Tutorial: Camera and Display Modes

Learn about viewports, layouts, the NaviCube, cameras, the Home view, and display modes.

In this lesson you will learn about:

  • Viewports and layouts
  • NaviCube
  • Cameras
  • Home view
  • Display modes

Expanding and Collapsing Viewports, Changing Layouts

Inspire Render can be used efficiently in just one expanded view but also offers the traditional 4 viewport option.

  1. Open the Camera_display.istudio file from the scenes folder in the installation directory.
  2. To expand a single view, move the mouse to the top of any view window until a pop-up bar is seen. Double-click on it to expand the view window.
  3. Double-click again to return to the multiple views.
    Inspire Render offers a number of preset layouts:
    1. To bring up the presets:
      • From the View menu, select Layouts.
      • Or press Ctrl + L.
    2. Select the desired preset and click OK.
      Note: The selected layout will be used as default going forward.

Changing the View Using the NaviCube

Each of the four viewports is a camera and can be changed at any time using the view controls or the navigation cube at the bottom right of the screen.
  1. Click the face of the NaviCube to change the view.
  2. Use the arrows to rotate by 90 degrees.

Changing the View Using the Camera Tool

  1. Click the camera tool to bring up a thumbnail of all cameras currently available.
  2. Change the view by selecting a camera preview.

Adding, Deleting, and Renaming a Camera

  1. Click the camera tool and select the last icon, the duplicate camera.
  2. Reorient the duplicate camera to the desired location.
  3. Ctrl + left-click or Ctrl + right-click at the bottom left of the modeling window to set the home view for this new camera.
  4. To delete a camera, click the delete icon at the top right of the thumbnail.
  5. To rename a camera, click the name of the camera at the bottom left of the thumbnail.
    Note: To set a new home view:
    1. Move the camera to a desired location.
    2. Ctrl + left-click or Ctrl + right-click at the bottom left of the modeling window.

Modify the Camera Properties

  1. Click the camera tool and select the property for a desired camera using the icon on the top left of the respective thumbnail.
  2. When the camera properties window is open, you can interactively edit the camera position, field of view, and target.

Change the Display Mode

  1. Inspire Render has two sets of options that change the way objects are displayed. This mostly applies to surfaces and for the entire scene.
    Display Mode Description
    Wireframe

    		 The wireframe mode offers the fastest display. Objects are displayed as curve meshes. Press 1.
    Shaded

    		 The shaded mode is useful for seeing the shape of objects and how lights illuminate the scene. Press 2.
    MatCap

    		 The MatCap mode allows you to apply a "material capture" to an object. The MatCap is a complete material that includes lighting and reflection, to quickly sculpt or render the object. Press 3.
    Zebra Stripes

    		 The zebra stripes mode is useful for spotting discontinuities between adjacent surfaces. Press 4.
    Real-time

    		 The Real-time mode gives you a quick, real-time view of existing textures and materials in an imported scene. Press 5.
  2. In modes 2, 3, and 4, you can control the display of isoparms and edges:
    Display Mode Description
    No Edges or Isoparms

    		View your model with no edges or isoparm lines. Press R.
    Edges

    		 View your model with edges only. Press T.
    Edges and Isoparms

    		 View your model with edges and isoparm lines. Press Y.
    Note: MatCap cannot be rendered. An alternate is to use the Snapshot tool.