Mouse navigation/hr

Getting started

Selection methods

Index

Overview

The FreeCAD mouse navigation consists of the commands used to visually navigate the 3D space and interact with the objects displayed. FreeCAD supports multiple mouse navigation styles. The default navigation style is referred to as "CAD Navigation," and is very simple and practical, but FreeCAD also provides alternative navigation styles which you can choose according to your preferences.

Navigation

Navigacija

There are two ways to change the navigation style:

• In the Preferences Editor; menu Edit → Preferences → Display → Navigation → 3D Navigation.
• By right-clicking in empty space in the 3D view, then selecting Navigation styles in the context menu.

OpenInventor navigation

OpenInventor Navigation

In OpenInventor (formerly Inventor) Navigation, modeled after Open Inventor (not to be confused with Autodesk Inventor), there is no mouse-only selection. In order to select objects, you must hold down the CTRL key.

Select	Pan	Zoom		Rotate view
{{{Shift}}}+
Hold Ctrl, then press the left mouse button over an object you want to select.	Hold the middle mouse button, then move the pointer.	Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Alternatively, hold the middle mouse button, then press and hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer.		Hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer.

This mode is not based on Autodesk Inventor.

Select	Pan	Zoom		Rotate view
{{{Shift}}}+
Hold Ctrl, then press the left mouse button over an object you want to select.	Hold the middle mouse button, then move the pointer.	Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Alternatively, hold the middle mouse button, then press and hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer.		Hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer.

CAD navigation

CAD Navigation (default)

This is the default navigation style and allows the user a simple control of the view, and does not require the use of keyboard keys except to make multi-selections.

Select	Pan	Zoom	Rotate view First method	Rotate view Alternate method
Press the left mouse button over an object you want to select. Holding down Ctrl allows the selection of multiple objects.	Hold the middle mouse button, then move the pointer.	Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Clicking the middle mouse button re-centers the view on the location of the cursor.	Hold the middle mouse button, then press and hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer. The cursor location when the middle mouse button is pressed determines the center of rotation. Rotation works like spinning a ball which rotates around its center. If the buttons are released before you stop the mouse motion, the view continues spinning, if this is enabled. A double click with the middle mouse button sets a new center of rotation.	Hold the middle mouse button, then press and hold the right mouse button, then move the pointer. With this method the middle mouse button may be released after the right mouse button is held pressed. Users who use the mouse with their right hand may find this method easier than the first method.
	Ctrl+	Ctrl+Shift+	Shift+
	Pan mode: hold the Ctrl key, press the right mouse button once, then move the pointer. introduced in version 0.17	Zoom mode: hold the Ctrl and Shift keys, press the right mouse button once, then move the pointer. introduced in version 0.17	Rotate mode: hold the Shift key, press the right mouse button once, then move the pointer. introduced in version 0.17

Select	Pan	Zoom	Rotate view First method	Rotate view Alternate method
Press the left mouse button over an object you want to select. Holding down Ctrl allows the selection of multiple objects.	Hold the middle mouse button, then move the pointer.	Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Clicking the middle mouse button re-centers the view on the location of the cursor.	Hold the middle mouse button, then press and hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer. The cursor location when the middle mouse button is pressed determines the center of rotation. Rotation works like spinning a ball which rotates around its center. If the buttons are released before you stop the mouse motion, the view continues spinning, if this is enabled. A double click with the middle mouse button sets a new center of rotation.	Hold the middle mouse button, then press and hold the right mouse button, then move the pointer. With this method the middle mouse button may be released after the right mouse button is held pressed. Users who use the mouse with their right hand may find this method easier than the first method.
	Ctrl+	Ctrl+Shift+	Shift+
	Pan mode: hold the Ctrl key, press the right mouse button once, then move the pointer.	Zoom mode: hold the Ctrl and Shift keys, press the right mouse button once, then move the pointer.	Rotate mode: hold the Shift key, press the right mouse button once, then move the pointer.

Revit navigation

The Revit navigation style was modeled after Revit.

Select	Pan		Zoom	Rotate view
				Shift+
Press the left mouse button over an object you want to select.	Hold the middle mouse button, then move the pointer. Alternatively, hold both left and right mouse buttons, then move the pointer.		Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.	Hold Shift and the middle mouse button, then move the pointer. Alternatively, hold the middle mouse button, then press and hold the right mouse button, then move the pointer.

Blender Navigation

The Blender navigation style was modeled after Blender.

The Blender Navigation was modeled after Blender. Previously there was no mouse-only panning, and it required use of the SHIFT key to pan the view. This changed in 2016 with a feature-addition. In order to pan the view, you can now press both left and right mouse buttons and drag in the view.

Select	Pan		Zoom	Rotate view
	Shift+
Press the left mouse button over an object you want to select.	Hold Shift and the middle mouse button, then move the pointer. Alternatively, hold both left and right mouse buttons, and then move the pointer.		Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.	Hold the middle mouse button, then move the pointer.

Alternatively, hold both left and right mouse buttons, and then move the pointer. |Zoom_text=Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. |Rotate_view_text=Hold the middle mouse button, then move the pointer. }}

Maya-Gesture Navigation

In Maya-Gesture Navigation, panning, zooming, and rotating the view require the Alt key together with a mouse button; therefore, a three-button mouse is required. It's also possible to use gestures as this mode was developed over the Gesture Navigation mode.

In Maya-Gesture Navigation, all view movements are activated pressing ALT and a mouse button, so that it will be needed to have a 3 button mouse in order to correctly use this navigation mode. Alternately it's possible to use gestures as this mode was been developed over the normal Gesture Navigation mode.

Select	Pan	Zoom		Rotate view
	Alt+	Alt+		Alt+
Press the left mouse button over an object you want to select.	Hold Alt and the middle mouse button, then move the pointer.	Hold Alt and the right mouse button, then move the pointer. Alternatively, use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.		Hold Alt and the left mouse button, then move the pointer.

Alternatively, use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. |Rotate_view_text=Hold Alt and the left mouse button, then move the pointer. }}

Touchpad Navigation

In Touchpad Navigation, panning, zooming, and rotating the view require a modifier key together with the touchpad.

In Touchpad Navigation, neither panning, nor zooming, nor rotating the view, are mouse-only (or touchpad-only) operations.

Select	Pan	Zoom	Rotate view
	Shift+	PageUp, PageDown	Alt+
Press the left mouse button over an object you want to select.	Hold Shift, then move the pointer.	Use PageUp and PageDown to zoom in and out.	Hold Alt, then move the pointer.
		Ctrl+Shift+	Shift+
		Alternatively, hold Shift and Ctrl, then move the pointer.	Alternatively, hold Shift and the left button, then move the pointer.

Gesture Navigation (v0.16)

This style was tailored for use with a touchscreen and pen. Nevertheless, it can also be used with a mouse, and is recommended for use when using a Mac with a trackpad.

This navigation style was tailored for usability with touchscreen and pen, but is very usable with mouse too.

Select	Pan		Zoom	Rotate view	Tilt view
Press the left mouse button over an object you want to select.	Hold the right mouse button, then move the pointer.		Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.	Hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer. In Sketcher and other edit modes, this behavior is disabled. Hold Alt when pressing the mouse button to enter rotation mode. To set the camera's focus point for rotation, click a point with the middle mouse button. Alternatively, aim the cursor at a point and press H on the keyboard.	Hold both left and right mouse buttons, and then move the pointer sideways.
Tap to select.	Drag with two fingers. Alternatively, tap and hold, then drag. This simulates the pan with the right mouse button.		Drag two fingers (pinch) closer or farther apart.	Drag with one finger to rotate. Hold Alt when in the Sketcher.	Rotate the imaginary line formed by two touch points. On v0.18 this method is disabled by default. To enable, go to Edit → Preferences → Display, and untick "Disable touchscreen tilt gesture" checkbox.

Alternatively, tap and hold, then drag. This simulates the pan with the right mouse button. |Zoom_text=Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. |Zoom_gesture_text=Drag two fingers (pinch) closer or farther apart. |Rotate_view_text=Hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer. In Sketcher and other edit modes, this behavior is disabled. Hold Alt when pressing the mouse button to enter rotation mode.

To set the camera's focus point for rotation, click a point with the middle mouse button. Alternatively, aim the cursor at a point and press H on the keyboard. |Rotate_view_gesture_text=Drag with one finger to rotate.

Hold Alt when in the Sketcher. |Tilt_view_text=Hold both left and right mouse buttons, then move the pointer sideways. |Tilt_view_gesture_text=Rotate the imaginary line formed by two touch points.

On v0.18 this method is disabled by default. To enable, go to Edit → Preferences → Display, and untick "Disable touchscreen tilt gesture" checkbox. }}

OpenCascade navigation

The OpenCascade navigation style was modeled after OpenCascade.

Select	Pan		Zoom		Rotate view
	Ctrl+			Ctrl+	Ctrl+
Press the left mouse button over an object you want to select.	Hold the middle mouse button, then move the pointer.		Use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out. Alternatively, hold Ctrl and the left mouse button, then move the pointer.		Hold Ctrl and the right mouse button, then move the pointer.

OpenSCAD navigation

The OpenSCAD navigation style was modeled after OpenSCAD.

introduced in version 0.20

Select	Pan	Zoom		Rotate view
			Shift+
Press the left mouse button over an object you want to select.	Hold the right mouse button, then move the pointer.	Hold the middle mouse button, then move the pointer. Alternatively, hold Shift and the right mouse button, then move the pointer.		Hold the left mouse button, then move the pointer.

Selecting objects

Simple selection

Objects can be selected by a click with the left mouse button either by clicking on the object in the 3D view or by selecting it in the tree view.

Preselection

There is also a Preselection mechanism that highlights objects and displays information before selection by just hovering the mouse over the objects. If you don't like this behaviour or you have a slow machine, you can switch preselection off in the preferences.

Manipulating objects

FreeCAD offers manipulators that are handles that can be used to modify an object's appearance, shape, or other parameters.

Hardware support

FreeCAD also supports some 3D input devices.

Recommended navigation for macOS

On MacBooks with a trackpad the Gesture navigation works very well, but the gestures have a special meaning:

• Zoom: drag with two fingers.
• Rotate: drag with three fingers.
• Pan: Ctrl + three fingers.

Developing a custom navigation

The tutorial Adding a new mouse navigation option to FreeCAD orients developers who want to develop a custom mouse navigation option. Familiarity with the C++ syntax is required.

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