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Viewer and Navigation Toolbars

When you open a file, there are various viewing and navigation options for 2D and 3D files:

Viewing Toolbar

The viewing toolbar is on the bottom of the viewer.

Orbit: (3D only) In orbit mode, the camera moves around the focal point of the model. In this mode, the up direction is always maintained. Click the arrow for orbit or free orbit options.

Pan: Moves the view parallel to the screen.

Fit to View: Position the bounding box center of the current selection at the center of the viewport.

Zoom Window: Click the arrow to see zoom options: Zoom or Zoom Window. With Zoom Window, you can drag a box to zoom a selected area or window on the model.

Place me: (3D Revit files only, version 2017 or later) allows you to quickly jump from a sheet to a corresponding location in a model. See the Place Me help topic to learn more.

First Person: (3D only) With the First Person tool, you can navigate through a model as if you are walking through it.

Rotate Page: (2D only) Click to rotate the file 90 degrees counterclockwise.

Section Analysis: (3D only) Click the arrow to view the model in sections along the X, Y, or Z planes.

Measure: Use the tools to measure distance, angles, area, and more. You can also calibrate using a known measurement, and specify the units and precision settings.

  • Distance: Click to create the two endpoints of the desired distance.
  • Angle: Click to capture a point along the first ray, then the vertex, and then along the second ray to measure the angle created by these points.
  • Spot Coordinate (3D only. Available in Docs, Build and Model Coordination only): Click a snapped point in the model to see the coordinates and elevation values.
  • Station Offset (Civil 3D drawings only. Available in Docs and Build only): Click any point in the model to find the closest station point (Stn), and the horizontal (H) and vertical (V) offsets from that station to the selected point. Learn more
  • Area (2D only): Click each point of the desired shape. To close the shape, double-click the last point or click the first point.
  • Arc (2D only)
  • Calibrate (2D only): Set the scale or select two points to calibrate.

Settings: Use the tabs on the Settings dialog box to customize the viewer. You can edit the performance and display settings, navigational tools, visual quality, and change the image environment and lighting. A description of each setting is displayed on the dialog box.

Properties: Inspect properties of the model or selected objects, including constraints, materials and finishes, and identifying data.

Full Screen: View the model in full screen mode.

The navigation toolbar is on the left side of the viewer.

Sheets & Views: Switch between the 2D and 3D tabs to switch between sheets and views, and models. You can also search in those sheets or views.

Layers: (2D only) View the layers in your 2D file.

Levels: (3D only) Select which levels to view or hide in your 3D file. You can also search levels.

Markups: (2D only) View, filter, and sort markups. To create and style new markups, see Create and Style Markups.

Issues: (2D only) View, search, sort, filter, and export issues.

Model browser: (3D only) Search by name or ID, and toggle the icon to hide or display the selected objects. See the Model Browser for more information.

Civil tools: (Civil 3D drawings only with visible profile geometry) Use tools to perform alignment awareness and civil infrastructure-specific design review workflows. See Civil tools for more information.

Search through Files

You can search for specific text across all pages in 2D files.

  1. While viewing a 2D file, click the at the top right of the screen or press Ctrl + F (Windows) or CMD + F (macOS) on your keyboard.

  2. Enter a search keyword.

  3. A list will appear with matching results. Click next to the search field or press Enter on your keyboard to navigate through the results.

    The viewer will jump to each result whether on the same page or another page. The matching text will be highlighted in the viewer.

Compare Files

Click in the top right to compare two versions of the same 2D or 3D file or two different 2D files. See Compare Files help topic for more information.

More Menu Options

Click the More menu at the top right to view the options available for your file.

Export

Export PDF files, DWG, and RVT files (which contain 2D views) and choose which markups to include. See Export Files help topic for more information.

Download source file

See Download source files help topic for more information.

Share

Share the file with project members, another project, or anyone. See Share Files and Folders help topic for more information.

Sync Markups to AutoCAD

You can share and sync markups from a PDF originating from a DWG file to AutoCAD collaborators. They can import and view the markups in their Trace environment. After syncing, any updates to markups are automatically sent to AutoCAD collaborators.

  1. Open a PDF originating from a DWG file.

  2. Click More menu

  3. Click Sync Markups to AutoCAD

    In the Sync markups to AutoCAD dialog, enter:

    • The AutoCAD collaborator you want to send the markups to
    • Comments

  4. Click Send

    The AutoCAD collaborator will receive and email with a link to import and sync the markups.

    See the About Docs Markup Import AutoCAD help topic to learn more.

Print

Print: Printing works similar to any standard document printing software.

Shortcuts

Shortcuts: Details a list of shortcuts to create and edit markups, general commands, and moving objects.

You can navigate to the next or previous file in your current folder without exiting the file viewer.

  1. Click at the bottom right of the screen.
    • Right Arrow: Next file.
    • Left Arrow: Previous file.
    • Center grid: Displays all the files in the current folder. Click the search icon to search for a file name.

For multipage PDF Files, you can navigate between the pages of your file in a few ways.

  1. When viewing a multipage PDF, the Sheets & Views panel will open on the left by default. Click a thumbnail to navigate to that page.

  2. Click at the top center of the screen.

    • Left Arrow: Previous page
    • Right Arrow: Next page
    • Box: Indicates the page number that you are currently viewing. Type a number and press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS) to jump to that page

The Sheets & View panel will bring up and highlight the page that you are currently viewing.

Tip: You can also use keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + SHIFT + . and Ctrl + SHIFT + , (Windows) or CMD + SHIFT + . and CMD + SHIFT + , (macOS) to navigate between pages.
Parent page: View Files on Web

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