This menu allows you to customize the Amapi 3D interface, i.e., the way that you communicate with your software. As you master Amapi 3D, you will adapt it to your needs and capabilities
q Language
Use this command to specify the language used for displaying messages.
To date, you can choose from the following languages:
¨ English
¨ French
Highlight the desired language and release the mouse button (left button on PC).
q Tool palettes
Amapi 3D supports three tool palettes:
¨ Construction
¨ Modeling
¨ Assembly
You can choose between two interfaces:
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Standard |
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Workshop |
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Construction Palette |
Modeling Palette |
Assembly Palette |
This interface was ergonomically designed so as to allow the user’s movements to follow as closely as possible the natural movement of a designer at the drawing table, or a sculptor in his/her workshop.
The floating tool palettes are displayed on the top right side of the scene. Within a palette, each tool is represented by an icon.
How do you select a tool?
1. Before using a tool, make sure that the current (selected) object is the one you want to work on. (See chapter User Manual/Tools/Control Panel/Selection tools/Wand.)
2. Click on the icon depicting the tool you want to use.
How do you switch tool palettes?
To switch tool palettes, if you have chosen the Workshop interface, move the cursor out of the scene by the right hand side of the screen and then back into the scene.
How do you end the action of a tool?
There are two ways to do this:
Validate the action:
Þ In the Assistant Palette: Click on the “OK” button.
or
Þ Through the keyboard: Press the Return key.
Validating an action puts the tool aside: the cursor switches back to the Wand, which allows you to select another element or tool.
Put the tool aside:
Move the cursor out of the scene through the right hand side of the screen to put the tool aside (to drop it) and move it back into the scene. You will then be able to select another element or tool.
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Standard |
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Workshop | ||
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The advantage of this interface is that it is familiar to most users.
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How do you select a tool?
1. Before using a tool, make sure that the current (selected) object is the one you want to work on. (See chapter User Manual/Tools/Control Panel/Selection tools/Wand.)
2. Click on the icon depicting the tool.
How do you change tool palette?
Using this interface, the three tool palettes are constantly displayed. Therefore, you do not need to change palettes.
How do you end the action of a tool?
There are two ways to do this:
Validating the action:
Þ In the Assistant Palette: Click on the “OK” button.
or
Þ Through the keyboard: Press the Return key.
Validating the action causes the tool to be dropped. The cursor switches back to the Wand, allowing the user to select another element.
Putting the tool aside:
Selecting another tool automatically drops the previous tool.
Þ Select another tool in the Tools Palette to continue working on the current palette.
Or
Þ Select a construction tool to build a new object.
The Assistant Palette has been specifically designed to give you information and guide you through your first projects with Amapi 3D. It will help you get acquainted with Amapi 3D quickly. Once you are familiar with it, you can turn off the Assistant Palette, which will give you a larger work space. (See chapter User Manual/Tools/Assistant Palette.) Just deactivate the palette if you don’t want it displayed.
q Control Panel
The Control Panel displayed at the bottom of the screen provides modeling support features. These features will help you get the most from your Amapi 3D software. (See chapter User Manual/Tools/Control Panel.)
You can choose between three types of interface for the Control Panel:
¨ Control Panel always displayed at the bottom of the screen:
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Activated |
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Automatically hidden |
¨ Control Panel automatically hidden: The advantage of this interface is that it frees up work space since the Control Panel is displayed only when you ask it to be. Just move the cursor to the bottom of the screen to have it appear. The Control Panel will disappear as soon as the cursor is back in the scene.
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Activated |
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Automatically hidden |
¨ Control Panel always hidden: This choice frees the most work space. However, you will have to use hotkeys to access the Control Panel tools (see chapter User Manual/Tools/Control Panel and User Manual/Edit/Shortcuts.)
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Activated |
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Automatically hidden |
This option is used to display objects as a bounding box when you move them or the scene around. This option speeds up navigation in the working scene.
In the center of an empty scene is a table on top of a grid.
You build your model on the table and use the grid and the table as visual references to locate yourself in space.
However, you may want to hide the grid or the table.
Click on this command to hide the table. Click again to have it re-appear.
Caution, you must restart Amapi 3D for your choice to take effect.
In the center of an empty scene is a table on top of a grid.
You build your model on the table and use the grid and the table as visual references to locate yourself in space.
However, you may want to hide the grid or the table.
Click on this command to hide the grid. Click again to have it re-appear.
Caution, you must restart Amapi 3D for your choice to take effect.
There are two different interfaces for moving a point (point, group of points, object, or otherwise):
“Drag and drop” and “Click-click”.
Amapi 3D allows you to choose the one you prefer.
Drag and drop. This interface works as follows:
Þ Select the element using the cursor.
Þ Click on the left mouse button (do not release it).
Þ Move the mouse to the desired location.
Þ Release the mouse button.
Click-click. This interface works as follows:
Þ Select the element using the cursor.
Þ Click and release the left mouse button.
Þ Move the mouse to the desired location.
Þ Click the left mouse button again.
¨ Background image
To add realism to your work, Amapi 3D allows you to display your models on top of a background image.
Þ Check the “Background image” box.
Þ Follow the instructions in the dialog box to specify the file containing the background image.
¨ Rotation speed
This command is used to set the speed at which the user’s eye rotates around the scene.
You will just need to set a value between 1 and 10.
A value of 1 is the slowest speed and a value of 10 the fastest.
q Display mode
This command opens a dialog box for specifying how you want the current scene to be displayed. Select the desired display mode from the list of choices:
¨ Basic Wireframe
¨ Lit Wireframe
¨ Flat Solid
¨ Smooth Shading
¨ Smooth Solid
Shaded mode increases the intuitiveness and the realism of the models. Wireframe mode is better suited for tasks requiring precision.
