Object/item position and orientation manipulationNext to modifying object configurations through the coordinate and transformation dialog, objects can also directly be manipulated using the mouse: when objects are selected, then they can be shifted or rotated using following toolbar buttons: [Manipulation toolbar buttons (translate and rotate)] The user can also toggle between the camera shift mode, the object shift mode and the object rotate mode by clicking the middle mouse button. By default, translation is performed in the world's X-Y plane. It can also be performed along a different axis/plane, and relative to a different reference frame depending on the settings in the coordinate and transformation dialog. A cyan overlay drawing indicates the current translation plane or axis. By default, rotation is performed around the object's own Z axis. It can also be performed around a different axis or relative to a different reference frame depending on the settings in the coordinate and transformation dialog. A cyan overlay drawing indicates the current rotation axis. [Object translation and rotation operations: the cyan overlay drawing indicates the translation plane or rotation axis] Translation and rotation preferences can be set for each object individually in the coordinate and transformation dialog. Default translation and rotation step sizes (snapping) can be adjusted in the user settings dialog, but it is recommended to keep values of 5 centimeters and 5 degrees respectively, or to set the step sizes for objects on an individual basis in the coordinate and transformation dialog. Snapping can temporarily be disabled by holding down the shift-key AFTER the mouse button was pressed down during object manipulation. In a similar way, inactive translation or rotation axes can be temporarily activated by holding down the ctrl-key AFTER the mouse button was pressed down during object manipulation. The object/item translation toolbar button can also be used when the simulator is in the vertex edit mode or in the path edit mode. For precise object positioning, it is recommended to modify an object's position and orientation through the coordinate and transformation dialog. Recommended topics |