Navigating the 3D Window

[Anonymous]

I have just started playing around with the version 10 demo, after not using ArchiCAD for some time. I feel a bit disorientated, but it looks like a good improvement overall. The interface seems a lot more slick, and I am sure that I will find more as I use it more.

While I have not been using ArchiCAD, I've been using 3ds max and Sketchup a lot, so I am very disappointed to see that the way to navigate the 3D window still seems to make no sense at all.

In fact it seems worse now, as I can't figure out how I used to do it previously. There used to be two modes. One revolved around a centre point, better for modelling and the other was a perspective mode better for flythroughs. Also, I can't seem to get the 3D window to show just the selected item from the plan; it shows the whole model instead.

So as far as I am concerned, the way to manipulate the 3D window is even harder than it was before. Any pointers?

edit: I just found the 3D Explore and Orbit modes, but I am still finding it bit difficult to get to grips with. Why isn't there rotate with the < > keys in 3D Explore? Using the mouse for rotating seems a unwieldy and I keep flying up in the air. The Orbit mode seems even less intuitive. Do you get used to this with practise?

[Anonymous]

There used to be two modes. One revolved around a centre point, better for modelling

View>Navigate>3D>Axonometry (Ctrl-F3)

and the other was a perspective mode better for flythroughs.

View>Navigate>3D>Perspective (Shift-F3)

Also, I can't seem to get the 3D window to show just the selected item from the plan; it shows the whole model instead.

The shortcut may have changed to go to your 3D window, as many of them have (apparently). Personally, I almost always used to right-click>3D window so now it's right-click>show selected/marquee in 3D (F5, show all is CTRL-F5)
I, too, had got quite used to the old navigation modes. The new Explore seems a bit clunky to me, 2-handed, keys all over the place and mouse at the same time (not quite enough like Doom for me). I actually preferred the old one there, from the 3D navigation palette.

[__archiben]

SuperJasE wrote:
So as far as I am concerned, the way to manipulate the 3D window is even more rubbish than it was before. Any pointers?

it's driving me nuts. i was never any good at duke nukem.

couple of pointers though:

first and most importantly: change your shortcut for opening the 3D window to the command called "Show Selection/Marquee in 3D". this will give you back your selection/filter functionality that you were used to. because of the new multistorey elements, the 3D window logic had to be changed and "Open 3D Window" (the old Cmd+3/Ctrl+3) now does simply that: it opens the window without any assessment of what needs to be viewed there.

second: holding down shift in the 3D window lets you orbit. you can edit/orbit/edit/orbit without doing anything but press the shift key. and of course the middle mouse button pans. this is somewhat frustrating at first, but i'm getting used to it. there are still plenty of bugs in it in my opinion, but it's an overall improvement. one rule: never, ever click on some empty space to start an orbit... you'll be heading into outer-space or the earth's core before you know it . . .

HTH
~/archiben

[Anonymous]

thanks s2art and archiben,

I found the Classic 3D Navigation palette when I minimised the floor pan and 3D windows and right clicked on the grey background, but I think I will persevere with the new methods and see if I can get used to them.

But how do I change the shortcut for the 3D window ?

[__archiben]

SuperJasE wrote:
But how do I change the shortcut for the 3D window ?

in your work environment . . .

~/archiben