How to rotate model using arrow keys

[Justin_DeSilva]

I'd like to rotate models using arrow keys, preferably in 10 or 15 degree incraments. Is this possible?

[mcgyvr]

No..

The best thing you can have with Inventor is a 3d controller like a space navigator/space pilot,etc..

Hands down the cheapest way to increase speed/efficiency..

get one.. 

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi Justin_DeSilva,

Can you explain what you're attempting to do, past rotating to a specific angle? Are you looking for a screen shot? A drawing view, etc?

There might be a way to do what you're after using Rotate at Angle:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/INVNTOR/2015/ENU/?guid=GUID-2DBDD433-2FE1-442C-8BF3-E42D9186323E

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[Anonymous]

I too would like to do this.

I have, in the past, been able to generate fairly high quality renderings with SolidWorks. Marketing has settled on a standard set of angles for our product brochures.

Now, because of company policy, I must use Inventor for this. I need to be able to manipulate the view of the product to specific angles.

Previously, I had SolidWorks set up so the arrow keys rotated at 5° increments. This was very helpful for that as well as very quick. Any time I wanted to preview the work, it took just a few seconds. In Inventor, it's just a guess, and it takes a bit longer to get the angle where it looks almost right.

In SolidWorks, hitting an arrow key rotates an assigned number of °, SHIFT+ Arrow Key rotates 90°, CTRL+Arrow Key Pans. This is extremely convenient. You don't understand how convenient until it's gone. Why isn't this functionality in Inventor? Arrow Keys can only pan. That really seems like a waste.

[-niels- · Accepted solution]

Maybe this addin offers a workaround:
https://apps.autodesk.com/INVNTOR/en/Detail/Index?id=8532388579955199905&appLang=en&os=Win32_64

[swalton]

Inventor does not allow you to control camera angle the way you would like.  You can add a feature request to the Idea forum and maybe it will be implemented in the future.

While you wait, here is a possible workaround.

1. You can use a combination of sketches and workfeatures to create a work plane at a specific angle to the origin coordinate system.

2. The "Look At" command will orient the view camera to a face or workplane.

3. View reps store the camera angle.

I would go into my template files and add workplanes to define the standard views.  Then I would add a design view rep for each "standard" view.  RMB on each view rep and use the "Camera View" menu pick to control the camera for that view.  Every new model you create will have the "standard" views defined. 

When you need to render an old file, place it in a "dummy" assembly with the defined views.  Use the "dummy" assembly for your rendering.

[Justin_DeSilva]

Hi Curtis,

Mainly screenshots but drawing views as well. I'm disappointed Inventor only allows panning with arrow keys. I've never needed to pan with arrow keys in all my modeling and drawing experience.

[Justin_DeSilva]

Hi Mcgyvr,

I understand the benefits of 3DConnexion space navigators but users like me aren't using only CAD throughout a common work day. My workflow requires me to alternate between Inventor, Rhino, Illustrator, Photoshop, KeyShot, Powerpoint and PLM. I find the navigators and space mouse disrupt my workflow when quickly alternating between the different applications.

Also, I'd rather not carry an additional device with me when alternating between the office and home or other work space.

I share a close relationship with 3DConnexion sales staff and admire the products but haven't been able to comfortably integrate them into an Industrial Design workflow.

Why Inventor doesn't already enable this feature is disappointing. Users who don't require panning should be able to toggle to a rotational feature. Applications like SolidWorks allow this functionality, Inventor should too.

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi Justin_DeSilva,

Have you put in an improvement request for this in the Idea Forum?

If so provide a link, and I'm sure many will support it.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[Anonymous]

Fantastic tip. This will certainly help. Thank you.

[Justin_DeSilva]

Hi swalton,

Good idea, I tried implementing this strategy several years ago but decided against it for three reasons.

1. Adding sketches and planes for the view disrupts the document naming conventions, new sketches begin with Sketch2 while work planes begin with WorkPlane3 if two planes were used to created the view.

2. Adds clutter to each parts feature tree.

3. Previous parts created without the template require additional sketches and work planes to generate the view.

[Anonymous]

I know this has been "solved" but it would be nice to be able to rotate a part/assembly using the arrow keys on a keyboard. in my opinion, and i'm sorry if this offends anyone, but inventor has to be the most ignorant 3D cad software on the market. there are so many cumbersome things i could list, but i'm sure i'd run out of characters i could use. just the fact that one cant incrementally rotate a part/assembly with the keyboard is stupid. again, i'm sorry to offend, i just had to give my opinion.   

[SER4]

Here is an Idea that is somewhat close to what we're looking for:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/precise-view-rotation-another-look-at-it-in-modeling/i...

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Just an update on this topic, on Inventor 2021.1, you can configure Zoom, Orbit, and Pan buttons. Pressing middle mouse button enables Orbit command. I know this is not the same as the original thread and the proposed idea. I just want to bring some awareness about the enhancement.

Many thanks!

[mac_ito]

and 5 years later where are we? ...
@johnsonshiue , I imagine you had nothing to do with it but it is better to do without putting forward this type of argument in this way, it has been more than a decade since it exists in others .. 10 years late it's not called a delay.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Thibaud,

I know you are unhappy with the rate of the change in the product. I am not trying to convince you. I am just an engineer working hard to provide the best service that I can offer. Certainly, we can always move faster and we can always improve. Life isn't perfect. We have to live with imperfection.

The shortcut change was one of the many requests that we heard from the users based on our extensive user study. I am glad that it was made available.

Many thanks!

[mac_ito]

Hi, don't worry I'm not criticizing your work as such, I salute him by the way, sorry for the misunderstanding, it's more the work of the product managers that I have a hard time understanding. I remain deeply amazed that a product that appears to perform as well as Inventor has such penalizing shortcomings in its user interface.

I had been using Solidworks since 2002 and in 2016 I decided to switch from windows to mac. This is how I came to use Fusion 360 which is native to MacOS. Unfortunately, trying to reinvent things they forgot for me the essential functions of cad software, not to mention the obsession with the cloud at a time when our machines have never been so powerful. So I stopped using it for my professional projects, despite everything I continued to search at Autodesk and I turned to Inventor which seems to meet all my expectations despite a user approach that is significantly obsolete in my eyes while its design is cool, in short, a real paradox.

What amazes me the most about discovering Inventor is not having found a product that is mature after more than 20 years of existence. I certainly lack perspective to have a real expertise on the subject, but that's what I felt during the first weeks of use. I hope your work and the future will prove me wrong.

One last thing, (I say that here even though this is not the right place). Regarding your user studies, it seems to me more relevant to question users directly, (with areas for improvement defined on the basis of possible requests made on the forums), rather than waiting for "Votes" to requests made by other users. It's good to be able to talk to you, but it doesn't have to do all the work. It seems to me that it’s still up to Inventor to come up with solutions rather than us making constant complaints. Users would feel more involved in addition to being better informed and I think the results would be more relevant to you.

Looking forward to it.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Thibaud,

Your feedback, positive or negative, is always welcome. We have quite a few former SWX users on the forum. I am aware that there are certain things in Inventor surprising users like you. The Rotate command, sketch orientation, having to project edges in a sketch, and a few others to say the least.

There are pros and cons. Our competitor in some cases do offer better workflows. At the end of a day, the tool has to be useful. If it cannot get the job done, all bets are off.

Inventor Ideas forum is just one of the several venues that we collect user requests. We run Inside the Factory events all year round around the world. At the annual Autodesk University, there are dedicated sessions to collect user feedback and conduct user research. If you are interested, I suggest you sign up Inventor Feedback Community (https://feedback.autodesk.com). You can try out the latest developing build on an install-free, browser based environment. You can give your feedback and suggestions to various forums. The product team members are eager to listen to you.

Many thanks!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Thibaud,

Your feedback, positive or negative, is always welcome. We have quite a few former SWX users on the forum. I am aware that there are certain things in Inventor surprising users like you. The Rotate command, sketch orientation, having to project edges in a sketch, and a few others to say the least.

There are pros and cons. Our competitor in some cases do offer better workflows. At the end of a day, the tool has to be useful. If it cannot get the job done, all bets are off.

Inventor Ideas forum is just one of the several venues that we collect user requests. We run Inside the Factory events all year round around the world. At the annual Autodesk University, there are dedicated sessions to collect user feedback and conduct user research. If you are interested, I suggest you sign up Inventor Feedback Community (https://feedback.autodesk.com). You can try out the latest developing build on an install-free, browser based environment. You can give your feedback and suggestions to various forums. The product team members are eager to listen to you.

Many thanks!

[mac_ito]

thanks for the feedback link