SolidWorks 2011 Assemblies Bible - Matt Lombard [21]
Manipulating the View
Whether you are working in parts or assemblies, manipulating the view is one of the most important and frequent things that you will do in SolidWorks. You can customize and disable the Heads-Up View toolbar, shown in Figure 3.1, by using the same method that you use for all other toolbars, through the Tools⇒Customize dialog box.
Tip
Some mouse drivers change the middle-button or scroll-wheel settings to do other things. Often, you can disable the special settings for a particular application if you want SolidWorks to work correctly and still use the other functionality. For example, the most common problem with mouse drivers is that when the model gets close to the sides of the graphics window and the scroll bars engage, the middle mouse button (MMB) suddenly changes its function. If this happens to you, you should change the function of the MMB to Middle Mouse Button from its present setting.
FIGURE 3.1
Use the Heads-Up View toolbar to easily access most visualization tools.
Using arrow keys
You can use the arrow keys on the keyboard to manipulate the view in predictable and controllable ways. You can use the Shift, Ctrl, and Alt keys to customize this behavior.
The arrow keys enable you to rotate to the following views:
• Arrow. Rotate 15 degrees. To customize this setting, choose Tools⇒Options⇒View.
• Shift+arrow. Rotate 90 degrees.
• Alt+arrow. Rotate in a plane flat to the screen.
• Ctrl+arrow. Pan.
Using the middle mouse button
Most, if not all, mice sold today have middle mouse buttons (MMB), usually in the form of a clickable scroll wheel.
The MMB or scroll wheel has several uses in view manipulation:
• MMB alone. Rotate.
• Click or hover on edge, face, or vertex with MMB, and then drag MMB. Rotate around selected entity.
• Ctrl+MMB. Pan.
• Shift+MMB. Zoom.
• Double-click MMB. Zoom to fit.
• Scroll with wheel. Zoom in or out. To reverse direction of the zoom setting, choose Tools⇒Options⇒View.
• Alt+MMB. Rotate in a plane flat to the screen.
Clicking the triad
The triad in the lower-left corner of the graphics window gives you another great way to manipulate the view. You can click any leg of the triad, and the view rotates such that the leg you clicked points straight out of the screen. Shift+clicking an axis rotates the view 90 degrees about that axis. Alt+clicking an axis rotates the view 15 degrees about that axis. Using Ctrl in combination with either Shift or Alt reverses the direction of the rotation.
When you move the cursor right over the axis you want to click, the axis appears highlighted in yellow. Figure 3.2 shows the triad in action.
FIGURE 3.2
Using the triad to rotate the view
To summarize this method:
• Click axis. Axis points out of screen.
• Double-click axis. Axis points into screen.
• Shift+click axis. View rotates 90 degrees around axis.
• Ctrl+Shift+click axis. View rotates 90 degrees in the opposite direction.
• Alt+click axis. View rotates 15 degrees around axis.
• Ctrl+Alt+click axis. View rotates 15 degrees in the opposite direction.
Using mouse gestures
Mouse gestures are an interface method that you can customize to do anything a SolidWorks toolbar button can do, but by default, this method controls view orientation. Figure 3.3 shows the default configuration of the mouse gesture donut.
FIGURE 3.3
Click+drag the right mouse button (RMB) to access the commands on the donut.
It may take a little time for you to get used to the interface. It works best when you understand what the commands are before you use them, so that you can invoke the Top View command in a single motion. It does not work well if you have to initiate the interface with a very short RMB drag, and then drag again to select the command. For this reason, it might be better to limit the donut to four commands rather than eight,