SolidWorks 2011 Parts Bible - Matt Lombard [77]
FIGURE 5.6
The Triad and named view box
By Shift-clicking an axis of the triad, the view is rotated 90 degrees from the original orientation. Alt-clicking rotates the view around the clicked axis by the view rotation increment set in Tools⇒Options⇒View, which is 15 degrees by default. Pressing Ctrl in conjunction with any of these causes the view to rotate in the opposite direction. Therefore, if pressing Shift-click makes the view rotate against the right-hand rule about the clicked axis, pressing Ctrl+Shift-click makes the view rotate with the right-hand rule.
Using the View Tools
SolidWorks has many additional tools for managing the view, and you can easily access them through the Heads Up View toolbar, hotkeys, or the normal toolbars and menus.
The tools in this section will help you to control how you view parts and assemblies. The following tools are mainly found in the View, View⇒Display, and View⇒Modify menu areas.
• Zoom to Fit. Resizes the graphics window to include everything that is shown in the model. You can also access this command by pressing the F key, or double MMB-clicking.
• Zoom to Area. When you drag the diagonal of a rectangle in the display area, the display resizes to fit it. The border size around the fit area is fixed and cannot be adjusted. This only zooms in, not out.
• Zoom In/Out. Drag the mouse up or down to zoom in or out, respectively. You can also access this command by holding down the Shift key and dragging up or down with the MMB. The hotkey Z and Shift+Z work for Zoom Out and Zoom In, respectively. The percentage of the zoom is a fixed amount and cannot be adjusted. You can also use the scroll wheel to zoom in and out, and if you are accustomed to using a different CAD product where the scroll works the opposite way, a setting exists at Tools⇒Options⇒View that allows you to reverse the function of the scroll wheel.
• Zoom to Selection. Resizes the screen to fit the selection. You can also access this command by right-clicking on a feature in the FeatureManager. For example, if you select a sketch from the FeatureManager and right-click and select Zoom to Selection, the view positions the sketch in the middle of the screen and resizes the sketch to match the display. The view does not rotate with Zoom to Selection.
Tip
A reciprocal function enables you to find an item in the tree from graphics window geometry. If you right-click a face of the model, then you can select Go to Feature in Tree, which highlights the parent feature.
• Zoom about Screen Center. Enables you to zoom straight in and straight out. This tool is off by default. The default behavior is that zooming works around the cursor. If the cursor is off to one side, zooming in and out can cause the view to “walk” away from that side. This command is only found in the menus at View⇒Modify and does not have an icon.
• Draft, Undercut, and Parting Line Analysis. Evaluates the manufacturability of plastic and cast parts. These three types of geometric analysis are discussed in more detail in the discussion on model evaluation in Chapter 12.
• Rotate View. Enables you to orbit around the part or assembly using the left mouse button (LMB). You can also access this command by using the MMB without the Toolbar icon.
• Roll View. Spins the view on the plane of the screen.
• Pan. Scrolls the view flat to the screen by dragging the mouse. You can also access this command by holding down the Ctrl key and dragging the MMB without using the Toolbar icon, or with Ctrl+arrow.
• 3D Drawing View. Enables you to rotate the model within a drawing view to make selections that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. This is of no use in part and assembly models.
• Standard Views flyout toolbar. The Standard Views toolbar is discussed later in this chapter. The flyout enables you to access all the Standard Views tools. This button is also called the View Orientation flyout, depending on where you see it.
• Wireframe. Displays the model edges without the shaded faces.