If you've been using our website builder software to build your website online, you'll no doubt have seen how powerful and easy to use our website builder is. We've worked really hard at making sure that the website builder interface stays out of your way and unanimously our users are thrilled with the results. Literally any element on the page can be moved anywhere, just by clicking on the element, holding the mouse button down and "dragging" the element where you want. Need to make an element taller or wider? Click on the element so you get the small white scale handles around it, and drag one of the handles in any direction. Want to delete an element you no longer need on the page? Click on the green menu icon on the top left corner of the element in question and click the "Delete" button. Page is ready for your public to view? Click the "Publish" button located prominently at the top of the website builder interface.

But using your mouse can get a little awkward sometimes, especially if you need to move an element to a very precise location on the screen. Wouldn't it be nice if you could move or resize an element pixel by pixel, or delete an element from the page with a single click? Once again, SiteGIDGET has the solution: your keyboard.

Example Usage:

• A website proprietor wants to increase productivity or accuracy by combining the keyboard with the standard mouse controls.

Getting Started: Open a page or Template for editing

These keyboard controls are specific to working inside the website builder software interface. You'll need to open a page ("Page Mode") or open a template ("Template Mode") to launch the website builder on that page.

The SiteGIDGET online website builder software supports many functions using the keyboard alone. They come in two classes: some functions only work if you click on an element first, and some functions work whether there's an active element or not.

Keyboard Controls  - Selected Element Only:

To select an element, move your mouse over it. If the element highlights with a colored border around it, this element is editable on the page you have open inside the website builder software interface. When you click on a highlighted element it will "glow" with a green or red border around it. Green bordered elements can be edited using the controls available in the website builder; red bordered ones are "locked" and will need to be unlocked first by clicking on the green menu icon at the top left of the element and clicking on the "Unlock Element" button in the menu dialog that pops up. Remember, if you've clicked anywhere else on the page, including the floating dialog at the right of the page, you'll need to click on a selectable element first to be able to use the controls from the below list:

• "Cursor" Keys:
  Click on the "left", "right", "up" or "down" arrows on your keyboard to "nudge" the element one pixel in the direction of the arrow. In the ruler at the top or the left of the website builder interface you'll see a number superimposed in the location of the element; this number will update itself when you use the cursor keys to nudge the element, just as it does when you drag the element with your mouse. In this way you can move an element rougly into place with your mouse, then use the keyboard to nudge the rest of the way.
   
• "Control" Key:
  Holding this key down while nudging with the cursor keys will "super nudge" the element ten pixels in the direction of the arrow, instead of a single pixel.
   
• "Alt" Key:
  Holding this key down while nudging with the cursor keys will resize the element instead of move it. The direction of the cursor key will be applied to the bottom right corner of the element. So if you hold the Alt key and nudge to the left, it will make it one pixel narrower, from the right. Note that both the Control and the Alt key can be held down in combination with the cursor keys, which will "super-resize" the element.
   
• "Delete" Key:
  Pressing the Delete key on your keyboard with an element selected in the website builder will act the same as clicking on the element menu icon and hitting the "Delete Element" button there.

Keyboard Controls - No Element Selection Needed:

Currently there's only one keyboard control you can use globally on the page:

• "Control + S" Keys:
  This will pop up the "Publishing" dialog, just as if you had clicked the "Publish" button at the top of the interface.

Keyboard controls help maximize the efficiency of using the website builder software interface while building your website online. We'll be adding more keyboard controls as we continue to expand and enhance the website builder software!