Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
3D model of a locking clip. The ViewCube is easy to use once you've played with it a few times. It
lets you go to any of the standard 3D views such as a Southwest or Northeast isometric view. You
can also use the ViewCube to display a top, bottom, or side view. You can even switch between a
perspective view and a parallel projection view using the ViewCube right-click menu.
The viewport controls in the upper-left corner of the drawing area enable you to control the
look of your model in addition to duplicating many of the functions of the ViewCube. For exam-
ple, you can go to a Northwest isometric view by clicking the Current menu option and select-
ing NW Isometric. (Don't do that yet. You'll get a chance to use it later on.) The Realistic menu
option lets you choose from a set of different looks you can give your 3D model. These different
looks, called visual styles , can be helpful while you work on your model. The plus sign option to
the far left enables you to divide your drawing area into multiple viewports that are like sepa-
rate and different views to your model.
Whenever you select an option from one of the viewport menus, the option you select is
displayed in the menu. So if you were to select SW Isometric from the Current menu, the word
Current is replaced with SW Isometric . For this reason, I'll give these menus fixed names for the
rest of this part of the topic to make it easier to identify them. Figure 19.5 identiies these menus
as the Plus, 3D Views, and Visual Styles viewport menus. If you encounter these names and you
forget what they refer to, come back to this figure to refresh your memory.
FIGURE 19.5
The Plus, 3D
Views, and
Visual Styles
viewport
menus
Viewport menus
Plus
3D Views
Visual Styles
Now that you've been introduced to the 3D modeling features of AutoCAD, let's take a closer
look. In the rest of the chapter, you'll get some hands-on experience using the Modeling toolset
as well as a few other options discussed so far.
Expanding the Status Bar for More 3D Tools
There are some hidden 3D tools that you'll begin to use in this part of the topic. You may have
noticed the disclosure triangle on the far right of the status bar. Click it and the status bar
expands to show additional tools you'll use to create and modify 3D models (Figure 19.6).
FIGURE 19.6
The expanded
status bar
Disclosure triangle
There are tools for lighting and various other 3D-related features. For now, just be aware
that these additional tools are there. You'll be introduced to many of them throughout this
part of the topic.
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