How could I know which navigation pattern I have to use in menu of Dwarf Fortress ?
Sometimes, it's - and +
Sometimes, it's ↓ and ↑
It's confusing.
As a general rule:
When the menu is opened by selecting something on the map (such as by querying a building) you need to navigate the menu with + and -. This is so you can still move the main map cursor with the arrows.
On a full screen menu (like the military screen), use the arrow keys to navigate.
u
h
k
m
, zones and piles are two corners.