Command Palette Reference
The Command Palette is a keyboard-driven navigation tool that provides quick access to all major features and actions in RTC Collector. Press Cmd/Ctrl+K from anywhere to open it.
Opening the Command Palette
Keyboard Shortcut
Main Shortcut:
- macOS:
⌘ + K(Command + K) - Windows/Linux:
Ctrl + K
This works from any page in the application.
What Happens When You Open It
- A centered overlay appears with a search box
- Focus automatically moves to the search input
- All available commands are listed, grouped by category
- You can start typing immediately to filter commands
Using the Command Palette
Basic Navigation
Keyboard Controls:
↑(Up Arrow) - Move selection up↓(Down Arrow) - Move selection downEnter- Execute the selected commandEsc- Close the palette
Mouse Controls:
- Hover over a command to select it
- Click a command to execute it
- Click outside the palette to close it
Searching Commands
How Search Works:
- Type any part of a command name
- Search matches against command labels, descriptions, and keywords
- Results update instantly as you type
- Matches are highlighted
- Commands remain grouped by category
Examples:
- Type
market→ Shows marketplace-related commands - Type
add→ Shows all "Add Item" commands - Type
theme→ Shows the Toggle Theme command - Type
analytics→ Shows View Analytics command
Command Groups
All commands are organized into logical groups:
Quick Actions
Search Collection (? in Advanced Mode)
- Quickly jump to collection search
- Focuses the main search input
- Use when you know what you're looking for
Navigation
Available Commands:
- Go to Collection - View your retro technology collection (home page)
- Browse Marketplace - Explore items for sale or trade
- My Listings - Manage your marketplace listings
- Friends - View and manage your friends
- View Analytics - See insights and statistics about your collection
- Help Center - Get help and support
Keywords: Navigation commands respond to keywords like: home, marketplace, buy, sell, trade, friends, analytics, stats, help, support, guide
Advanced Mode:
Type / to filter only navigation commands. Example: /market shows only marketplace navigation.
Add Items
Available Commands:
- Add Computer - Add a computer to your collection (desktop or laptop)
- Add Console - Add a console to your collection (gaming system)
- Add Handheld - Add a handheld device (portable gaming device)
- Add Game - Add a game to your collection (software title)
- Add Accessory - Add an accessory (peripheral or controller)
- Add Other Item - Add another type of item (miscellaneous)
Keywords: Add commands respond to keywords like: add, new, create, computer, console, handheld, game, accessory, peripheral
Advanced Mode:
Type + to filter only add item commands. Example: +console shows only Add Console.
Help & Support
Available Commands:
- Start Tour - Restart the guided tour of your collection
- Helpful for new users or after learning new features
- Takes you to the home page and starts the interactive walkthrough
Keywords: tour, guide, tutorial, help, walkthrough, onboarding
Settings
Available Commands:
Open Settings
- Manage your account and preferences
- Access profile settings, privacy, notifications, etc.
Toggle Theme
- Switch between light and dark mode
- Instant theme change without page reload
- Preference saved automatically
Enable/Disable Advanced Mode
- Toggles advanced keyboard shortcuts
- When enabled:
?(search),/(navigation),+(add items) - Preference saved in local storage
Advanced Mode
Advanced Mode enables prefix-based filtering for power users.
Enabling Advanced Mode
Two Ways to Enable:
-
Via Command Palette:
- Open palette (Cmd/Ctrl+K)
- Search for "advanced"
- Select "Enable Advanced Mode"
- Or disable if already enabled
-
Preference Storage:
- Your preference saves automatically
- Stored in browser local storage
- Persists across sessions
Advanced Mode Prefixes
When Advanced Mode is enabled, you can use special prefixes to quickly filter commands:
? Prefix - Quick Search
Usage: Type ? in the command palette
What Happens:
- Redirects you to the main collection search
- Focuses the collection search input
- Palette closes automatically
- You can immediately start searching your items
When to Use:
- You want to search your collection items
- Faster than opening palette → selecting "Search Collection"
- Direct keyboard shortcut to search
/ Prefix - Navigation Only
Usage: Type / followed by your search
What Happens:
- Filters to show ONLY navigation commands
- All other command groups hidden
- Search applies within navigation commands
Examples:
/(just slash) - Shows all 6 navigation commands/market- Shows "Browse Marketplace" and "My Listings"/friends- Shows "Friends" command/analytics- Shows "View Analytics" command/help- Shows "Help Center" command
When to Use:
- You want to navigate to a page
- Faster than scrolling through all commands
- Focus on navigation without distractions
+ Prefix - Add Items Only
Usage: Type + followed by your search
What Happens:
- Filters to show ONLY add item commands
- All other command groups hidden
- Search applies within add item commands
Examples:
+(just plus) - Shows all 6 add item commands+computer- Shows "Add Computer" command+console- Shows "Add Console" command+game- Shows "Add Game" command+accessory- Shows "Add Accessory" command
When to Use:
- You want to add a new item to your collection
- Faster than navigating to Add Item menu
- Quick item creation workflow
Advanced Mode Indicators
Footer Hints: When Advanced Mode is enabled, the command palette footer shows:
?to search/for navigation+to add items- Plus standard shortcuts (↑↓ Navigate, ↵ Select, Esc Close)
When Disabled: Footer shows: "💡 Enable Advanced Mode for prefix filtering (?, /, +)"
Complete Command Reference
Quick Actions (1 command)
| Command | Description | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Search Collection | Type "?" to quickly search through your items | search, find, filter, collection, items |
Navigation (6 commands)
| Command | Description | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Go to Collection | View your retro technology collection | home, collection, items, view |
| Browse Marketplace | Explore items for sale or trade | marketplace, buy, sell, trade, browse, shop |
| My Listings | Manage your marketplace listings | listings, my, selling, manage, marketplace |
| Friends | View and manage your friends | friends, social, connections |
| View Analytics | See insights and statistics about your collection | analytics, stats, insights, charts, reports, data |
| Help Center | Get help and support | help, support, faq, guide, docs |
Add Items (6 commands)
| Command | Description | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Add Computer | Add a computer to your collection | add, new, create, computer, pc, desktop, laptop |
| Add Console | Add a console to your collection | add, new, create, console, gaming, system |
| Add Handheld | Add a handheld device to your collection | add, new, create, handheld, portable, gameboy |
| Add Game | Add a game to your collection | add, new, create, game, software, title |
| Add Accessory | Add an accessory to your collection | add, new, create, accessory, peripheral, controller |
| Add Other Item | Add another type of item to your collection | add, new, create, other, misc, item |
Help & Support (1 command)
| Command | Description | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Start Tour | Restart the guided tour of your collection | tour, guide, tutorial, help, walkthrough, onboarding |
Settings (3 commands)
| Command | Description | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Open Settings | Manage your account and preferences | settings, preferences, config, account, profile |
| Toggle Theme | Switch between light and dark mode | theme, dark, light, mode, appearance |
| Enable/Disable Advanced Mode | Toggle advanced keyboard shortcuts (?, /, +) | advanced, shortcuts, keyboard, power, mode, prefix |
Use Cases and Workflows
Quick Navigation
Scenario: You're viewing analytics and want to check the marketplace
Workflow:
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl+K - Type
market - Press
Enter - Instantly navigate to marketplace
Time Saved: 2-3 seconds vs clicking navigation menu
Fast Item Creation
Scenario: You just got a new console and want to add it
Workflow (Regular Mode):
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl+K - Type
add console - Press
Enter - Start adding your console
Workflow (Advanced Mode):
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl+K - Type
+console - Press
Enter - Start adding your console
Even Faster (Advanced Mode):
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl+K - Type
+(shows all add commands) - Arrow down to "Add Console"
- Press
Enter
Quick Search
Scenario: You need to find a specific item in your collection
Workflow (Regular Mode):
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl+K - Type
search - Press
Enter - Palette closes, search input focused
- Type your search query
Workflow (Advanced Mode):
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl+K - Type
? - Palette closes, search input focused
- Type your search query
Time Saved: 1-2 seconds with advanced mode prefix
Theme Switching
Scenario: It's getting dark and you want dark mode
Workflow:
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl+K - Type
theme - Press
Enter - Theme switches instantly
Alternative: Use theme toggle in navbar, but command palette is faster if keyboard is already active.
Getting Help
Scenario: You forgot how a feature works
Workflow:
- Press
Cmd/Ctrl+K - Type
helportour - Select "Help Center" or "Start Tour"
- Press
Enter - Access help resources
Keyboard Shortcut Summary
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open Command Palette | Cmd/Ctrl + K |
| Close Command Palette | Esc |
| Navigate Up | ↑ (Up Arrow) |
| Navigate Down | ↓ (Down Arrow) |
| Execute Command | Enter |
| Quick Search (Advanced) | Type ? |
| Navigation Filter (Advanced) | Type / |
| Add Items Filter (Advanced) | Type + |
Tips and Best Practices
For New Users
Start Simple:
- Use
Cmd/Ctrl+Kto open the palette - Type what you want to do (e.g., "add computer", "marketplace")
- Press Enter to execute
- Don't worry about Advanced Mode yet
Learn Commands:
- Open the palette occasionally just to browse
- See what commands are available
- Get familiar with groupings
Practice:
- Try using the palette for navigation instead of clicking menus
- You'll quickly memorize common commands
- Becomes faster than mouse navigation
For Power Users
Enable Advanced Mode:
- Unlock prefix filtering
- Significantly faster command access
- Memorize the three prefixes (?, /, +)
Use Prefixes:
/when navigating to pages+when adding items?when searching collection- Becomes second nature quickly
Keyboard-Only Workflow:
- Never touch the mouse
Cmd/Ctrl+K→ Type → Enter- Navigate with arrow keys if needed
- Extremely fast workflow
General Tips
Partial Matching:
- Don't type full command names
- First few letters usually enough
markmatches "Browse Marketplace"anamatches "View Analytics"
Keywords Work:
- Type related words, not just command names
- "buy" finds "Browse Marketplace"
- "stats" finds "View Analytics"
- "pc" finds "Add Computer"
Keep It Open:
- If you're not sure, open the palette and browse
- See all available commands
- Learn what's possible
- No penalty for exploring
Muscle Memory:
- Common actions become automatic
- You'll stop thinking about it
Cmd/Ctrl+Kbecomes reflex- Faster than any menu navigation
Troubleshooting
Command Palette Won't Open
Causes:
- Keyboard shortcut conflict with browser/OS
- Focus on input field that captures Cmd/Ctrl+K
- Browser extension intercepting shortcut
Fix:
- Try clicking outside input fields first
- Close browser extensions temporarily
- Check browser shortcut settings
- Use Chrome/Firefox (best compatibility)
Commands Not Showing
Causes:
- Typing too fast (commands filter instantly)
- Misspelling command name
- Command doesn't exist with that keyword
Fix:
- Clear search and browse all commands
- Check spelling
- Try related keywords
- Type less to see more results
Advanced Mode Prefixes Not Working
Causes:
- Advanced Mode not enabled
- Typing prefix after other characters
- Prefix must be the first character
Fix:
- Enable Advanced Mode (search "advanced" in palette)
- Clear search, then type prefix
- Prefix must be first character (e.g.,
/marketnotmarket/)
Keyboard Navigation Not Working
Causes:
- Mouse cursor over command (selects that command)
- Focus lost from palette
- Browser compatibility issue
Fix:
- Move mouse away from palette
- Click search input to refocus
- Use Enter key instead of clicking
Theme Toggle Doesn't Work
Causes:
- Theme preference override in settings
- Browser theme forcing specific mode
- Cached theme setting
Fix:
- Check Settings → Appearance
- Clear browser cache
- Hard refresh page (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+R)
Accessibility
Keyboard-Only Navigation:
- Fully accessible without mouse
- Tab through commands (or use arrow keys)
- Enter to execute
- Escape to close
Screen Reader Support:
- Command labels and descriptions read aloud
- Group headers announced
- Selected command announced
- Execution confirmed
Contrast and Visibility:
- High contrast in dark mode
- Clear selection highlighting
- Large touch targets
- Readable text sizes
Performance
Instant Search:
- Commands filter in real-time
- No delay or loading
- Smooth keyboard navigation
- Fast execution
Lightweight:
- No network requests
- All commands pre-defined
- Runs entirely client-side
- No performance impact
Caching:
- Advanced Mode preference cached
- No re-initialization needed
- Instant open on subsequent uses
FAQ
Can I customize the commands?
No. Commands are pre-defined based on available app features. You cannot add, remove, or modify commands.
Why doesn't my command appear?
Commands are grouped logically. Try different keywords or browse all commands by opening the palette without typing.
What's the difference between regular and advanced mode?
Advanced Mode adds prefix filtering (?, /, +) for faster command access. Regular mode is simpler and easier for beginners.
Can I change the keyboard shortcut?
No. Cmd/Ctrl+K is the standard shortcut and cannot be changed.
Do I need to enable Advanced Mode?
No. It's optional for power users. The command palette works perfectly fine without it.
Will Advanced Mode work on all keyboards?
Yes. ?, /, and + are standard keyboard characters available on all keyboard layouts.
Can I use the palette on mobile?
The command palette is designed for desktop keyboards. On mobile, use the navigation menu and buttons instead.
Does the palette work offline?
Yes. All commands are defined locally and work without internet connection.
Why did the palette close after I typed ??
In Advanced Mode, ? is a special prefix that redirects to collection search. The palette closes automatically to focus the search input.
Can I search within a specific command group?
Yes, in Advanced Mode. Use / for navigation commands or + for add item commands. Regular mode searches across all groups.
What if I forget a command?
Open the palette (Cmd/Ctrl+K) and browse all commands. They're organized by group with descriptions to help you find what you need.
Does the palette remember my recent commands?
No. There's no history or favorites feature. All commands are shown every time based on your search.
Related Topics
- See Getting Started for an introduction to the platform
- See Collection Management for collection search details