Quick Tips Title

Keyboard Keys

Main Keyboard Controls

(Note: The command key has the same function as the alt/option key.)

Mouse Keys - Transform Constraints

The mouse keys constrain transforms differently in the 3D and 2D modelling views:

Mouse Constraints in the modelling windows

Snapping

Snapping keys

Mouse Keys - Selection

Use Preferences → Selection Options to set up the mouse buttons for selection.

There are 4 options, but only 3 mouse buttons. Most users keep the left and right buttons unchanged from the default, and then make a choice over the behaviour of the middle button. Experiment with the two options and choose the one that works best for you.

Choosing mouse keys for different selection operations

Pick Walk

Use the CTRL + Arrow Keys to step from one selected CV, Hull, or Edit Point to the next.

Particularly useful for stepping through CVs to check if there is any unwanted 'zig-zagging'.

Pick Walk keys

For a curve:

For a surface:

In practice, most users just experiment with the arrow keys until they find the right direction.

Advanced

Using Shift + Up Arrow Key moves up one level in the SBD hierarchy and selects the whole surface.

Pick Walk keys up and down the SBD Hierarchy

Using Shift + Down Arrow Key goes back down the hierarchy to the first CV on the object (U=0, V=0).

Tip: The Scene Block Diagram

The SBD has been superceded by the Object Lister for all practical purposes, but it is still useful to illustrate the structure of the object hierarchy in this example:

Scene Block Diagram

Expert Tips

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