Viewer will cause other Slice Viewers to interactively scroll to the same RAS position indexed by the mouse. This feature is useful when inspecting and can be combined with cross-hairs (icon)

Zoom In & Out

Win, Mac, Linux in either Slice or 3D Viewers

• 3-Button Mouse: Right-Click & drag
• 2-Button Mouse: Right-Click & drag
• 1-Button Mouse: Ctrl+Left-Click & drag

Pan (Translate) in Slice & 3D Viewers

Win, Mac, Linux

• 3-Button Mouse: Middle-Click & drag
• 2-Button Mouse: Shift+Left-Click & drag
• 1-Button Mouse: Shift+Left-Click & drag

Rotate in 3D Viewers

Win, Mac, Linux

• 3-Button Mouse: Left-click & drag
• 2-Button Mouse: Left-click & drag
• 1-Button Mouse: Left-click & drag

Selecting & Manipulating on All Platforms

Mousing over any "pickable" object in any of Slicer's viewers will cause the cursor to change from a "pointer" into a "picking hand". When the cursor shows a picking hand, left-clicking and dragging the mouse will pick and manipulate the object. Releasing the mouse button will de-select the object.

Mouse Modes

Slicer has two mouse modes: Transform (which allows interactive rotate, translate and zoom operations), and Place (which permits objects to be interactively placed). The toolbar icons that switch between these mouse modes are shown from left to right above, respectively.

• Transform mode is the default interaction mode. By default, Place mode persists for one "place" operation after the Place Mode icon is selected, and then the mode switches modes back to Transform. Place mode can be made persistent (useful for creating multiple fiducial points, rulers, etc.) by checking the Persistent checkbox.
• Place Fiducial is the default place option as shown above; options to place both Ruler and Region Of Interest (ROI) Widgets are available in the Place Mode menu as well.