how do you cancel out of a tool!!

[RScott9399]

I am a new alias user and i am completely infuriated at the cost of this unintuitive tool. I can't even do simple things like orbit around. Why does autodesk have to make a new way or orbiting a model different from every other program they make. Its lunacy. 

How the hell do you exit a tool!! God for bid I click on the wrong tool there is literally no way out of it except to exit alias. Every other autodesk product you just hit exit on your keyboard and the tool goes away.

There is literally NO WAY to get out of a mis selected tool on this stupid ass program. 

Can someone tell me how to exit a tool before i dump this piece of crap and go back to rhino. 

[Fausto_Brevi]

Dear RScott9399,

Some replies to your questions:

1. Some of the Autodesk softwares are not native but have been acquired; Alias is a software that was born by a company named Alias Research; time after time, acquisition after acquisition, the software today is an Autodesk product but it still has its own way to work that is different by other Autodesk tools. And I feel it's a right choice because the Alias users know its own way to work.

2. How to orbit around: Alt+Shift and Left mouse button; but you can use also the cube on the top right corner of the model window as in other Autodesk tools.

3. How to exit a tool: as preliminary info you have to understand that you always have an active tool anytime, so if you click a tool like "create a cube", at any click in the model window you will get a new cube. The easiest way to have the feeling to be out of any tools is to click the "Pick Object" tool: it's the tool you use to select any geometry so if you click in an empty point of your space nothing will happen.

Anyway, to prevent further outbursts, I suggest you to watch the "Essential Skills Videos" (at least the "Discover the User Interface") available from the Help menu.

Hope this helps.

[RScott9399]

I have watched the essential videos they were created in 2011!! 10 years ago and are in no shape relevant to the current software. Considering its price , lack of support and pure stupidity of an interface I will be moving off to rhino 

This is a piss poor excuse for a tool

[Fausto_Brevi]

Dear RScott9399,

I don't know when the Essential Skills Videos were created, but they are still very good for a beginner.

Anyway I understand you came in this forum without a constructive attitude, so I don't waste any other time in replying you.

Good luck and have fun!

[RScott9399]

how does me calling out a tool for being outdated give you the right to say I have an unproductive attitude. 

You know nothing about me. So before you judge a book by its cover I would think twice. 

The FACT is the videos are 11 years old now and are no longer relevant. My opinion that this software is significantly over priced for the support offered by Autodesk and available training has absolutely no correlation to my attitude be it unproductive or otherwise. 

[BarryKimball]

The title of your post is "How do you cancel out of a tool", In Alias, unlike almost every other app, you are always "in" a tool. I would pose a question....why do you not want to be in a tool? Being in a tool means nothing...until you click a mouse button. I would propose that the concept of not being in a tool is not very efficient. Why would you want to not be doing anything? In Alias the concept is that you are always in a tool to do something, because you should always be in a state of being able to do something versus being able to do nothing. I have a question for you...In the other apps that you are familiar with, when you open the app and click a mouse button, what happens? Are you in a tool? FYI, the icon on the top left corner of the app window indicate the current tool you are in...As mentioned in a previous post, the modeling window navigation controls in Alias have not changed in 20+ years, so there was no deliberate attempt to make it different from all other applications. Also, the navigation controls are completely customizable so you could potentially make them match another application that you are familiar with. While the essential skills videos have not been updated for some time the skills that are taught have not changed. So the material is still relevant. As we continue to develop Alias there are initiatives to update the documentation to the latest versions.

[systembolaget]

"I can't even do simple things like orbit around."

That's easily done, like Catia, NX, Fusion, whatever. The ALT key is the key. This page is your friend https://help.autodesk.com/view/ALIAS/2021/ENU/?guid=GUID-136C5BCB-D899-49B9-B96E-9EF3D4BC098C

"God for bid I click on the wrong tool there is literally no way out of it except to exit alias"

You are making things up to suit your narrative. But you knew that already.

[RScott9399]

Yep you caught me that’s what I’m doing 

making things up for fun because I have nothing better to do 

let me explain to you how every cad program on earth works including all of Autodesk auto cad fusion inventor etc 

the default tool is to move the page around translate or orbit 

not to be stuck in some tool that is easily clicked causing action on your model

I should not have to hold keys to move the page around. That is pure nonsense and adds extra clicks and presses to do simple things like change my view 

Source: I have a PhD in engineering and have been working on Cad since it was done with a pencil and ruler 

[crankenstein3d]

What i did to get over the orbit pan controls was setting my other software to also use Alt Shift, it's quite comfortable actually.

I think you ought to try setting the clutch keys.
Top Bar　→　Preferences　→　Interface　→　Clutch Keys Editor...
You need to click on the box icon. From there you can change the orbit controls.