AutoCAD 2016 Using the ViewCube to View 3D Models by David Cohn AutoCAD provides a number of 3D viewing and navigation tools to help you navigate through 3D models and set up specifi c views. The ViewCube is one of these navigation tools. By default, the ViewCube is displayed in the upper-right corner of the current view window. The ViewCube is a persistent interface that you can click or click and drag to switch between standard and isometric views of your model. If you reorient the view, by using the 3DORBIT command for example, the ViewCube reorients to provide visual feedback about the current viewpoint of the model as the view changes. You can also use the ViewCube to reorient the model. For example, when you click and drag the compass circle surrounding the ViewCube, you can rotate the model. When you click a corner of the ViewCube, the model reorients to a three-quarter view based on that corner. Clicking an edge of the ViewCube reorients the view of the model to a half view based on the two sides of the model. When you click a face of the ViewCube, the view changes to a standard orthographic view—such as top, bottom, front, back, left and right—based on the face you selected. When viewing the model from one of these orthogonal views, small triangles appear near the sides of the ViewCube. You can click these triangles to switch to one of the adjacent face views, or click these arrows to rotate the view. You can also click and drag the ViewCube to reorient the model to a custom viewpoint. Note that when you reorient the model in this way, the edges of the ViewCube appear dashed. But when you reorient the model to one of the 18 1818 www.cadlearning.com Watch Video here predefi ned views, the ViewCube edges appear solid. When you hover the cursor near the ViewCube, you can also see a small house icon. This represents the ViewCube Home view, which by default is a South-West or Top/Left/Front three- quarter view. You can right-click the House icon or click the small button that appears to the lower-right of the ViewCube to display the ViewCube shortcut menu. The tools on this menu enable you to change various settings. For example, when you click Set Current View as Home, the current view orientation becomes the new Home view. That view will then be restored whenever you click the Home icon. You can also switch between a parallel projection and one of two types of perspective projections. In a parallel projection, parallel lines remain parallel; whereas in a perspective projection, parallel lines appear to converge as they recede into the distance. A parallel projection makes it easier to work with a model since all edges of the model appear the same size regardless of their distance from the camera. But parallel projection is not how you see objects in the real world. So when you want to generate a more realistic view of the model, switch to a perspective projection. Click ViewCube Settings… to open the ViewCube Settings dialog. The controls in this dialog enable you to change various ViewCube settings, such as the position of the ViewCube on the screen, the size of the ViewCube, and its transparency. The ViewCube is an invaluable tool when viewing and navigating 3D models.