Chapter 1 Introduction to Three-Dimensional Modeling
19
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
Workspaces can be created, customized, and saved to allow a variety of graphical
user interface confi gurations. The
3D Modeling
workspace provides quick access to the
full range of tools required to construct, edit, view, and visualize 3D models. It is the
workspace used throughout this book. This section provides an overview of the
3D
Modeling
workspace and the layout of the ribbon and its panels.
NOTE NOTE
In order to use the default 3D “environment,” you must start a new
drawing fi le based on the
acad3D.dwt
template and set the
3D Modeling
workspace current. All discussions in the remainder of this book
assume that AutoCAD is in this default 3D environment.
Workspaces
A workspace is a drawing environment in which menus, toolbars, palettes, and
ribbon panels are displayed for a specifi c task. A workspace stores not only which of
these tools are visible, but also their on-screen locations. You can quickly change work-
spaces using the
Workspace Switching
button on the status bar or the
WSCURRENT
command. See Figure 1-5. The default
3D Modeling
workspace is shown in Figure 1-6.
Ribbon Panels
Within the
3D Modeling
workspace, the
Home
tab on the ribbon displays 12 panels.
The tools in these panels provide all of the functions needed to design and view your
3D model. See Figure 1-7. The panel title appears at the bottom of the panel. The arrow
button at the right-hand end of the tab names controls the display of the ribbon tabs,
panels, and panel titles. Picking it cycles through the display of the full ribbon, tab
titles and panel buttons, tab and panel titles only, or tab titles only.
Many panels contain more tools than those displayed in the default view. These
panels can be expanded by picking the fl yout arrow to the right of the panel title. See
Figure 1-8A. The fl yout portion is displayed as long as the cursor remains over the
panel. It retracts when the cursor moves off the panel. To retain the fl yout display, pick
the pushpin icon in the lower-left corner of the expanded panel. See Figure 1-8B. The
panel continues to be displayed until you pick the pushpin icon again to release it.
Multiple panel fl youts can be displayed using the pushpin, but they may overlap
in the process. This may obscure menu tools in adjacent panels. Simply pick on the
panel you wish to use and its tools are displayed in full.
You can display only those panels that you need. Right-click anywhere on the
ribbon to display the shortcut menu. Select
Show Panels
to display a cascading menu
that contains a list of the panels available for that tab. See Figure 1-9. The panels that
are currently displayed in the ribbon have a check mark next to their name. Select any
RIBB
O
N
Type
RIBBON
Workspace Switching
button
Figure 1-5.
Switching
workspaces using
the
Workspace
Switching
button on
the status bar.