Question:
How exactly do I look at 3D models within my Fieldwire project?
Answer:
There are a few different ways to navigate 3D Models in Fieldwire's BIM Viewer. The 3D viewer includes a Navigation Cube in the bottom-right corner by default. You can also use the Orbit and Walk tools to look around within 3D models using keyboard and cursor combinations.
Home Button
The 'Home' option will return you to the 'Default View'. This will expose any objects that were previously hidden, and unselect anything you had previously selected.
Choosing the 'Home' option is the best way to return to where you started:
Orbit and Walk Tools
The Orbit tool is the default, but you can click on the button to change it to the Walk (looks like two footprints) tool.
Note: Only 1 tool can be selected at a time.
The Orbit Tool
Selecting the Orbit Tool allows a user to click anywhere on the model and drag to rotate the model.
To Rotate:
|
Mouse |
Trackpad |
|
Left Click + Drag (Up/Down/Left/Right) |
Press + Drag w/ 1 finger (Up/Down/Left/Right) |
To Pan:
|
Mouse |
Trackpad |
|
Right Click & Drag Or Shift Key + Left Click & Drag (Up/Down/Left/Right) |
Right Click & Drag Or Shift Key + Drag w/ 1 finger (Up/Down/Left/Right) |
To Zoom In/Out:
|
Mouse |
Trackpad |
|
Scroll Mouse Wheel Up/Down |
Swipe w/ 2 Fingers Up/Down |
The camera will zoom to wherever your cursor is located, and you can also use the "+" and "-" options to zoom in and out of models incrementally.
The Walk Tool
Selecting the Walk tool lets you navigate through the model through a point-of-view mode by clicking and dragging towards the direction of your choice.
To Look around:
| Mouse | Trackpad | Keyboard |
| Left Click + Drag (Up, Down, Left, Right) | Press + Drag w/ 1 finger (Up, Down, Left, Right) | Use the arrow keys (Up, Down, Left, Right) |
To Pan:
| Mouse | Trackpad | Keyboard |
| Right Click & Drag (Up/Down/Left/Right) | Right Click + Drag w/ 1 finger (Up,Down, Left, Right) | Select 'A' or 'D' to move left or right. |
To Walk In/Out or Left/Right of the model:
| Mouse | Trackpad | Keyboard |
|
Scroll Wheel Click + Drag: Up/Down to go In/Out Left/Right to go Left/Right |
Swipe w/ 2 Fingers Up/Down: Up/Down to go In/Out |
Use the 'W and 'S' keys to go In/Out. |
To Zoom In/Out:
| Mouse | Trackpad |
| Scroll Mouse Wheel Up/Down | Swipe w/ 2 Fingers Up/Down |
The camera will zoom to wherever your cursor is located:
The Navigation Cube
The navigation cube in the bottom-right corner is another way to view different areas of your model.
The cube will function differently depending on the tool (orbit or walk) you have selected.
The Navigation Cube and the Orbit Tool
The model will rotate whenever you use the navigation cube while the 'Orbit' tool is selected.
|
Mouse |
Trackpad |
|
Left Click + Drag (Up/Down/Left/Right) |
Press + Drag w/ 1 finger (Up/Down/Left/Right) |
The Navigation Cube and the Walk Tool
Whenever you use the navigation cube while the 'Walk' tool is selected, you can shift perspectives within the model.
|
Mouse |
Trackpad |
|
Left Click + Drag (Up/Down/Left/Right) |
Press + Drag w/ 1 finger (Up/Down/Left/Right) |
The Sides of the Navigation Cube
If you click on a side of the navigation cube, the model will always reorient to display the selected side, regardless of whether you have the 'Orbit' or 'Walk' tool selected:
You can also select the top and bottom, as well as the corners of the cube to re-orient the view:
Help Icon
If you need to review the navigation controls for the BIM Viewer, choose the Help icon at the bottom of the navigation tools.
To return to the BIM Viewer, click the 'Esc' key, choose the 'x' in the top-right corner of the pop-up, or click the blue "Close" button: