Can the OnS View-Cube be Repositioned / Controlled?

daryntaylor

After uploading a step file into OnS, I realised that the model wasn't positioned correctly, is there a way to reorient the model to a preferred view, say the front or top, then reposition/ recalibrate the view-cube to reflect this new view?
I'm aware that something along these lines can be done in Inventor, which I have found to be very useful at times.
Also, whilst on the subject, are there any plans to add all iso views to the corners of the cube?, not just the front as it is now.  
   

andrew_troup

You can reorient a body using a workaround: select all the faces (using "Create Selection" from the RMB menu, for which help is available and informative), then choose "Move Faces" and "Add" from the selection creation dialog, select the "Rotate" option, and use an edge or a sketch line to specify the axis of rotation.

+1 for OnS to offer the seven other Iso views. I suggested (via a feedback ticket) that the patches on the other viewcube corners all be smaller, so that the current Iso view remains the dominant choice, but it is often not the one which shows the essential features of a part.

Darren_A_Henry

In the part studio, you can use the transform feature to move or rotate a model. It moves the model relative to the global coordinate system.  Also, it is not hard to simply RMB on the tab with the step file and choose the Y up option.  This can help in many cases.  If the result is good, simply delete the tab with the poor orientation.

jakeramsley

To follow on what Darren Henry said, if you already have an import in your part studio that should be re-orientated, you can double click on the "Import" feature in the feature list to edit it.  From here you can toggle on/off the "Source is 'Y Axis Up'" checkbox to change how the import was inserted with no need of creating a new tab.

andrew_troup

You can reorient a body using a workaround: select all the faces (using "Create Selection" from the RMB menu, for which help is available and informative), then choose "Move Faces" and "Add" from the selection creation dialog, select the "Rotate" option, and use an edge or a sketch line to specify the axis of rotation.

+1 for OnS to offer the seven other Iso views. I suggested (via a feedback ticket) that the patches on the other viewcube corners all be smaller, so that the current Iso view remains the dominant choice, but it is often not the one which shows the essential features of a part.

Darren_A_Henry

In the part studio, you can use the transform feature to move or rotate a model. It moves the model relative to the global coordinate system.  Also, it is not hard to simply RMB on the tab with the step file and choose the Y up option.  This can help in many cases.  If the result is good, simply delete the tab with the poor orientation.

jakeramsley

To follow on what Darren Henry said, if you already have an import in your part studio that should be re-orientated, you can double click on the "Import" feature in the feature list to edit it.  From here you can toggle on/off the "Source is 'Y Axis Up'" checkbox to change how the import was inserted with no need of creating a new tab.

onshaper

Mostly unrelated: I wish the view cube would rotate the model if you clickdragged on it.

andrew_troup

@onshaper: It seems to me your suggestion simply uses the cube as a proxy for the model, which does not seem a huge advantage?

For more specific control, how would it be if, when we click and hold on one of the arrows surrounding the cube, the cube would rotate (purely) in that direction, for as long as the button was held down (a click on the same buttons would, as at present, rotate 45 degrees in the same direction).

That would give us a way of slewing a model on the floor, keeping the verticals vertical. Among other useful capabilities.

onshaper

@Andrew_Troup consider the case where you are using Onshape on a Macbook with the trackpad.

The way I describe is how Autodesk Fusion works, and it works very well!

You could easily have a little dragging handle for repositioning the cube, too.

3dcad

+1 for @Andrew_Troup 's idea locking movement to certain axis. Another solution could be simply pressing x, y or z to lock direction while turning model with RMB. Needs some extra fingers with trackpads though, but if it would work also with arrow keys it should be decent workaround.

andrew_troup

The more I use Onshape, the more it seems to me that the default behaviour should be for the left and right arrows to cause rotation about an axis which is vertical with respect to the model *as it is currently displayed*.

At present, if you invoke "isometric", then left or right arrow, the model tilts sharply away from the vertical, as well as spinning. This behaviour is really unhelpful, even to me who is well used to it from two decades with Solidworks.

And if / when this is addressed, it seems to me that a horizontal mouse-drag should also be revised, so it continues to behave the same as left and right arrows.

(@3dCad's latest suggestion is ingenious, but unfortunately two of those shortcut keys are already spoken for, and z for zoom is particularly entrenched.)