Datasheet

TOURING THE INTERFACE

Render shortcuts contain predefined render settings, such as resolution and output file type, used to

create content from your VIZ scenes. The Render Shortcuts toolbar is where you will find the tools for

saving and storing your preset values. You’ll learn about rendering in Chapters 10 and 11.

Snaps are features that control where the cursor jumps to, adding a degree of precision to your

scene, when the cursor is near a characteristic in the scene. Using snaps, you can easily move the

corner of one object to the midpoint of another or nearly any other characteristic combination.

Transforming objects (moving, rotating, or scaling) is often done along a particular axis, or

direction, relative to the object or the scene. This functionality is usually utilized through the Trans-

form gizmo, an onscreen tool to facilitate the transforms. The Axis Constraints toolbar also contains

these tools.

The Extras toolbar contains tools that don’t fit cleanly into other categories. You can override

existing shortcuts and turn on a creation grid relative to the surface of any scene object with the

tools on this toolbar. You can also create numerous, precise clones of objects in matrices, along a

path or at equal intervals.

You can dock the floating toolbars or float the docked toolbars. Try the following exercise to see

how to change the location of toolbars:

Click and drag the title bar of the Layers toolbar so that the toolbar is below the Main toolbar

(see Figure 1.4). The Layers toolbar appears ghosted as a horizontal outline just before you

release the mouse button.

When the outline is in the position shown in Figure 1.4, release the mouse button. The Layers

toolbar is now in a docked position.

Figure 1.4

Docking the Layers

toolbar under the

Main toolbar

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