The Ribbon

The ribbon takes the form of a toolbar that can dock in a horizontal or vertical configuration or float in a vertical configuration.

Maximized ribbon in horizontal orientation (partial view)

Each tab contains a number of panels whose presence, in general, depends on the context. For example, the Selection tab contents vary with the active sub-object level. You can use a right-click menu to determine which panels appear, and you can also tear off panels so they float independently on the interface. You can adjust the panel size horizontally by dragging either end, and when you make it smaller, the panels adjust automatically to fit. The same controls that were previously available directly then become available from drop-down menus.

The first tab on the ribbon is the Modeling tab, and its first panel, Polygon Modeling, provides a subset of Modify panel tools: sub-object level (Vertex, Edge, Border, Polygon, Element); stack level, preview options for sub-object selection, and more. At any time you can show or hide any available panel with the right-click menu.

Note: Most tools on the ribbon have two-part tooltips; the first part contains a brief description of the tool, and sometimes lists important options. The second part, when available, describes how to use the tool, often with an illustration, and with certain tools lists secondary options.

Also, some tooltips have an embedded video, or ToolClip, that uses motion to show how to use the tool. These are indicated by the text “Press Y for video.” To restart the video, press Y again.