Viewing Tools

You do not have to use the viewing tool commands or icons to perform all viewing operations. For quick access, you can also use just the mouse, the keyboard or the pen to activate a certain number of viewing tools.

About the View Angle

The view angle sets the angle of the pyramid-like shape with which you look at the geometry (available in perspective views only):

Mouse

The 3-button mouse is recommended for usability reasons.

On Windows computers:


  • The IntelliMouse (two buttons plus a wheel) is an alternative to the 3-button mouse: pressing and hold down the wheel the same way as the middle mouse button (but rolling the wheel is not supported).
  • A 2-button mouse may alternatively be used (the third button is emulated using a key combination).
To use the mouse to... Do this...
Center the display at a specific location Click the middle mouse button.
Pan Drag using the middle mouse button.
Rotate Press and hold down the middle mouse button, then the left (or right) mouse button, and drag (still holding both buttons down).
Zoom Press and hold down the middle mouse button, then click left (or right) mouse button, and drag (still holding both buttons down).

3-button mouse. Examples of key combinations.



Clicking the corresponding icon runs the corresponding command once only. Selecting View > Modify or pressing and holding down the middle mouse button activates a permanent viewing mode for each command, until you click to exit. See Hiding and Showing Objects for more information about showing and hiding, and Using Rendering Styles for hidden line rendering.

To do this.. Use this key combination on a 2-button mouse... Use this key combination on a 3-button mouse...
Pan Press Alt and right button, then drag. Press and hold down middle button, then drag.
Rotate (3D/zoom/2D) With Alt and right button held down, press and hold down Ctrl or left button, then drag.

Then:

 Press and hold down the middle mouse button, then the left (or right) mouse button, then drag.
Zoom Release Ctrl or left button. Press and hold down the middle mouse button, then click the left mouse button, then drag (still holding the middle mouse button down).
Zoom Press and hold down Ctrl, Alt and the right button, then drag. Press and hold down Ctrl and the middle mouse button, then drag.

SpacePilot

The SpacePilot can be used, in addition to the mouse, to perform graphic viewing manipulations (zoom, pan, rotate, etc.) in one single motion.

To download the latest 3Dconnexion software, browse the following Internet site:

http://www.3Dconnexion.com

SpacePilot is supported on Windows 2000 and Windows XP. It requires a 3Dconnexion driver 3DxWare 5.0.7 (minimum level). To install the appropriate driver, access the 3Dconnexion Internet site, click the Download tab then indicate the device you are using and the operating system you are running.

This device developed by 3Dconnexion is an advanced SpaceMouse equipped with an LCD panel which labels the functions of the device buttons. You can thus keep track more easily of the current function set just by looking at the information displayed on the LCD panel.

It also enables you to control the manipulation calibration from V6, whatever the 3DxWare driver configuration on your computer. There is no need anymore to analyze both V6 and 3DxWare configurations to figure out the current calibration.





The buttons you can map to a V6 command or a 3DxWare function are: buttons 1 to 6, Esc, Shift, Ctrl, Alt, T, L, R, F and Fit buttons. Note that only the functions of buttons 1 to 6 are displayed on the LCD panel. The other buttons cannot be customized:


  • Panel toggles on/off the 3DxWare device driver panel or the V6 Button Customize dialog box
  • Config cycles through the defined button configuration
  • - and + tune the device sensitivity
  • DOM toggles on/off the dominant mode
  • 3D toggles on/off the device rotation.

Device buttons are mapped using the dedicated Button Customize dialog box. Whenever you change a button function in the 3DxWare driver, this change appears on the LCD panel and in the Button Customize dialog box. Inversely, whenever a change is made in the Button Customize dialog box, the new button function is displayed on the LCD panel and in the 3DxWare driver.

For more information about the Button Customize dialog box, see Customizing Buttons Using the 3Dx Device Toolbar.

Important:

The SpacePilot is also supported in WebViewer-derived products, i.e. 3D XML Player, 3DCOM Modular, LCA Navigator, SmarTeam Editor and SmarTeam Web Editor. The use of 3Dconnexion devices is identical in this five products and you can customize the button functions as explained above.

As of version 5.6, the Windows device driver for the 3Dconnexion ("3DxWare") does not allow the simultaneous use of a WebViewer application with another application. This means that if several ActiveX exist (in Word, Internet Explorer, etc.), only the first device run will be controlled by the SpaceMouse.

3DxOffice is an add-on for 3DxWare allowing the use of USB 3D controllers in the Microsoft Office, MSIE and Windows Explorer applications. 3DxOffice is installed by default and in that case, it prevents the use of the 3D controller on "3DCom Modular" ActiveX control (or object) embedded in documents or pages of the applications mentioned above. However, you can clear the corresponding option if you do not want to install 3DxOffice or you can also uninstall it afterwards.

3DxOffice is installed by default when using the installation package ("3DxSoftware"). As of version 3.0, 3DxOffice can only be used with USB devices.

SpacePilot PRO

Just like the SpacePilot, the SpacePilot PRO can be used, in addition to the mouse, to perform graphic viewing manipulations (zoom, pan, rotate, etc.) in one single motion.

To download the latest 3Dconnexion software, browse the following Internet site:

http://www.3Dconnexion.com

SpacePilot PRO is supported on Windows XP SP2/SP3 and Vista (all editions) x86 and x64. It requires a 3Dconnexion 3DxSoftware 3.7.6 (minimum level). SpacePilot PRO developed by 3Dconnexion is an advanced 3D Mouse equipped with a color LCD panel which, among other features, labels the functions of the device buttons.

This new device offers more capabilities such as: advanced MCAD navigation (standard views and 3D Mouse settings keys), full-color LCD Workflow Assistant (e-mail, calendar, function key feedback, and more) ; dual-function keys for frequently used commands ; superior comfort for long work sessions.





Except the device speed adjustment buttons (- and +), all the 3D mouse buttons can be mapped to a V6 command or a 3DxWare function: buttons 1 to 5, Esc, Shift, Ctrl, Alt, MENU and Fit buttons but also the navigation settings keys and the quick navigation keys on the right part of the 3D Mouse.

The LCD panel buttons cannot be customized.

Device buttons are mapped using the dedicated Button Customize dialog box. Whenever you change a button function in the 3DxWare driver, this change appears on the color LCD panel and in the Button Customize dialog box. Inversely, whenever a change is made in the Button Customize dialog box, the new button function is displayed on the color LCD panel and in the 3DxWare driver.

For more information about the Button Customize dialog box, see Customizing Buttons Using the 3Dx Device Toolbar.

Keyboard

To do this.. For 2D objects, use this keyboard shortcut... For 3D objects, use this keyboard shortcut...
Pan Press Ctrl and arrow keys Press Ctrl and arrow keys
Rotate about line of sight (according to the user's point of view) N/A Press Ctrl and Shift and left or right arrow (Auto-repeat when pressing and holding down the keys)
Rotate about up (according to the user's point of view) N/A Press Shift and left or right arrow (Auto-repeat when pressing and holding down the keys)
Rotate about right (according to the user's point of view) N/A Press Shift and up or down arrow (Auto-repeat when pressing and holding down the keys)
Zoom in Press Ctrl and Page Up Press Ctrl and Page Up (Auto-repeat when pressing and holding down the keys)
Zoom out Press Ctrl and Page Down Press Ctrl and Page Down (Auto-repeat when pressing and holding down the keys)
Move to the left view Press the left arrow N/A
Move to the right view Press the right arrow N/A
Move to the up view Press the up arrow N/A
Move to the down view Press the down arrow N/A

Tablet Pen (for Tablet PCs)

When working with a Tablet PC, you can perform viewing operations without the mouse or the keyboard using a Tablet Pen. From now on, you do not need to first activate the corresponding viewing tool command anymore, you can perform actions directly in the geometry area using a specific pad dedicated to Tablet Pens.

Prior to using the pad, some settings need to be defined in the Tablet Support tab.

To... Drag the pen over...
Rotate

Pan

Zoom out (from left to right)
Zoom in (from right to left)

Note that the viewing operation performed when double-clicking depends on the option you selected in the Action on double-click list available in the Tablet Support tab.

Tips: You can write annotations directly on the 3D viewer using your Tablet PC by clicking the Text icon in the Review Creation toolbar. From now on, you do not need to activate the text recognition pad anymore, you only need to click OK or Apply. Furthermore, when the automatic recognition starts, the handwritten text is automatically replaced by the recognized text which is placed at the same location.Optionally, you can then drag the annotation to another location if needed. For detailed information on how to write annotations, see VPM Digital Review User's Guide: Annotating.