Orbit Tool

Rotates the model around a specified pivot point while the view remains fixed. The cursor changes to the Orbit cursor, and you drag the cursor to rotate the model.

Specify the Pivot Point

The pivot point is the base point used when rotating the model with the Orbit tool. You can specify the pivot point in the following ways:

• Default pivot point. When you first open a model, the target point of the current view is used as the pivot point for orbiting the model.
• Select objects. You can select objects before the Orbit tool is used to calculate the pivot point. The pivot point is calculated based on the center of the extents of the selected objects.
• Center tool. You can specify a point on the model to use as the pivot point for orbiting with the Center tool.
• CTRL+Click and drag. Press and hold down CTRL before clicking the Orbit wedge, or while the Orbit tool is active. Then drag to the point on the model you want to use as the pivot point. This option is available only when using the big and mini Full Navigation wheels or the mini View Object wheel.
  Note: While the Orbit tool is active, you can press and hold the CTRL key at any time to move its pivot point.

Maintain Up Direction

You can control how the model orbits around the pivot point by choosing to maintain the up direction of the model. When the up direction is maintained, orbiting is constrained along the XY axis and in the Z direction. If you drag horizontally, the camera moves parallel to the XY plane. If you drag vertically, the camera moves along the Z axis.

If the up direction is not maintained, you can roll the model using the roll ring which is centered around the pivot point. Use the properties dialog box for the SteeringWheels to control whether the up direction is maintained or not for the Orbit tool.

Orbit a model

1. Display one of the View Object or Full Navigation wheels.
2. Click and hold down the Orbit wedge.

   The cursor changes to the Orbit cursor.

3. Drag to rotate the model.
   Note: While using one of the Full Navigation or View Object wheels, use the Center tool to recenter the model in the current view.
4. Release the button on your pointing device to return to the wheel.

Orbit around an object

1. Press ESC to ensure that no commands are active and to clear any previously selected objects.
2. Select the objects in the model for which you want to define the pivot point.
3. Display one of the View Object or Full Navigation wheels.
4. Click and hold down the cursor on the Orbit wedge.

   The cursor changes to the Orbit cursor.

5. Drag to rotate the model.
6. Release the button on your pointing device to return to the wheel.

Turn on selection sensitivity

1. Display one of the View Object or Full Navigation wheels.
2. Right-click the wheel, and click Options.
3. In the SteeringWheels Options dialog box, select Selection Sensitivity for Orbit Tool.
4. Click OK.

   The extents of any objects selected before the wheel is displayed are used to define the pivot point for the Orbit tool. If no objects are selected, the pivot point used by the Orbit is the one defined by the Center tool.

Start the Orbit tool with the middle mouse button

1. Display one of the wheels other than the big View Object or Tour Building wheels.
2. Press and hold down the SHIFT key.
3. Press and hold down the scroll wheel or middle button on your pointing device and drag to orbit the model.
4. Release the button on your pointing device to return to the wheel.