This dialog box can be opened by selecting View >View Settings from the main menu or clicking More View Settings... from the Quick Properties window. View Settings lets you configure the view's visual display settings. These settings apply only to currently active window and will be lost if that window is closed. If a window other than an 3D view is active, this window will be grayed out.
The Quick Properties window will display a few of the most common View Settings whenever a 3D view is active and no objects are selected in the view.
Mode - This option gives you two view setting presets. Switching to Presentation mode turns of Connections, the Grid, and Object Names.
Perspective Projection - This option toggles the 3D view from being a Perspective View, to displaying as an Orthographic View. The Perspective View looks more real-world where as the Orthographic view has no depth.
Snap to Grid - If this box is checked, objects will automatically move to the nearest grid line when they are moved in the model. This is useful for placing objects in precise locations. Resizing of objects will also snap to the grid if this is checked.
Show Grid - If this box is checked, the grid will be drawn in the view window.
Color Scheme - These presets modify the 3D view colors.
Save Settings as Default - As described above, 3D View Settings are not saved and will be lost when the 3D view is closed. This will save your current View Settings as default for any new 3D views that are opened.
Background Color
Background Color - This option lets you select the color of the view window's background from a standard Windows color-choosing dialog box.
Connections
Show Connections - If this box is checked, the ports and port connection lines will be displayed in the view window. Hiding these connections often makes it easier to see what is happening in the model. If a model is slowing down, often un-checking this box will help speed it up.
Connector Size - This number sets how large the port connectors are on the object.
Connections Color - This value sets the color of the connector lines in the view.
Grid
Snap to Grid - If this box is checked, objects will automatically move to the nearest grid line when they are moved in the model. This is useful for placing objects in precise locations. Resizing of objects will also snap to the grid if this is checked.
Show Grid - If this box is checked, the grid will be drawn in the view window.
Grid Fog - This value lets you have the view's grid fade into the background color as it gets further from the viewpoint. Usually this is only useful on a perspective view. Set the value between 0 and 1, 0 meaning no fade, 1 meaning full fade.
Grid Line Width - This value sets the width of the view's grid lines.
Grid Line Color - This value sets the color of the grid lines.
Names
Show Names - This pull-down list allows you to choose whether names and stats are shown or hidden in the 3D view.
Name Style - This pull-down list allows you to choose where the name of the object will be drawn. Choose either below the object or above the object.
Names Color - This value sets the color of object names displayed in the 3D view.
Other Settings
View Fog - This value sets the view's fog value. View fog causes objects that are far away from the camera position to fade into the background color. Set the value between 0 and 1, 0 meaning no fog, and 1 meaning complete fog. This is usually only applicable to a perspective window.
Show 3D Shapes - If this box is checked, the 3D shapes (.3ds files or .wrl files) for all the objects in the model will be drawn in the view window. Some objects do not have 3D files associated with them, they are generally drawn directly with OpenGL. These objects will not be affected by this box.
1st Person - If this box is checked, the view window's mouse controls will be in first person mode. This means that the view will rotate around the user's view point, and not around a point in the middle of the screen. This mode is most useful when navigating in fly-through mode.
Ignore Objects - If this box is checked, the user will not be able to click on any objects in the view window. This is useful for navigating around a model that is completed, as the user will not be able to accidentally move any objects.
Sync Views - If this box is checked, all open view windows will be updated at the same time. If it is not checked, some windows may not be updated until an action is completed in a different window. Checking this box may cause the program to run a little slower.
Floor Z - This specifies the height (in model units) of the floor. This is useful when creating multi-floored models. Setting the Floor Z to the height of your model's 2nd floor will allow you to quickly and easily drag objects into the 3D view and have their Z position set to the Floor Z value.
Light Sources
These controls allow a user to add, edit and create light sources for the view window
Ambient Color - This value sets the color of light that is applied to all faces equally regardless of location.
Light Sources - The pull-down list contains all of the light sources that are currently in the view window.
Edit - This button opens the Light Source Editor dialog box for the light currently showing the pull-down list.
Add - This button will create a new light source in the view window.
Delete - This button will delete from the view window the light source currently showing in the pull-down list. There must always be at least one light source in the model.
