Datasheet

Waguespack c01.tex V2 - 08/30/2008 1:44pm Page 5
USING THE INVENTOR GRAPHICAL INTERFACE 5
◆ The View Cube icon toggles on and off the availability of the 3D navigation cube that
resides in the top-right corner of the graphics area. The View Cube icon allows the user to
rotate around the model by clicking a face, corner, or edge of the cube, as well as allowing
the user to return to a predefined home view.
◆ The Steering Wheel icon toggles on and off the availability of the navigation steering
wheel. You can use this tool to zoom, pan, walk, and look around the graphics area. Also
available is the ability to rewind through previous steering wheel actions. The first time
the steering wheel is accessed, an introduction balloon appears to help you learn how to
use this tool.
◆ The Display Mode icon has a small drop-down arrow from which you can select Shaded,
Shaded with Hidden Line Display, and Wireframe Display mode. These three viewing
options allow the user to toggle the display of the model in a manner that is comfortable
for viewing and edge selection. Performance is typically faster in shaded mode.
◆ TheViewModeiconprovidestheuserwithachoice of orthographic or perspective view.
The key difference is that in perspective view parallel lines converge to a vanishing point.
◆ The Shadow icon gives the user a choice of three options: No Shadow, Ground Shadow, or
X-Ray Ground Shadow.
◆ The Component Opacity icon provides the user with a toggle to turn component opacity
on or off. This optional icon is available in assembly mode.
◆ The box in the upper right performs various functions. In the open assembly file, selecting
a part in the graphics window will show the color style of the selected part in the list box.
Once the box is active, clicking the drop-down arrow will give you a choice of the optional
color styles available.
Using a Wheel Mouse and 3D Input Device
Using a wheel mouse with Inventor is recommended. Scrolling the wheel will perform a Zoom
In/Out, while pressing the wheel will perform the Pan function.
Another useful tool for navigating in Inventor is a 3D pointing device. A popular brand is the Space
series made by 3Dconnexion. These devices are small spheres or pucks that sit on your desk. The
user grasps the sphere or puck, and by making very slight movements to the device, the model
onscreen moves. Pulling, pushing, and twisting the puck allows you to zoom, pan, and orbit the
model onscreen. Although many users find these devices awkward at first, most say they could never
work as efficiently without one.
Tool and Browser Panels
Inventor utilizes tool panels as the default, replacing toolbars. Tool panels have the ability to
switch icons inside the panel, depending upon the active file type and the specific task to be cur-
rently undertaken. Using the switching tool panels greatly simplifies usage and speeds learning.
Although you could place numerous toolbars around the screen in typical AutoCAD fashion, you
would reduce your efficiency and lengthen your learning cycle.
As a result, new users will benefit from resisting the urge to customize the Inventor interface
and instead embrace this new approach for learning and using the intuitive features in Inventor.