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Hi,

Normally in LDraw if you are making a model you'd probably have to view it from different angles and use the zoom tool.

However when I do this, it changes all of the brick position coordinates (e.g.: X ***, y*** z***).
If the numbers change then I have no idea what number to increase that value by, as numbers like 'Y axis, 11.1584912784' are hard to work with, and it is not very builder friendly as I just want to get the brick(s) adjusted correctly. (Even if I use then 'hand' tool to change the model, or use the default angles in the right click menu it still changes the co-ordinates.)

Can't we have a tool that allows us to three dimensionally change the viewing angle of the model to how fine we need it, but will also leave the brick co-ordinates to how they are.

If this was fixed:
Let’s say for example I had two 3001's placed on top of each other, if I moved the bottom brick somewhere to the left' then changed the angle to '90 degrees, left' then change that brick coordinate again, it would keep the brick position coordinates but change the axis the brick moves since we are looking it from the side it would move closer or nearer but in the original viewer angle it would move left or right.

Maybe there can be a quick finder gauge in the workspace where there is a brick icon or something but has a red dot near it, telling you where you are viewing it from, a bit like a ball compass.

Regards, Kris

I need a little bit more info before I can help you.

What modelling program are you using?
Can you post screenshot of what's going on?

P.S. We have the ability to move posts around so you don't need to start a new topic, just ask to have us move it

I am using Bricksmith (mac osx) and LDraw (windows 7) which is just the same thing.

screen shots:

You're rotating the entire model, instead of rotating the camera. I don't know off-hand how to rotate the camera in Bricksmith, but it appears that if you perform a rotate operation with nothing selected, it acts as though everything was selected. Look around in the Bricksmith UI (or help) for camera view/rotation settings. There are probably pre-set views somewhere (left, right, top, bottom, etc.). Also, doing a quick scan of the Bricksmith tutorial, if you hold down Command+Option will dragging in the model view, it will rotate the view.

I use that because it helps sometimes,

Let's say your movel was diagonally placed , it is awkward to move it using the spin tool, I find it hard to put that diagonal placed model back flat (horizonally) as it just keeps tilting the other ways and not how i need.

Even with the right click menu's set viewpoints it is still not flat.

If it's not flat when you right click in the view and select one of the standard views (left, right, top, etc.), then that means that you modeled it on a slope. So set the camera to one of the standard views, then figure out what rotations are required to get the model back in the proper orientation for that view, then repeat for the standard views of the other two axes. If you intentionally want the model to be diagonal, the better way to do that is to model it flat, then add it as a sub-model under the main model, and rotate the sub-model in the main model until it's at the desired orientation.

I tried using the default views but it is still not flat,

The model I used to demonstrate is the sample model, 'panel.ldr' by james jessiman, im not sure it that was build on a flat axis.

Travis Cobbs Wrote:You're rotating the entire model, instead of rotating the camera. I don't know off-hand how to rotate the camera in Bricksmith, but it appears that if you perform a rotate operation with nothing selected, it acts as though everything was selected.

For the record, that is not the case. If you perform a rotate operation with nothing selected, nothing happens.

Travis Cobbs Wrote:Look around in the Bricksmith UI (or help) for camera view/rotation settings.

Go to View > Orientation, or right-click in the viewport to choose a preset angle.

To do freeform camera angle changes, hold down the Command key and drag. Alternatively, click the Spin icon in the tool palette and just drag.

Allen