Setting Up View and Workplane

Setting Up View and Workplane

Model View

In most of the situation, default generated views are not sufficient. User may create additional view from different perspective using “Model View" option under View (tab).

3D View

User can create a new 3D view directly by selecting " 3D View  " command. Once click, a new 3D view will be created. To adjust the view boundary, user may go to "View Properties" for setting.

Plane View

User can quickly create an 2D view directly from any existing view by key in the distance from the origin using these 3 options:
  1. XY Plane View

  2. XZ Plane View
  3. YZ Plane View 

Create View by 2 points  

User can quickly create an elevation view directly from any existing view by selecting specific nodes :

  • Go to View (tab)  > View by 2 Pts
  • Pick Point 1 & Pick Point 2
  • A new sectional view will be created
 

Create View by 3 points 

User can quickly create a 2D plan or elevation view directly from any existing view :

  • Go to View (tab)  > View by 3 Pts
  • Pick Point 1, Point 2 & Point 3
Info
If point 3 picked vertically from Point 1, then elevation view will be created, whereas point 3 picked horizontally from Point 1, then plan view will be created.   
  • A new view will be created

Set Workplane

Since many commands in ProtaSteel depend on a coordinate system to work, you should set an appropriate coordinate system. By default World Coordinate System is the active work plane. To learn more about coordinate systems and workplanes read   Overview of Coordinate System & Workplane Concept.

Set Active Workplane to a View's Original Work Plane

To set the active workplane to a View's Coordinate System (VCS) use the Set Current Workplane  command on that view's Toolbar Tab.

Set Active Workplane to Global Coordinate System

To set the active workplane to World Coordinate System (WCS) use the Set Workplane to Global  command on a view's Toolbar Tab.

User Coordinate System (UCS)

In addition to WCS and VCS, users can define single coordinate system which is independent of views or WCS. This is called User Coordinate System. 
Warning
User can not create multiple User Defined Coordinate systems at a moment. In other words, when the user creates another user defined coordinate system, the previous user defined coordinate system is replaced with the new one.

Create a User Defined Workplane

An user defined workplane can be created as follows:
  1. Click the   Set Coordinate System by 3 Points   from View (Tab) >  "Set Workplane" toolbar group.

  2. Select the first point (P1). This point becomes the origin point of the new coordinate system.
  3. Select the second point (P2). Note that as you move the cursor, a red arrow is displayed from first point to the cursor which indicates the X-axis of the new coordinate system. 
  4. Select the third point (P3). A green arrow is displayed before picking third point. This green arrow indicates an auxiliary vector in the XY plane of the new coordinate system.