Viewing entities in three dimensions

 

You can view an CADdirect 2022 drawing from any position in three-dimensional space. From any selected viewing position, you can add new entities and modify existing entities. You can also generate hidden-line and shaded views from any viewing position.

 

You view three-dimensional drawings by setting the viewing direction. The viewing direction establishes the viewing position, the Cartesian coordinate corresponding to the viewpoint looking back at the origin point, the 0,0,0 coordinate. When you view a drawing from the default viewpoint (0,0,1), you see a plan view of the drawing.

 

On the View toolbar, you can view a three-dimensional drawing using any of the following methods:

 

• Preset Viewpoints
• Dynamic View Control
• Plan View

 

Setting a new viewing direction

 

You can change the viewing direction to look at the drawing from a different vantage point or to work on a three-dimensional model from a different orientation.

 

To set a new viewing direction

 

Do one of the following to choose Preset Viewpoints:

 

• On the ribbon, choose View > Preset Viewpoints (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Preset Viewpoints.
• On the View toolbar, click the Preset Viewpoints tool.
• Type setvpoint and then press Enter.

 

Click the preset view you want to use.

Setting a viewing direction dynamically

 

You can dynamically rotate the viewpoint within the xy plane and relative to the xy plane, and you can pan and zoom the drawing. As you change the viewpoint settings, the drawing display automatically updates.

 

To dynamically set a view direction

 

Do one of the following to choose Dynamic View Control:

 

• On the ribbon, choose View > Dynamic View Control (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Dynamic View Control.
• On the View toolbar, click the Dynamic View Control tool.
• Type viewctl and then press Enter.

 

Make your selections to change the viewpoint.

 

To complete the command, click OK.

To set a view direction interactively with the drawing

 

Do one of the following to choose Dynamic View Control:

 

• On the ribbon, choose View > Dynamic View Control (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Dynamic View Control.
• On the View toolbar, click the Dynamic View Control tool.
• Type viewctl and then press Enter.

 

Click Adjust.

 

Make your selections to change the 3D viewing direction within the drawing.

 

Click OK.

 

To complete the command, click OK.

Displaying a plan view of the current drawing

 

You can set the current viewing direction to the plan view of the current user coordinate system (UCS), a previously saved UCS, or the World Coordinate System (WCS).

 

To display a plan view of the current drawing

 

Do one of the following to choose Plan View:

 

• On the ribbon, choose View > Plan View (in Views).
• On the menu, choose View > Plan View.
• On the View toolbar, click the Plan View tool.
• Type plan and then press Enter.

 

In the prompt box, choose one of the following:

 

• Current displays the plan view of the current UCS.
• UCS displays the plan view of a saved UCS. The program prompts you for the name of the UCS.
• World displays the plan view of the WCS.