Coordinate and transformation dialog

Related API functions

The coordinate and transformation dialog becomes visible when the user switches to the object/item movement mode using one of following toolbar buttons:

[Manipulation toolbar buttons (translate and rotate)]


The content of the dialog is dependent on the selected movement mode (translation or rotation) and the last selected object or item. If no object/item is selected, the dialog is inactive. If more than one object/item is selected, then some parameters can be copied from the last selected object/item to the other selected objects/items (Apply to selection-buttons).



Position/translations

This part of the dialog becomes visible when object translation toolbar button is selected:

[Object translation toolbar button]

[Position/translations dialog]


The dialog has three distinct sections.

  • Mouse translations: this section allows controlling how a mouse drag will translate the selected objects. Refer also to the object position/orientation manipulation section.
  • Object / item position: this section allows modifying the coordinates of an object or item.
  • Object / item translation & position scaling operations: this section allows applying translation and scaling transformations to an object or item.
  • Following describes each dialog item in more detail:

    Mouse translations

  • Relative to world/parent frame/own frame: indicates that a mouse drag will translate the selected objects/items on a plane or line that is aligned with the absolute reference frame, aligned with the parent object reference frame, or aligned with the object's own reference frame. Clicking Remember settings will store the set preference inside the selected objects, and used as default mouse translation mode for the selected objects.
  • Allow along X/ along Y/ along Z: indicates that a mouse drag allows translating the selected objects/items along the X, Y and/or Z axis of the reference frame selected above. Clicking Remember settings will store the set preference inside the selected objects, and used as default mouse translation mode for the selected objects.
  • Translation step size: the step size used when translating the selected objects/items with a mouse drag (see the user settings dialog for default step sizes). Clicking Remember settings will store the set preference inside the selected objects, and used as default mouse translation mode for the selected objects.
  • Mouse manipulation disabled when simulation running / not running: when enabled, then the selected objects cannot be manipulated when the simulation is running / not running. Clicking Remember settings will store the set preference inside the selected objects, and used as default mouse translation mode for the selected objects.
  • Object / item position

  • Relative to world/parent frame: indicates that the coordinates are relative to the absolute reference frame, or relative to the parent reference frame.
  • X-/ Y- / Z-coordinate: position of the selected object relative to the indicated reference frame (world or parent).
  • object / item translation & position scaling operations

  • Relative to world/parent frame/own frame: indicates that the transformation will be relative to the absolute reference frame, relative to the parent reference frame, or relative to the object's own reference frame.
  • Translate along X / Y / Z: indicates the desired translation amounts along the x-, y- and z-axis of the indicated reference frame (world, parent or own frame).
  • Scale along X / Y / Z: indicates the desired position scaling along the x-, y- and z-axis of the indicated reference frame (world or parent).


  • Orientation/rotations

    This part of the dialog becomes visible when object rotation toolbar button is selected:

    [Object rotation toolbar button]

    [Orientation/rotations dialog]


    The dialog has three distinct sections.

  • Mouse rotations: this section allows controlling how a mouse drag will rotate the selected objects. Refer also to the object position/orientation manipulation section.
  • Object / item orientation: this section allows modifying the orientation of an object or item.
  • Object / item rotation operations: this section allows applying rotation transformations to an object or item.
  • Following describes each dialog item in more detail:

    Mouse rotations

  • Relative to world/parent frame/own frame: indicates that a mouse drag will rotate the selected objects/items about an axis of the absolute reference frame, the parent object reference frame, or the object's own reference frame. Clicking Remember settings will store the set preference inside the selected objects, and used as default mouse rotation mode for the selected objects.
  • Allow about X/ about Y/ about Z: indicates that a mouse drag allows rotating the selected objects/items about the X, Y or Z axis of the reference frame selected above. Clicking Remember settings will store the set preference inside the selected objects, and used as default mouse rotation mode for the selected objects.
  • Rotation step size: the step size used when rotating the selected objects/items with a mouse drag (see the user settings dialog for default step sizes). Clicking Remember settings will store the set preference inside the selected objects, and used as default mouse rotation mode for the selected objects.
  • Mouse manipulation disabled when simulation running / not running: when enabled, then the selected objects cannot be manipulated when the simulation is running / not running. Clicking Remember settings will store the set preference inside the selected objects, and used as default mouse rotation mode for the selected objects.
  • Object / item orientation

  • Relative to world/parent frame: indicates that the indicated Euler angles are relative to the absolute reference frame, or relative to the parent reference frame.
  • Alpha / Beta / Gamma: Euler angles of the selected object relative to the indicated reference frame (world or parent).
  • object / item rotation operations

  • Relative to world/parent frame/own frame: indicates that the transformation will be relative to the absolute reference frame, relative to the parent reference frame, or relative to the object's own reference frame.
  • Rotate around X / Y / Z: indicates the desired rotation amounts around the x-, y- and z-axis of the indicated reference frame (world, parent or own frame).


  • Recommended topics

  • Euler angles
  • Object position/orientation manipulation
  • User settings dialog
  • Vertex edit mode
  • Path edit mode