This dialog allows you to adjust parameters relating to interactive operations within the 3D View, such as selection, moving and Clash Detection etc.
Shortcuts
Default Keys: None
Default Menu: 3D Design
Command: 3D Settings Interaction
Locating this option
Available from: (design) 3D Design menu > 3D Settings> Interaction tab
Available from: (3D Viewer) 3D Design menu > 3D Settings> Interaction tab
Using the dialog
The models within the 3D Viewer are fully interactive. By using this dialog you are able to define whether models are selectable and moveable and specify various clash detection options.
Selectable
The Selectable pane allows you to select the types of model that can be interactively manipulated in the 3D View - Components and Enclosures. The model types checked that are selectable can, if you choose, be repositioned using the mouse in the Preview window.
Cross Probe
These settings allow you to control what happens when you click on items in the PCB design or its corresponding 3D View. You can enable cross probing in each direction independently of each other.
Use Clash Detection
Clash detection allows 3D objects to be checked to see if they are too close to one another according to the defined rules. If this is the case they are considered to “Clash”.
The Use Clash Detection check box indicates whether clash detection is enabled. If checked, you are able to define the collision parameters, contained below, that specify how clash detection will operate. You can choose which of the various different types of item to check against each other by ticking the appropriate items in the list.
if Use Spacings is ticked, it indicates that the distance between items will be checked against the defined minimum spacing, rather than checking that items touch. The spacings defined in a design’s Technology are used to set the distances at which clashes are detected.
If the Highlight Clashing Items option is checked, items that clash will be highlighted in red.
Checking the Show Clash Markers option instructs clash detection to insert Clash markers to indicate where clashes between items are occurring. It may be used as well as or instead of the Highlight Clashing Items option described above. Where a spacing has be violated, rather than the items actually touching, additional marker lines will point to the exact position on each item where the clash was detected. Clicking on a Clash Marker will display the names of the clashing items and the distance between them in the right-hand end of the Status Bar.
With the Show Clash Markers check box enabled, you can now also select the Always Show Nearest Clash Point option. This directs clash detection to always show a Clash Marker at the closest possible point between two items. Leaving it unchecked means that when a Clash Marker is shown indicating a gap less than the specified spacing, it may not be the point at which the gap is smallest. As the items are repositioned further apart the Clash Marker will gravitate towards the closest point until eventually it disappears. The trade-off for enabling Always Show Nearest Clash Point is that, because it has to perform more comparisons, it is slower in operation.
More information about Clash Detection is provided on the Clash Detection help page.
Allowing Moving of 3D Objects
If checked, Allowing Moving of 3D Objects enables the ability to interactively move, within the 3D View, the types of objects chosen in the Selectable pane above.
If Automatically Synchronise 2D is checked, component positions in your 2D PCB design will be updated with any model movements performed in the 3D View.
With this check box enabled, if a component is moved in the 3D Viewer, attached items are updated to their current state in the PCB design view. This removes the need to completely regenerate the 3D viewer if you want attached tracks to be updated.
When checked, Component Grid indicates that movement of 3D component models will adhere to the same Component grid as is defined in your 2D PCB design. If it is unchecked, component models can be moved freely.
When checked, Move Component Drills indicates that when a component is moved and placed, any related drill holes will be moved to the component’s new position.
The Save Enclosure Positional Changes option specifies whether or not the manipulation of an enclosure model in the 3D View is saved in the 2D PCB design when the 3D View is closed. Note, the 2D PCB design itself will also need to be subsequently saved for the enclosure changes to be permanently saved. This option operates independently of the Automatically Synchronise 2D option above.
Constant Alignment Spacing
When checked, the Constant Alignment Spacing setting is used by the Align commands in 3D Viewer and the Position STEP Model dialogs. If this option is not checked then each time an Align function is used you are prompted for an Align Spacing value which specifies a distance to be left between the two objects being aligned. If the spacing value is zero then the origin points of the two objects are made coincidental. Checking the Constant Alignment Spacing option will always use the Amount value specified in Settings rather than prompting every time an Align function is used. Units are always specified in mm.
Flexi Board Folding
The Show Animation check box lets you toggle whether or not the folding of the flexi board should be animated. This is used in conjunction with the Animation Precision step slider and lets you fine tune how many steps should be in the animation (the more steps, the smoother the animation, but it will take longer to generate).
Animation Precision uses a slider that moves from 1-3. Animation Precision at level 1 will have the smallest load time but the animation will be less smooth and at 3 it will have the longest load time but smoothest animation.
Related Topics
3D Settings | 3D Colours | 3D Enclosures | 3D View | 3D Output | 3D Layers | STEP Library