Select the element and press Space to rotate it — this is the actual registered shortcut (diagrameditor.rotate_selection); R is not bound to anything in the diagram editor
Shift+Space rotates a multi-element selection as one group
Or right-click → Rotate

Selection Techniques

Multi-Select Tricks:

Ctrl+click elements one by one to add to selection
Drag selection box to select all within box
Edit → Select All (Ctrl+A) for entire diagram
Edit → Select all conductors / Select all text fields — these two exist as real actions; there's no "select by device type" (switches, motors, etc.) feature to reach for instead
Tab / Shift+Tab cycles the selection through every item on the diagram, one at a time, wrapping at either end — see Keyboard-only control

Smart Copying:

Select element(s)
Ctrl+C to copy
Ctrl+V to paste (appears offset)
Drag to position (offset helps avoid overlap)
Repeat Ctrl+V for multiple copies

Duplicate Trick:

Select element
Edit → Duplicate (or use menu)
New copy placed nearby
Quick way to avoid manual positioning

Master Large Projects

Folio Strategy:

One folio per major section: Power Supply, Control Logic, Outputs, Safety, etc.
Clear naming: "01-Power Distribution", "02-Motor Control", "03-Safety"
Cross-references: Use automatic xref for inter-folio connections

Naming Conventions (Best Practice):

For Elements:

Use reference designators: S1, S2, R1, M1, U1 (switch, relay, motor, IC)
Helps identify components in bills of materials
Makes troubleshooting easier

For Wires:

Use signal names: "Enable", "Speed_Feedback", "Alarm"
Electrical properties: "24V", "GND", "Signal"
Improves readability and documentation

Hierarchical Organization:

Level 1: Single folio (simple projects)
Level 2: 3-5 folios (medium projects)
Level 3: 10+ folios (split into multiple files)

Navigate Like a Pro

Zoom Shortcuts:

Your platform's standard zoom-in/out keys (QKeySequence::ZoomIn/ZoomOut — usually Ctrl+Plus/Ctrl+Minus, not the bare +/- keys)
Ctrl+8: Zoom on content
Ctrl+9: Fit zoom (adapted to the folio)
Ctrl+0 (Cmd+0 Mac): Reset zoom
Mouse wheel: Fine zoom control
Ctrl+Scroll: Precise zoom

Pan Tricks:

Hold Space + drag to pan without selecting
Middle mouse button drag to pan
Arrow keys nudge view (when nothing selected)

Quick Navigation:

Project panel (left): Click folio to jump to it
Tab key doesn't cycle folios — it cycles the selection through every item on the current folio instead (Shift+Tab goes backward). See Keyboard-only control for the full keyboard picture, including what actually is and isn't reachable without a mouse.
Ctrl+G: Jump to a specific element (finds it in the Collections panel)

Color Coding for Clarity

Use Wire Colors Meaningfully:

Red → Power/Phase
Blue/Green → Neutral/Ground
Yellow → Safety/Fault
Gray → Signals/Control
Improves readability at a glance

Element Coloring:

Right-click element → Properties
Assign background/outline colors
Group by function or type
Helps distinguish sections visually

Creating Professional Documentation

Standards for Quality Schematics

IEC Standards Compliance:

Use IEC symbols (included in QET)
Follow IEC 81346 classification
Consistent symbol size and spacing
Clear signal flow direction

Good Diagram Habits:

One function per folio — Easier to understand
Logical flow — Left to right, top to bottom
Consistent spacing — Use grid alignment
Minimal crossing — Reduce complexity
Clear labels — Every wire and element

Labeling Best Practices:

Element	Label	Wire Label
Switches	S1, S2, S3	"Enable", "Reset"
Relays	R1, R2	"Alarm", "Trip"
Motors	M1, M2	"Run", "Stop"
Sensors	B1, B2 (proximity)	"Sensor 1"
Power	U1 (supply)	"24V", "GND", "Phase"

Generate Documentation Automatically

Auto-Numbered Reports:

Projet → Exporter au format CSV (there's no "Reports" submenu — this is the actual menu entry, and it opens a query builder with a configurable column set; see Building a custom nomenclature or summary table)
Creates element list with counts
Useful for bills of materials
Export to file, or preview on screen first

Conductor Documentation:

Projet → Exporter la liste des noms de conducteurs
Lists all connections
Export for manufacturing
Useful for wiring technicians

Numbering Schemes:

Elements: Auto-number as S1, S2, R1, R2, etc.
Conductors: Auto-number L1, L2, L3, N, PE, etc.
Folios: Use consistent naming: "Sheet 1 of 10"

Advanced Element Management

Create a Reusable Element Library

Design Custom Elements:

Identify repeated patterns in your work
Create as custom elements (.elmt files)
Define terminals for connections
Add metadata (properties, information)

Examples to Create:

Complex subsystem blocks (controller units)
Your company's standard components
Industry-specific symbols not in library
Custom logic or control blocks

Share Across Projects:

Save .elmt files to shared folder
Team members import via Elements panel
Maintains consistency
Saves time on repeated designs

Maintain Your Library:

Version custom elements
Document what each does
Update when standards change
Keep backup copies

Organize Collections

Collection Strategy:

Group by function: Power, Control, Sensors, etc.
Group by manufacturer for specific products
Create company-standard library
Add "Favorites" for frequently used

Access Community Elements:

Browse Elements Repository
Download and import new symbols
Contribute your own
Share with community

Performance & Optimization

Handle Large Complex Diagrams

For 100+ Elements:

Disable grid display (View → Grid) if not needed
Close unused panels (View → Panels) to free memory
Zoom to working area rather than whole page
Split into multiple folios if very large

For 500+ Elements:

Split into separate .qet files instead of one massive file
Use simplified symbols (outline only) in overview diagrams
Detail complex sections in separate diagrams
Improves both performance and readability

Responsiveness Tips:

Save frequently (Ctrl+S) to reduce potential data loss
Don't undo extremely far back; can slow performance
Close files you're not actively editing
Restart QET occasionally for fresh memory

Reduce File Size

Cleanup Techniques:

Delete unused elements (select, press Delete)
Remove extra wires (clean up old drafts)
Consolidate symbols (use one library symbol instead of many)

Save Space:

File → Save (not Save As) overwrites current, efficient
PNG export for archival (smaller than .qet if size matters)
Compress .qet files if storing on limited space

Collaboration Workflows

Team Project Management

Basic Sharing:

Each team member works on different folios
Save .qet file to shared network drive
Work in sequence (one at a time) or parallel (different folios)
Merge changes manually if editing same folio

Git Integration:

Initialize Git in project directory
Commit .qet files to repository
Each team member branches for their work
Merge via pull request
Resolve conflicts in XML if needed

Best Practices:

Communicate who's working on what
Save frequently to avoid conflicts
Use meaningful names for files and folios
Document changes in commit messages or notes

Combining Work from Multiple Contributors

Manual Merge:

Open Version A of diagram
Export sections as PNG/SVG
Open Version B (base)
Copy elements from Version A into Version B
Resolve conflicts (overlapping elements)

Git Merge:

Both contributors push branches
Create pull request with changes
Review differences (XML diffs)
Merge when ready
Manually adjust conflicts in resulting .qet

Export & Output Workflows

Professional Document Generation

PDF Workflow (Best for Sharing):

Ensure all folios are complete and labeled
File → Print or Export → PDF
Configure: scale, color/B&W, margins
Generate PDF
Share with clients, collaborators, installers

SVG Export (For Editing):

File → Export → SVG
Exports as vector format
Editable in Inkscape, Adobe Illustrator
Good for further refinement in other tools

PNG/JPG (For Web/Documents):

File → Export → PNG (or JPG)
Choose resolution (DPI)
Good for embedded in documents, web pages
Not editable but shareable

Multi-Format Export:

Generate documentation in multiple formats
Use PDF for official documents
Use PNG for web embedding
Use SVG for future editing
Archival strategy

Bills of Materials & Parts Lists

Generate Automatically:

Projet → Exporter au format CSV
Creates element count and reference list
Export to CSV for spreadsheet
Use for purchasing, inventory

CSV Workflow:

Export nomenclature as CSV
Open in Excel/Google Sheets
Add supplier information, costs
Maintain parts list in spreadsheet
Reference during assembly

Advanced Techniques

Using Dynamic Text Fields

Available Variables:

%id — Element ID/reference
%label — Element label
%comment — Custom comment
%author — Project author
%date — Current date
%filename — File name

Example: Add text "%date" to diagram → displays "2026-09-09"

Keyboard Shortcut Mastery

For the full picture — every registered shortcut checked directly against the source, plus how far you can actually get without a mouse at all — see Keyboard-only control.

Essential Shortcuts (checked against ShortcutManager's registry — see Keyboard-only control for the complete, verified list):

Action	Shortcut
New	Ctrl+N
Open	Ctrl+O
Save	Ctrl+S
Print	Ctrl+P
Undo	Ctrl+Z
Redo	your platform's standard "redo" key (varies — Ctrl+Y on Windows, Ctrl+Shift+Z on most Linux desktops)
Select All	Ctrl+A
Copy	Ctrl+C
Paste	Ctrl+V
Delete	Delete
Rotate	Space, not R — R isn't bound to anything here
Zoom In / Out	your platform's standard zoom keys, not bare +/-
Reset zoom	Ctrl+0