Set Key

set_key binds a Python function or PyMOL command to a key press. Such key binding customization is typically done with your pymolrc startup script.

Changes with PyMOL version:

• 1.8: decorator support
• 1.7: second argument can also be a string in PyMOL command syntax

PyMOL API

cmd.set_key(string key, function fn, tuple arg=(), dict kw={})

Also supported since PyMOL 1.7:

cmd.set_key(string key, string command)

Decorator support since PyMOL 1.8:

cmd.set_key(string key)(function fn)

PyMOL Command (since PyMOL 1.7)

set_key key, command

Examples

from pymol import cmd

# define a custom function which colors a selection blue
def make_it_blue(selection): cmd.color("blue", selection)

# color "object1" blue when the F1 key is pressed
cmd.set_key( 'F1' , make_it_blue, [ "object1" ] )

# zoom on everything
cmd.set_key( 'CTRL-C' , cmd.zoom )

# turn camera by 90 degrees
cmd.set_key( 'ALT-A' , cmd.turn, ('x',90) )

# zoom on first ligand when pressing F1 (PyMOL 1.7+)
set_key F1, zoom byres (first organic), animate=1

# zoom on first ligand when pressing F1 (all PyMOL versions)
cmd.set_key('F1', cmd.zoom, ['byres (first organic)'], {'animate': 1})

# decorator syntax (PyMOL 1.8+)
@cmd.set_key('F1')
def zoom_ligand():
    cmd.zoom('byres (first organic)', animate=1)

KEYS WHICH CAN BE REDEFINED

F1 to F12
left, right, pgup, pgdn, home, insert
CTRL-A to CTRL-Z 
ALT-0 to ALT-9, ALT-A to ALT-Z

See Also

• alias
• cmd.extend
• Button
• Check Key