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How to 'Look At' a specific face


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Is there a way to pick a certain face (such as the Blue Automatic plane in attached image) in a model and then get an ortho view of that face without the objects between the viewer and the face being visible? Sort of a section view? I don't want a section viewport (I don't think) as I want to model some features on that face and would then immediatey switch to an iso view to extrude etc.

 

Thanks for any help 

Screenshot 2016-11-14 17.14.54.png

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Guest Wes Gardner

Yep, the easiest way I know is to set a Working Plane (shift 1 on the Mac) and then use the "guy with  the eye to "look" at it...works real well...

Also, are you familiar with the "Automatic Working Plane"? The way it works is as you mouse over objects, their face will glow blue, you can then model directly on that face.  To invoke - choose any Basic tool (like a rectangle) and then go to the "Plane" control (right next to the "guy with the eye") and select "Automatic"

 

Hope this helps - happy modeling

 

Wes 

 

Screen Shot 2016-11-15 at 9.19.05 AM.png

Edited by Wes Gardner
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Thank you, the Clip Cube is exactly what I needed!

 

The trouble with 'Look At Working Plane' is that is shows objects between viewer and selected plane which makes it hard to draw.

 

A related Q: when using Automatic working plane, is there a way to temporaily lock that plane as the working plane? When I use it and then go to place a starting point for a feature such as a line or rectangle that is close to the intersection of other planes etc, the Automatic plane jumps around selecting adjacent planes. My work around is set a Working Plane but it should would be nice to hold Shift or something to fix/lock the automatic working plane.

 

Thanks in advance.

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23 hours ago, pclary said:

A related Q: when using Automatic working plane, is there a way to temporaily lock that plane as the working plane? When I use it and then go to place a starting point for a feature such as a line or rectangle that is close to the intersection of other planes etc, the Automatic plane jumps around selecting adjacent planes.

 

I draw lines very seldom.

But I think as soon as you set your first points click, e.g. for a rectangele, the blue plane

will (disappear or) get locked (?)

For me the problem is more to lock the plane to the correct orientation for the first click, when

geometry is crowded. The trick for me is to force myself to focus on the planes orientation and

just "trust" that VW will still snap to the correct vertex although my cursor is too far to show

any cursor hints.

That is scary but somehow seems to work.

Edited by zoomer
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Guest Wes Gardner

You can always save a working plane(s) and toggle between them - Modify > Working Plane > Save Working Plane.  To use this effectively, show your Working Planes palette.  Window > Palettes > Working Planes

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Thanks Wes for the reply. I basically understand the use of the Working Plane and end up using it a lot. The Automatic Working plane is faster except when it doesn't work and grabs adjacent planes when I'm trying to do something near the intersection of other objects, hence the question is there a way to temporarily 'lock' or 'fix' the desired plane. 

 

The clip cube does most of what I'm needing but is bit slower: I'm often trying to reference other geometry when adding a feature. My preference would be tool that projects certain geometry onto a surface or plane  that I can then reference but I don't think VW does that. So my next approach is to look at a surface/plane in normal orthogonal view. If I set a working plane on the inside face of the the left side of one of the steel doors I'm making (see attached screenshot) and then invoke Look At Working Plane, I do get a nice normal orthogonal view but all other objects between me and the selected surface/plane are in the way of seeing that particular plane. I just tried using the X-ray mode and maybe that's a way to do what I'm trying to do. Or using the Clip Cube.

 

Is there a better work flow that I should be using?

Screenshot 2016-11-14 17.14.54.png

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7 minutes ago, pclary said:

Thanks Wes for the reply. I basically understand the use of the Working Plane and end up using it a lot. The Automatic Working plane is faster except when it doesn't work and grabs adjacent planes when I'm trying to do something near the intersection of other objects, hence the question is there a way to temporarily 'lock' or 'fix' the desired plane. 

 

 

I tried that.

The trick is to not direct cursor near the potential snapping point as you would normally

but to hover the cursor over the suited face to get correct Auto Plane's Orientation.

Somehow the Snap will prefer the wanted corner point although it displays a snap option

at an edge that is much less far away from cursor.

 

Also you can set a workplane in second mode by simply clicking on a face and that plane

will stay there. You can even draw elements by snapping to any point at any Z distance to

that plane, and the 1st creation point will be projected onto that plane.

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