Managing the Compass

This task shows you how to quickly manage the compass orientation.
Create a planar surface.

  1. Click Quick Compass Orientation  in Generic Tools toolbar.
    The Quick compass orientation toolbar is displayed.
    • The Quick compass orientation toolbar is displayed when you:
      • Press the F5 or F6 keys.
      • Click Quick Compass Orientation in Generic Tools toolbar. This command displays or hides the Quick compass orientation toolbar.
      • Click Compass Toolbar in Tools Dashboard toolbar.
    • Furthermore, each time you press the F5 key or Compass Toolbar , the focus swaps between Flip to UV or XY , Flip to VW or YZ  or Flip to WU or XZ icons, even if the Quick compass orientation toolbar is closed.
    • When the compass axes correspond to the main axes of the model, the axe names indicate X, Y and Z otherwise X|U, Y|V and Z|W.
      • The corresponding buttons in the compass toolbar remains on X, Y, Z as long as the current compass axes (local or global) corresponds to the main axes.
        But take care, when the XY button for example is checked, it means that the flip has been made according to UV and X and Y do not correspond necessarily to U and V.
      • When the compass axes become different from the main axes then the buttons switch to U, V, W.
    • By default, elements are created in the current active plane as defined using the Current plane orientation toolbar containing the Flip to UV or XY , Flip to VW or YZ   or Flip to WU or XZ icons.
    • The Quick compass orientation toolbar remains active until you close it by clicking the cross in the upper-right corner or, if you have activated it with the icon, by clicking the icon again.
    • or Flip to UV or XY: this option switch the compass base to the UV or XY plane of its trihedron.
    • or Flip to VW or YZ: this option switch the compass base to the VW or YZ plane of its trihedron.
    • or Flip to WU or XZ: this option the compass base to the WU or XZ plane of its trihedron.
    • Most Seen Plane: this option allows you to set the compass according to the plane whose normal is closest to the screen normal.
    • Set Compass Orientation:
      • This option allows you to orientate the compass by selecting either an existing plane or three points (via the Autodetection command).
        The point selection is based on Autodetection parameters.
      • This option can be also activated using the F6 key.
        This shortcut is effective only when the Quick compass orientation toolbar is displayed.
        Therefore when you first hit this key, the toolbar is displayed and the shortcut is effective from then on.
    • Reset Compass to XYZ:
      • This option allows you to reset the compass parallel to the main axes (X, Y and Z) of the model.
        This option is deactivated when the compass is already set according to the axes.
      • This option can be also activated using the F7 key.
        This shortcut is effective only when the Quick compass orientation toolbar is displayed. Therefore when you first hit this key, the toolbar is displayed and the shortcut is effective from then on.
    • In Model or on Perch: this option allows you to switch the compass from the perch to the model or vice versa.
      The origin is kept in the model until the toolbar remains open.
    • Create Compass Plane: this option allows you to drop the compass plane, that is to create a plane corresponding to the compass basis.
      This option is activated only when the compass is in the model.
    • Create axis system: this options allows you to create a new axis system in the 3D.
      This option and Reset Compass to XYZ are activated when you move the compass from its default position into the 3D. After placing the compass at required position, click this option to create the axis system.
    • Set compass to mean plane: this option allows you to set the compass to the mean plane of the selected elements. Click Set compass to mean plane and select the elements. Double click to end the selection. The mean plane is computed for the selected elements and the compass is then set to this mean plane.
      All the selected elements should be of similar type (if the first selected element is a point, then all the other elements should be points).
      After the compass is set to mean plane Reset Compass to XYZ is activated in the toolbar.
    • Set compass to trace plane: this option allows you to set the compass to the trace plane. Click Set compass to trace plane and select two points. The Auto-detection options are activated in Tools Dashboard toolbar which help in point selection. The compass is set to calculated trace plane.
      • The trace plane is defined by:
        • The selected two points define a segment. The trace is the projection of this segment on the plane of the screen. This defines the first direction.
        • The normal of the screen defines the second direction.

        A trace line is defined by the projection of the segment (created by the selection of two points) on the screen plane, along which the X or Y axis of the plane is adjusted.

        The first point defines the compass origin and the second point is used for direction calculation. The alignment of the X or Y axis along the trace depends on the trace direction relative to the coordinates:

        • The X-axis of the compass is aligned along the trace i.e. along horizontal direction, if the angle between trace and X-axis is smaller than 45 degrees.
        • The Y-axis of the compass will be aligned along the trace i.e. along vertical direction, if the angle between trace and X-axis is larger than 45 degrees.
      • The normal of the screen defines the second direction.
      • The third direction Z-axis is automatically calculated.

      After the compass is set to mean plane Reset Compass to XYZ is activated in the toolbar.