Difference between 3D Orbit and Shift + Mid Mouse Button

[AllenJessup]

I installed a new video card yesterday and am testing it. I'm looking point clouds, we use Leica Cloudworx. I've noticed that if you use 3DOrbit the Point Cloud is reduced to increase performance. If I hold Shift and the Middle Mouse Button. The drawing orbits with little reduction in the point cloud.

I've tried to research this but don't find anything further that tips on using the Shift key and the MMB. Except for a momentary lag at the start of the Shift + MMB orbit. I don't see any difference in performance between the two methods. I was wondering if anyone knew why there is a difference.

These are how the variable are set. But I don't see anything that would affect this.

_POINTCLOUD2DVSDISPLAY 0
_POINTCLOUDAUTOUPDATE 0
_POINTCLOUDBOUNDARY 1
_POINTCLOUDCACHESIZE 1024
_POINTCLOUDCLIPFRAME 2
_POINTCLOUDDENSITY 100
_POINTCLOUDLIGHTING 2
_POINTCLOUDLIGHTSOURCE 0
_POINTCLOUDLOCK 0
_POINTCLOUDLOD 10
_POINTCLOUDPOINTMAX 10000000
_POINTCLOUDPOINTMAXLEGACY 1500000
_POINTCLOUDPOINTSIZE 5
_POINTCLOUDRTDENSITY 100
_POINTCLOUDSHADING 0
_POINTCLOUDVISRETAIN 1

[AllenJessup · Accepted solution]

I did a little more research and found that Shift+MMB issues a '_3DORBITTRANSPARENT command. Theoretically it can be issued from the command line. But when I try it and I try to pick on screen to start orbiting. The command ends.  

You have to press Shift first. If you press the MMB first you'll get Pan restricted to horizontal and vertical.