Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 3 Viewing and Displaying Three-Dimensional Models 53 Dynamically Displaying Models Dynamically Displaying Models with the View Cube with the View Cube The view cube navigation tool allows you to quickly change the current view of the model to a preset pictorial or orthographic view or any number of dynamically user-defi ned 3D views. The tool is displayed, by default, in the upper-right corner of the drawing area. If the view cube is not displayed, select View Cube in the Viewport Controls fl yout in the viewport controls. You can also pick the View Cube button in the Viewport Tools panel of the View ribbon tab. The View Cube Settings dialog box offers many settings for expanding and enhancing the view cube. This dialog box is discussed in detail later in this chapter. PROFESSIONAL TIP PROFESSIONAL TIP The location of the view cube can be quickly changed by picking the customize button on the navigation bar. Then, select Docking positions in the shortcut menu and select the location of your choice in the cascading menu. Understanding the View Cube The view cube tool is composed of a cube labeled with the names of all six ortho- graphic faces. See Figure 3-5. A compass labeled with the four compass points (N, S, E, and W) rests at the base of the cube. The compass can be used to change the view. It also provides a visual cue to the orientation of the model in relation to the current user coordinate system (UCS). The user coordinate system describes the orientation of the X, Y, and Z axes. A complete discussion of user coordinate systems is given in Chapter 4. Below the cube and compass is a button labeled WCS, which displays a shortcut menu. The label on this button displays the name of the current user coordinate system, which is, by default, the world coordinate system (WCS). This shortcut menu gives you the ability to switch from one user coordinate system to another. A user coordinate system is any coordinate system that is not the world coordinate system. The benefi t of creating new user coordinate systems is the increase in effi ciency and productivity when working on 3D models. When the cursor is not over the view cube, the tool is displayed in its dimmed or inactive state. When the cursor is moved onto the view cube, the tool is displayed in its active state and a little house appears to the upper-left of the cube. This house is the Home icon. Picking this icon always restores the same view, called the home view. Later in this chapter, you will learn how to change the home view. NAVVCUBE Ribbon View Viewport Tools View Cube Type NAVVCUBE CUBE Current view UCS shortcut menu Home icon Shortcut menu button Compass Figure 3-5. The cube in the view cube tool is labeled with the names of all six orthographic faces. The view cube also contains a Home icon, compass, UCS shortcut menu, and shortcut menu button.