topic Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window in Visualization

Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 10:16:54 GMT

In AC23, seemingly at random, and occasionally, the 3D window view changes to have a cutting plane, approx 2m in front of the camera lens. It follows the camera wherever the camera goes, and is really annoying and unhelpful. I can't continue to do any useful editing in the 3D window after it happens, because I can't get closer than 2m to an object before it starts to disappear! I can't find anywhere to turn this "cutting plane" off, and I don't even know what it is -- and if it's a bug or a "feature" that has somehow been turned on. All the cutting plane features I've found seem to assume a static cut, not one that continuously follows the camera around.

Any ideas what it is, and how I can get rid of it... and how to stop it happening in the future.

My only current recourse is to abandon the current file and load a previously saved version.

I've attached a few screenshots of a fly-in to the building, to illustrate the "effect".

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Barry Kelly — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 08:14:35 GMT

I had this the other day while trying to edit a GDL object.
I can't recall exactly what I did to fix it - like you I was checking everything.

But try switching the 3D window to the vectorial engine.
Then switch back to OpenGL.
I am pretty sure that is what fixed it for me.

Barry.

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

mikas — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 08:32:59 GMT

Are you modelling far away from the project origin?
It might help if you moved your model closer to it.
https://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/user-guide/76330/

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 09:56:23 GMT

OK... some more info:

The problem persists with a close of AC completely...restart...load up the same saved file again. So it's some setting/bug that gets saved with the file.

WORKAROUND FOUND:
I switched to VIEW>3D VIEW OPTIONS>AXONOMETRY, and then back to VIEW>3D VIEW OPTIONS>PERPECTIVE (because a switch to Vectorial view took waayyyy too long to never appear), and VIOLA!!! -- back to normal and useable again.

This doesn't solve the mystery behaviour though. So let the solving continue.... 😕

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 10:01:49 GMT

mikas wrote:
Are you modelling far away from the project origin?
It might help if you moved your model closer to it.
https://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/user-guide/76330/

Nope. Project origin is within the building.

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Barry Kelly — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 01:18:26 GMT

peter_h wrote:

WORKAROUND FOUND:
I switched to VIEW>3D VIEW OPTIONS>AXONOMETRY, and then back to VIEW>3D VIEW OPTIONS>PERPECTIVE (because a switch to Vectorial view took waayyyy too long to never appear), and VIOLA!!! -- back to normal and useable again.

Maybe that is actually what I did as well - I really can't remember.
For me it is not something that happens very often (in fact only this once so far).
And once fixed does not seem to re-occur - fingers crossed.

At least we now have a solution to get out of the problem.
Thanks for clarifying.

Barry.

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Lingwisyer — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 01:49:26 GMT

I think that cycling your 3D view type resets your CAMERA origin, of which I believe is that cause of this issue.

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Minh Nguyen — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 13:13:25 GMT

peter_h wrote:
In AC23, seemingly at random, and occasionally, the 3D window view changes to have a cutting plane, approx 2m in front of the camera lens. It follows the camera wherever the camera goes, and is really annoying and unhelpful. I can't continue to do any useful editing in the 3D window after it happens, because I can't get closer than 2m to an object before it starts to disappear! I can't find anywhere to turn this "cutting plane" off, and I don't even know what it is -- and if it's a bug or a "feature" that has somehow been turned on. All the cutting plane features I've found seem to assume a static cut, not one that continuously follows the camera around.

Any ideas what it is, and how I can get rid of it... and how to stop it happening in the future.

My only current recourse is to abandon the current file and load a previously saved version.

I've attached a few screenshots of a fly-in to the building, to illustrate the "effect".

Hi Peter,

Thank you for sharing the issue and I am very sorry about the experience!

As other has suggested, I believe that there must be something off with the camera settings. Is there a chance that you still have the old file? Or is there a way to replicate the issue?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best regards,
Minh

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Anonymous — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 17:20:15 GMT

Hi Minh ,
Yes, I'm still getting this problem, with my current file. And switching to different 3d view modes doesn't help now.
However, making my terrain mesh invisible does stop the problem (so there is zero objects of type MESH in the view). Turning the layer with my mesh on it reinstates the problem.

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Minh Nguyen — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 14:14:18 GMT

Hi Peter,

Thank you for the information! I am wondering if you can share the file with us for a closer look? Please let me know if you need a secure place to upload the file.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Best regards,
Minh

Re: Problem: Unwanted cutting plane appears 2m in front of camera in 3D window

Minh Nguyen — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 08:07:19 GMT

Hi Peter,

Thank you for the detailed explanation! Yes, I would definitely be interested in taking a look at the file. I sent you a link via Private Message, with which you can upload the file directly to us.

Please let me know once the process is finished. Thank you once again!

Best regards,
Minh