I find it best to remain in the orbital window while modeling. What I would like to be able to do is hot key to standard veiws of the model - TOP/SIDE/BOTTOM/ETC and immediately be able to rotate out of those views after checking a detail or making a modification. Does that make sense? In other words, I’d like to be able to remain in the 3d window at all times but have the ability to place the model in standard ortho views whenever I need to.
The workflow I use is to type the name of the desired view (Top, Bottom, Front, Back, Left, Right, etc) in the command line - and then when I want to swing out of it I have an alias set up for “RotateView” which will lets me orbit directly out of an ortho view. I have yet another alias set up to toggle perspective on and off. (’_-ViewportProperties P O Enter) as the alias macro seems to do the trick. This way I can easily work in one viewport and switch between the views I want.
Can you tell me how to set up an alias? I’m not sure what that is.
Hi @JKayten,
I use a similar method to @andheum. I type “vt” for top view, “vp” for perspective view etc.
To set up an alias go to preferences and select the icon.
Once in there just click the “+” button bottom left then enter the command line shortcut you want to allocate and then the macro.
The picture below is of the Rhino windows panel but it is pretty much the same for the mac version.
This is the macro for the perspective view that I use and is truncated in the photo.
!_SetView _World _Perspective _CPlane _World _Top
If you use both Rhino Windows and Mac you can easily export /import your aliases between the two.
HTH.
I’ll second JKayten’s request but modify it slightly. Instead of several hot keys that snap to the standard views, how about a single hot key that snaps the orbital view to whatever the closest ortho view? 99% of the time when you’re in this mode its highly likely you’re quite close to one of the standard views. SDRC works this way and its hugely helpful when you’re trying to establish if something is drafted or fillet/rounded properly.
Best,
Dave
That’s a great idea! It’s really just a matter of getting to the angle needed and then being able to make it absolute. That’s a very elegant solution.
Could you tell me how you’re including screen shots in you posts?
Use the upload button circled in red or follow the instructions in the reply window.
Well, this has been discussed before on the Windows side, and I’m sure it’s on the wishlist. It’s not quite as simple as it sounds… It has to do with how Rhino handles views/viewports. The Perspective viewport is normally in… perspective. That is to say it has a perspective projection. The ortho viewports (Top, Front, right, etc.) are in parallel projection (no perspective compensation or lens effect).
In order to do what you want, the viewport would have to switch from perspective projection to parallel projection. That in itself is no problem, the problem is when you want to switch back… Since Rhino can also have 3D views in parallel projection, there would need to be some option/mechanism that would automatically reset the viewport back to perspective projection when rotated off ortho. There might be some funny visual effects when doing so.
I don’t know how other programs handle this situation, but I have a feeling that those that do are in constant parallel projection, even in 3D… anyone with more info on that?
–Mitch
I’ve little notion of the programming obstacles regarding this. However, the way it works in SU is there is just a single window that can be toggled to perspective/ortho mode, and a key combo will set the model to default views top, side, etc, regardless of the mode.
I’m not a SU user, what happens when you are in an ortho view and you rotate into a perspective? How is the transition from parallel to perspective projection managed?
–Mitch
I just noticed this reply. For some reason, I don’t always get an email notice when a comment is made. I just came back to this with some more thoughts on the matter. Of course, now I don’t quite remember …
As to your question; The model remains in either ortho or perspective until one changes the mode. For me, I set up a single key to toggle it. The ‘ortho’ views are not necessarily otho but simply the default top/sides/bottom and 3/4 views of the object/model.
So, for instance, when I want to work on a surface on the topside of the object, I use command+1 to get there.
If necessary, I then toggle into the proper ortho mode, do my work and then simply orbit out of the view and look over the object. When one orbits out of a default view the model remains in whatever mode it was last place in. (perspective or ortho)
What’s also very efficient in the SU is how the tools will default to the plane of the chosen surface regardless of the current c-plane.
Here’s a quick vid of the toggling/views function of SU
Update - I set up some c-plane view commands with a space mouse and although they take me to straight ortho default views, the view menu flickers for several seconds before the the model can be manipulated further.
The SU app does not have a primitive solids type tool but rather develops objects by pushing and pulling surfaces. This vid should give you a general idea of the modeling method most often used.
Note that any surface created will at first be completely unjoined. This allows initial modifications before the collection of edges and surface fills are then grouped into an object. Afterwards, every aspect of the group can still be modified if one triple clicks on it.
[quote=“JKayten, post:12, topic:11652”]
I just noticed this reply. For some reason, I don’t always get an email notice when a comment is made.[/quote].
Hi @JKayten,
When people place the “@” before your name you get an email. You can modify your notification level for each thread using the tracking option at the bottom of the thread.
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I see. Thanks.
Right, there it is. Thanks for the quick help. Have their been any discussions on some interface functionality as per the discussion taking place with Mitch - Ortho/perspetive Views key command