Orbit Pivot (Center) Point in Object Viewer

[civilisedE]

Hi folks - I've scoured these forums and have noticed that a few people have already asked about this, though no-one seems to have found a satisfactory solution.

I frequently use the Object Viewer to look at surfaces, etc. in 3D. Previously if I wanted to navigate around the surface, I brought up the Steering Wheel and used the "Center" button to choose a pivot point before using the "Orbit" button to orbit around the surface.

Having recently had my computer upgraded and a fresh install of Civil 3D put on, the "Center" button no longer works properly. While it does indeed pan the view over to the point selected, it does not adjust the pivot for the purposes of orbiting; the pivot point remains unchanged (i.e. somewhere in the middle of the original view).

I had previously noticed this behaviour seemed to occur for some, but not all, of my colleagues' computers too. It doesn't seem to depend on the file in question, just the particular computer (i.e. Civil 3D installation) in question.

This renders the Object Viewer more or less unusable for my purposes and looks very much like a bug to me, but perhaps I'm missing something - anyone any ideas?

[Pointdump]

CE,

I've never figured out how the Steering Wheel works. It seems less than useful. Try using the Constrained 3D Orbit.

Dave

[civilisedE · Accepted solution]

Dave -

Thanks, but the reason that I tend to use the Steering Wheel is that it allows you to choose a center point to orbit around - for example, you can zoom in to a particular spot on a surface, set the center point and then orbit around that specific point - useful for having a look at the small details. Perhaps I'm missing something (quite possible!), but I've never figured out any way to do that with the Constrained Orbit tool.

UPDATE: As it happens, by complete accident I have stumbled onto a workaround which fixes the problem - by turning off the hardware acceleration, the steering wheel goes back to operating as it should.

I've been onto Autodesk support; they're looking into the problem to try to find a fix that doesn't involve disabling the HA. But in the meantime, the workaround works fine.

Enda.

[Pointdump]

CE,

I usually just pan until my desired pivot point is in the center of the Object Viewer. Then the Constrained 3D Orbit works OK for me. I never warmed up to the Steering Wheel.

It's good to know about the effect Hardware Acceleration has on the Steering Wheel. You should mark your own post as a "Solution".

Dave

[ceethreedee.com]

Okay im stumped.. Is there a secret to getting the screen to orbit around a selected point. Usually in other applications you can jsut hold shift and it focuses at whereever your mouse is. See my screencast. I can't even get the steerwheel to focus on a point. It just disappears..

Thoughts?

I can not get this to work!!! so annoying..

[Pointdump]

Brad,

"See my screencast."

What screencast? Please link.

Dave

[ceethreedee.com]

Clearly that "insert acreencast" box when posting is broken.

Here you go
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/baf6b31f-cd10-465a-8ef2-b477c5548187

[Anonymous]

In my opinion this problem still isn't solved.

The trick of turning off the hardware acceleration does not work for me.
I still have the same problems as the person who posted the screencast.

Is there really nobody that knows a solution?

[Bryan_Weimannaurecongroup_com]

This issue was just raised again. 

How do we escalate this? 

[kboldt]

I know I'm digging up an old thread here, but I was having this same problem, and found a bit of a solution. 

If I go into Object Viewer, and start orbiting around a surface and it seems like the pivot point is way off in no mans land, what I have found to work is, after orbiting any amount, I click "Top" on the view cube to reset the view, and then magically, it seems to be orbiting around the actual surface.

Now, I realize that this doesn't allow you to change the actual pivot point to a location of your choosing, but for anyone who was having the same issue as me, where when you try to orbit it seems like the pivot point is way off making it really tricky to orbit properly, just click "Top" and it should work better. 

[RobertMansson]

Thanks, This works!

[ahermanY2FET · Accepted solution]

Still an issue... any other solutions?

I am working on a surface ~4 miles by 1 mile, and this pivot point thing is pretty much forcing me to just export the surface anytime i want to QC them. (as built surfaces)

How is this still an issue, when freeware online works 100x more intuitively.