Lesson Summary

When navigating the 3D workspace, there are a few different approaches you can take:

• Using the toolbar, you can use the hand or orbital view, but this approach is not ideal because you cannot select anything on the model without going to the select tool.
• Most people use a mouse with a scroll wheel to navigate. Middle-clicking the scroll wheel allows you to move the object around like the hand tool, and shift-middle-clicking allows you to pan it around like the free orbiting tool. Clicking the little house symbol takes you back to the home view.
• On Apple notebooks, you can also use two fingers to simulate a middle mouse button press.

To zoom in, you can use the mouse wheel, and the object is zoomed in at the position of the mouse. You can select anything on the model with the mouse button. The whole model is called a body, an edge is a line, and a face is a flat surface. If something is obstructed, you can use the obstructed selection tool.

• Shift-clicking allows you to select multiple edges or faces.

The cube in the toolbar can be used to view the model from different directions. Clicking on a corner or flat surface allows you to rotate the model.

You can also use named views in your browser to navigate the 3D space:

• Examples of named views include top, front, right, and home. You can also create your own named views. By right-clicking on the named view, you can update it or go back to that view.

Another way to navigate 3D space is by using a space mouse. This is an expensive but worthwhile option that allows you to navigate freely and precisely in 3D space.

By using these approaches and features, you will be able to navigate the 3D workspace effectively without getting lost.