3DO command –3DOrbit command in AutoCAD – Observe the orbit of 3D model

1. The way to call 3DOrbit command in AutoCAD

Dashboard	Scroll menu	Type command	Tool bar
3D Navigate	View 2 » 3Dorbit	3Dorbit, 3Do	Orbit

3DOrbit command controls the observation of 3D objects to any faces. This command activates the observation of 3D orbit in a current viewport. You can observe whole drawing or choose one or more objects to observe before starting the command.

3dorbit¿

Press ESC or ENTER to exit, or right-click to display shortcut-menu

At this moment, the symbol of 3D Orbit pointer appears. If you drag the pointer to the horizontal direction, camera will move in parallel with XY plane of WCS. If you drag the pointer to the vertical direction, camera will move along Z axis.

Shortcut menu 3Dorbit

After calling 3Dorbit command, you can access more modes and options of 3Dorbit command from shortcut menu (picture 10.12) by clicking the right mouse at drawing region or choose the symbol on Orbit tool bar.

You can access the options on 3Dorbit shortcut menu

3DO command –3DOrbit command in AutoCAD – Observe the orbit of 3D model

2. The options with 3DO command in AutoCAD
Current Mode: Current

Display current mode

Other Navigation Modes

Select one of the following 3D navigation modes:

Constrained Orbit 1 (3DOrbit command)

Constrain rotating the object to XY plane or Z axis

Free Orbit 2 (3Dforbit command)

Allow to rotate the object to any direction, not constrain rotating the object to XY plane or Z axis. After pressing the option, the green circle with 4 small circles appears at the quarter corner. Press the left mouse and move to new position.

Continuous Orbit 3 (3DCOrbit , command)

Change the pointer to the sphere by 2 consecutive lines around it and allow to set up the consecutive moving object following to orbit. After pressing this option, the symbol of pointer appears; you press the left mouse and move it to a direction, the drawing image will rotate consecutively following that direction.

3DO command –3DOrbit command in AutoCAD – Observe the orbit of 3D model

Adjust Distance 4 (3DDistance, command)
Emulate camera moving near or far to the object. After pressing this option, the symbol of pointer appears; press the left mouse to move down or up, it will zoom out or enlarge the image.

Swivel 5 (3DSwivel command)

Emulate moving the screen with Camera to the direction you drag to change the target of observation. You can rotate the image following to XY plane or Z axis.

Walk 6 (3DWalk, command)

Change the pointer to plus mark (+) and allow you to “walk through” the perspective model at a determined height on XY plane by controlling dynamically the position and target of camera. After pressing this option, Walk and Fly Navigation Mappings dialog box appears (picture 10.17). When pressing Close to close the dialog box, the properties window POSITION LOCATOR appears (picture 10.18) and plus mark (+) on the model (picture 10.19a). By using arrow keys or press the left mouse and moving to walk through the model. Press X to close the properties window and press ENTER to complete the command.

3DO command –3DOrbit command in AutoCAD – Observe the orbit of 3D model

Change the pointer to plus mark (+) and allow you to “fly through” the perspective model which is not limited by a determined height on XY plane. Similar to Walk.

Zoom 8 (3DZoom command)

Change the pointer to magnifier emulating the camera moving near or far the object

Pan 9 (3DPan, command)

Change the pointer to hand pointer and move the projection to the direction you drag.

You can turn on any above mode by using shortcut menu at picture 10.12 or enter the displayed number after its name.

Enable Orbit Auto Target

Keep target on the object you are observing at the center of viewport. As default, this characteristic is turned on.

Animation Settings…

Open Animation Settings dialog box (picture 10.20) where you can define the settings to save a note file of 3D navigation.

Visual Style Display the list of visual styles and shadow settings which you can use for cartoon file (picture 10.21)
Resolution Display the list of resolutions. Default value is 320 ´
Frame Rate (FPS) Define frame rate (by second). The values are from 1¸. Default value is 30.

3DO command –3DOrbit command in AutoCAD – Observe the orbit of 3D model

When selecting this node, the window pointer appears. You can choose the region to zoom the screen.

– Specify first corner: Specify the first corner.
– Specify opposite corner: Specify the opposite corner of rectangle to zoom the screen.

* Zoom Extents

Display all objects on the viewport. Press the left mouse and move to observe the faces of object.

* Zoom Previous

Display the previous observed view.

*Parallel (Perspective, command)

Display the object which is parallel projection so that 2 parallel straight lines on drawing are never concurrent (picture 10.22a). Perspective command is assigned to 0 value.

*Perspective (Perspective, command)

Display the object which is perspective projection so that the parallel straight lines on drawing are not parallel, image planes are concurrent at a point. The far objects are fading and the near objects are bigger (picture`0.22b). Perspective command is assigned to 1 value.

3DO command –3DOrbit command in AutoCAD – Observe the orbit of 3D model

Reset View

Reset the old projection to current projection when you start 3DOrbit command

Preset Views

Display the list of perpendicular projection types defined before such as: Top, Bottom, Front, Back, Left, Right and measuring axis projection SW Isometric, SE Isometric, NE Isometric, NW Isometric (picture 10.23). Select a projection from this list to change current projection of model

Named Views

Display the name list of projections saved in the drawing. Select a projection named from the list to change current projection of model.

Visual Styles
Supply the methods to render the objects (picture 10.24) so as to add more information about visual styles.

– 3D Hidden Display the objects by using the performance of 3D wireframe and hide the performing lines of backsides.
– 3D Wireframe Display the wireframe model objects by using the straight segments and arcs to perform the boundaries.
– Conceptual Render the objects and make the sides among polygonal faces. This effect is smaller than realistic but it can make the details of model clearer.

Realistic Render realistically the objects and make the sides among polygonal faces.

3DO command –3DOrbit command in AutoCAD – Observe the orbit of 3D model

Visual Aids

Supply more for observing the objects

Compass

Draw a 3D sphere combined by 3 ellipses performing X, Y, Z axis

Grid

Display a grid piece including 2D straight lines similar to drawing paper. This grid is specified along X and Y axis.

3DO command –3DOrbit command in AutoCAD – Observe the orbit of 3D model

Note:

Before starting 3DOrbit command, you can use Grid command to set up the system variables controlling the grid display. Number of main grid lines corresponds with the value you choose for grid distance Grid Spacing of Grid command, this distance is saved in GRIDUNIT system variable. 10 horizontal lines and 10 vertical lines are drawn among the main lines.

UCS Icon

Display a shaded 3D UCS icon. Each axis is assigned to X, Y, Z. X axis is red, Y axis is green, and Z axis is blue.