Orthomode in front and side view not allowing z axis

[cindyporcu]

When I used to use orthomode in front and side view in 2008 version, it would work as if in plan view.  Now only x and y axis work for ortho in front and side view, which is frustratiing when drawing and jumping around pure front side and top views.  The help window says that in 3-d views the ortho allows z axis as well which is true, but what about front and side views?!?!?!?! so frustrated.  any tips? this seems like a step backwards in software design to me.

thanks

[David_W_Koch · Accepted solution]

How are you changing to a Front or Side view?  Is UCSORTHO set to 1?

With UCSORTHO set to 1, when you change to an orthographic view (Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, Back), the UCS will automatically align the X-Y plane with the view and ORTHOMODE will work as you expect.  This works with:

• The VIEW command, if you choose to restore one of the orthographic Preset Views from the View Manager dialog.
• The -VIEW command, if you use the Orthographic option and then choose one of the orthographic views.
• The In-Canvas view controls (in the 2012 and later releases), when you choose one of the orthographic views.
• The View ribbon tab, Appearance panel, when you choose one of the orthographic views from the view control.

It does not, however, work with the ViewCube (which did not exist in the 2008 version).  If you start out in a plan (Top) view, with the UCS set to World or *Top*, using the ViewCube to change to a Front or Left view, the UCS will remain set to World or *Top*, putting the X-Y plane (which is the plane in which most AutoCAD objects will be drawn) perpendicular to the screen.  With ORTHOMODE on, you will only be able to draw horizontal lines, as that is the only axis available.

If you use the ViewCube to change your view direction to an orthographic view, you can use the View option of the UCS command to set the UCS parallel to the current view, at which point ORTHOMODE will work as you expect.