[Dark]

Hi! I'm Aeren@Dark83 in STO, and recently I've been answering a lot of build questions in {UFP-UFPK} and here on the forums. I find I'm repeating myself a lot while not being as thorough as I'd like to be, so here we go!

Goal of this Guide

While it may seem "lazy", being able to do multiple things with one button is key for efficiency and effectiveness. Do you want to be more effective while doing less? Sure you do!

(This guide is mainly written so I can reference it later in other guides.)

Setting Up

The first thing you should know is how to set up keybinds. While it's possible to do it in-game via the /bind command, it's much easier and clearer to do it out of the game. This requires knowing the directory you've installed Star Trek Online to, which is different depending on if you used Steam or not. Also remember that your ground and space keybinds are different! Which set of keybinds you're changing depends on if you're on the ground or in space, so make sure you're in the appropriate setting when working on your keybinds.

The two key commands are as follows:

/bind_save_file filename.txt
/bind_load_file filename.txt

What the first command will do is export your current keybinds to /.../Star Trek Online/live/filename.txt, and the second command will import from that file. Importing will overwrite any existing keybinds with what is in the file, so it's important to export first - unless you don't want to keep any of your current keybinds.

NOTE: Keybinds are on a per-character basis. You have to load your keybinds once for each character!

Within this file, we don't need to use /bind, just start with the key you want to bind commands to. Once you've exported and located this file, we can begin.

I will primarily be covering two useful binds, for a more complete rundown of keybinds, refer to this page on the wiki.

Multiple Commands on One Key

So let's begin with this example:

Space "GenSendMessage HUD_Root FirePhasers $$ +trayExecBytray 6 0 $$ +trayexecbytray 6 1 $$ +Power_Exec Distribute_Shields"

What does it do? We'll break it down into its components:

Space "command1 $$ command2 $$ command3 $$ command4"

This means that each time you press/tap the spacebar, one of the commands in the quotation marks will be executed.

GenSendMessage HUD_Root FirePhasers

This fires your beams and cannons. If it doesn't work, that means they changed the command. FireAll would fire your torpedoes as well (and possibly your mines, but I wouldn't know since I don't use mines). You shouldn't use FireAll in your regular attack button unless it's something like the Rapid Fire Missile Launcher, where it doesn't matter if you waste a missile while their shields are up.

+trayExecBytray 6 0

This command fires off whatever power is in Tray 7, Slot 1. Remember that when assigning tray and slot numbers, it starts counting at 0.

+Power_Exec Distribute_Shields"

This obviously redistributes your shields, the equivalent of clicking on your little ship display, or firing the power.

So let's put it together - constantly pressing spacebar will fire your weapons, redistribute your shields, and activate Tray 7, Slot 1 and Tray 7, Slot 2. Why is this important? Well, if you have (for example) two copies of Emergency Power to Shields, you'll be able to have them constantly active (because of how the duration of EPtS syncs with the duplicate ability cooldown). You can do this manually of course, but I currently have 8 things I constantly keep on, so this is very helpful.

Even if you don't intend to keep cycling Tactical Team 1, Emergency Power to X, or similar abilities, you should at a minimum use

"GenSendMessage HUD_Root FirePhasers $$ +Power_Exec Distribute_Shields"

for your attack key. I would also recommend putting Fleet Support in your attack keybind, since that means the moment your hull drops below 50% you'll activate it.

WARNING: The order of operations is generally from right to left, but cannot be relied upon. Further, different powers/commands have different execution times, so pressing space too quickly will mess up the order. Therefore, this method only to be used where order of operations does not matter. You cannot map Fire Torpedoes and Torpedo Spread to one key and expect it to fire off in the correct sequence.

Two Commands on One Key

This other command doesn't show up on a lot of keybind guides, and is restricted to two abilities on your power tray:

Q trayexecbytraywithbackup 1 3 8 3 9

When you press Q, it will activate the power in Tray 4, Slot 8 followed by the power in Tray 4, Slot 9. It can't be assigned FireAll or anything, but is still very helpful nonetheless.

I'm doing further testing to see how reliable this is.

Closing Statements

The first bind should be used if you have multiple buffs you want to keep constantly active, where it doesn't matter what order they fire in, you just want them active. This allows you to minimize downtime on your buffs, since you'll never even have to think about which to activate next.

I hope this helps. Remember, I'm pulling for you, we're all in this together! If I made a mistake, don't hesitate to correct me.

Distribute Shields WARNING:
Using Distribute Shields will interrupt firing cycles. Do not do bind it onto something you regularly spam (such as Spacebar alongside your TT/EPtX/Aux2SIF/etc. abilities that you want to fire off ASAP), or it will hurt your DPS. You should have Tactical Team firing off every 15s anyway. If you're deliberately avoiding TT, then you probably don't need my guides in the first place.

Updated Closing Statements

The reason Distribute_Shields should not be in the keybind you spam is because it has no cooldown.

When any ability activates, it interrupts things. When we put something like TT, EPtS, EPtW on spacebar, at most it'll interrupt every 15s. Distribute_Shields has no cooldown - it's literally the same command as clicking the center of your ship in the display. So you can repeatedly send the command, repeatedly interrupting your firing cycle.

This also applies to clicking a shield facing or using your arrow keys to distribute - sending commands will interrupt. So rely on Tac Team.

Finally, some Best Practices tips - do not put your offensive abilities on a spacebar keybind. Use spacebar for things you want to constantly cycle, like TT, EPtS, maybe AtSIF (if you're lazy like me), EPtW, and so on.

For things like FAW and APB, you want to put that on a separate key. Since FAW has a 20s cooldown and APB has a 15s system cooldown, if you put them on spacebar and spam it they'll desync. Do put them on a separate key, and then tap that key twice when they're both available.

That even applies to CSV/APB. Even though they both have a 15s cooldown and shouldn't become desync'd, you want to time it so it's activated when you have your enemy in your firing arc, to get the full duration on them.

2016 07 14 Addendum: WARNING:

Commands like FireAll or FirePhasers should not be on keys that are pressed often (like whatever you use for your buffing cycle). The reason is that it interrupts/resets the firing cycle - reportedly this can reduce your DPS by around a third.

[Supergrover]

Great guide Dark TYVM

One thing I would like to ask is how do you loop a command?
Personally I use my mouses macros vrs keybinds simply because it is a hella lot easier to do but there has to be a way via keybinds to loop.
I have found looping Distribute Shields to be the best macro/bind out there, fire it off once per round and you are good to go.

[Terrell]

This is brilliant, thanks very much for taking the time to write this up... Cookies in the post :p.

[Dark]

One thing I would like to ask is how do you loop a command?

I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean. With "GenSendMessage HUD_Root FirePhasers $$ +Power_Exec Distribute_Shields", it should constantly alternate between the two as you repeatedly hit the button.

When the bind hits the end of the list it should always start again from the beginning. Unless you mean for it to constantly keep going without player input? That wouldn't be possible, it always has to be one tap/press = one action.

I have Mouse4 and Mouse5 bound to this sort of thing as well. On Ground spamming my Mouse5 will fire off shield and health heals. It's my "OMG BORG TO THE FACE" button.

[Supergrover]

I'm not entirely sure I know what you mean. With "GenSendMessage HUD_Root FirePhasers $$ +Power_Exec Distribute_Shields", it should constantly alternate between the two as you repeatedly hit the button.

When the bind hits the end of the list it should always start again from the beginning. Unless you mean for it to constantly keep going without player input? That wouldn't be possible, it always has to be one tap/press = one action.

I have Mouse4 and Mouse5 bound to this sort of thing as well. On Ground spamming my Mouse5 will fire off shield and health heals. It's my "OMG BORG TO THE FACE" button.

I have linked a image showing what i mean done on my mouse, "2" on the keyboard is "Distribute Shields" Pushing the mouse button labeled "Distribute Shields" results in "2" being pressed every 25ms until that command is cleared by pressing the button again.
I press this once in the beginning of a round and pretty much keep it going through out the round.
Again I would have thought that doing a looped bind with a set delay would have been possible in STO.

If it isnt that sucks.

[Dark]

Again I would have thought that doing a looped bind with a set delay would have been possible in STO.

Oh no, they won't let us automate like that. One key press, one action.

[Matchu]

Again....great post many thanks.....need to get my head around all this...

[starlanced]

Yes, I did this long ago, having my weapons and some of my tac skills mapped to the space bar, I just keep spamming and everything stays active. Also have 2 copies of EPtS and polarize hull bound to a 4th mouse button so I can always keep them up and running.

I'd be happy to share my binds with a little graphics to show what activates what.

[CobraGuru]

ya ty for the guide. i'll need also to look deeper in this

[Dark]

CORRECTION: trayexecbytraywithbackup actually executes two commands with one key press, when possible. I'll update the guide now.

[SwedishGG]

Keybinds, always fun to play around with Thanks for guide!

[Mazoue]

Yes this is amongst many awesome Dark guides. This one I've subscribed to so I can always easily find. Dark, thank you very much for your efforts here.

[Evom]

I vote title change to Dark's Guide to Being Awesome.

Great job!

[GreyFoxTBC]

Anyone have a problem with the Distribute Shields on just the Kligon side? Spacebar set up works perfect on the Fed side, but for some reason it doesn't work on the Klingon side.

[Dark]

I don't recall having a problem. Do you know that keybinds are set on a per-character basis? You have to re-import for each character.

...I should probably add that to the guide.