The Shortcut [B42]
(Build 42 only, SP / MP Host tested on recent builds)
The Shortcut adds a fast shortcut bar for items, crafting recipes, and building projects. Add what you use most, then double-click to craft/build instantly (when requirements are met), or right-click to jump to the relevant menu with the entry selected — so you spend less time browsing lists and more time playing.
Note: I have been making small tools to make the game more convenient to play, allowing me to focus on the content of the game itself without being bogged down by complicated and tedious tasks. Now, this tool can help you operate the new crafting system and the new building system introduced by B42 much more easily.
If you were previously using my Quick Access mod mainly for its shortcut bar feature, you can now replace it with The Shortcut. It’s easier to use, more powerful, and far more stable than the old mod. I will later remake Quick Access into a specialized tool focusing only on backpack nesting, similar to Escape from Tarkov.
You can drag items from your inventory into slots for quick actions. The main interaction logic is:
- Double Click: Quickly perform actions with certain items, such as drinking, eating, smoking, or reading. More actions will be added in the future.
- Right Click: Open the right-click menu.
In the crafting interface, you can press the "+" button to add recipes to the slots. The main interaction logic is:
- Double Click: If the recipe’s conditions are met (indicated by a green checkmark on the bottom left), you can craft it immediately by double-clicking.
- Right Click: Open the crafting panel and automatically select the recipe.
- Mouse over: View basic recipe information.
In the building interface, you can press the "+" button to add building projects to the slots. The main interaction logic is:
- Double Click: If conditions are met (green checkmark), double-clicking will build directly. If not, it will generate a red preview.
- Right Click: Open the building panel and automatically select the project.
- Mouse over: View basic information about the project.
In the settings page, you can customize the shortcut bar to your liking. Options include:
1. Number of rows and columns (up to 16×16)
2. Slot size
3. Control widget position
4. Panel and slot transparency
5. Custom hotkey settings
6. Reset all settings
I’ve spent a long time developing and testing this mod, continuously optimizing it since the release of Quick Access. Now it runs very stably while consuming minimal resources. However, if you set up a large number of slots (like 16×16), there may inevitably be some FPS drop. I will continue to monitor and optimize performance to keep it as efficient as possible.
Currently, it does not support gamepads. During my gameplay time, I have used a gamepad fewer than 20 times, and I don’t own one. However, I hope to find a way to make it compatible in the future.
I took inspiration from several games I frequently play and merged their interaction logic into Project Zomboid, such as Enshrouded, Grounded, and Escape from Tarkov. I’m not the first one to make a shortcut bar mod for Project Zomboid, and I want to thank the following mods for providing lots of ideas. If you don’t like my UI design, feel free to subscribe to their mods for similar functionality:
– BZquickslot
– Better Building
If you enjoy my mod and your circumstances allow, it would be amazing if you could buy me a cup of coffee, but first and foremost, enjoy your game!
[afdian.com]
You can join my discord channel for more information Rocco’s Mod[discord.gg]
If you find that your Shortcut are not showing up or are outside the window, follow these steps to fix it:
Locate your Project Zomboid save files. By default, it should be here:
Delete the ShortcutConfig.lua file.
- Original mod by Rocco: PZ Workshop Items
- Maintenance / compatibility updates for newer B42 builds by Afyrmo: PZ Workshop Items
About permission
You are free to extract and use any content from my mod without asking for permission.
If you want to republish my mod, you need to follow these rules:
1. There must be substantial and important improvements.
2. If my mod has not been updated for a long time and has caused many issues, you may modify and republish it.
Workshop ID: 3470659758
Mod ID: TheShortcut
