Binds
Overview
A bind, also known as a keybind, is a reference for the game to understand what a particular key does. Almost every action in the game is inputted through a bind of some variety. The keys the game uses for basic controls are bound to commands, and through these, the game understands the commands you input. When you re-organize your keyboard through the options interface (Menu--> Options--> Keymapping tab), the game interface is re-binding keys for you.
For example, by default:
- "W" is bound to the command +forward.
- "1" is bound to powexec_slot 1.
- "F7" is bound to
say Ready!$$emote thumbsup.
In the above example, note that "F7" has the "$$" operator in it. This tells the game that it is actually 2 commands, separated by "$$", and that it's to execute them both in order from left to right.
Custom Keybinds
Binds that you write and assign to keyboard keys yourself are called "Custom Keybinds" if they are different than the default binds in the selected keybind profile. You can change a bind, or create your own binds, by using the slash command /bind or by importing Bind Files into the game. When created, a Custom Keybind is placed on top of the default keybind in a kind of second layer. When the key is pressed, the game overrides the default keybind and replaces it with the custom keybind. Any player-made bind that exactly matches the default keybinding for that key is just considered a default keybind by the game. When keybinds are saved by using either the /bind_save command or clicking on the Save To Default File button in Menu--> Options--> Keymapping tab, all of the custom, player-made keybinds on your character will be saved to the keybinds.txt file in the Default Folder.
Default Keybinds
The "Default Keybinds" for your character are determined by the Keybind Profile that is selected. All new characters are created with the Modern keybind profile as the default. However, you may select one of 3 other keybind profiles that contain, altogether, 4 different alternate sets of default keybindings. You can select your desired keybind profile by clicking on Menu--> Options--> Keymapping tab. Default keybinds are not able to be deleted or removed from a key, however they can be overridden by Custom keybinds. To make a key that has a default keybind on it do nothing, /bind the slash command /nop to the key.
Bind Files
Bind Files are simple text files, which list a number of binds in a standardized format. This can allow you to import multiple binds - or different sets of binds - for a character. You can even specify keys to load binds as part of a bind file's contents, allowing rotating text binds. If you use the /bind_save command, all of the custom, player-made keybinds on your character will be saved to the keybinds.txt file in the Default Folder. To see all of your character's keybinds in one list, both default and custom, use one of the /show_bind_all commands.
For a more in-depth study on uses of Binds, consult The Incomplete and Unofficial Guide to /bind.
See Also
- For more details see The Incomplete and Unofficial Guide to /bind.
- Slash Commands
- List of Slash Commands
- Keybind Profiles
- List of Key Names
- The Players' Guide to the Cities/Slash Commands, Macros, Keybindings, and Emotes
- Macros
Offsite Resources