The 3D environment section contains settings applicable to the 3D environment.

The following dialog elements are available:

Background color 1 / Background color 2

Background colors specify the appearance of the 3D working window background. You can determine two different colors to create a background with a color transition or you can determine both colors to be identical to have your background single-colored.

Color for selected objects

Determines the color of objects selected in the 3D window.

Color for highlighted objects

Determines the color of objects when they are highlighted in the 3D window (i.e. if you hover your mouse over the object).

Default object color

Default color for newly created 3D objects.

Reference planes visible

Switches default visibility / invisibility of the reference planes in the 3D working window of a newly created library item.

Reference plane size

Determines the size of the reference planes in the 3D working window of a newly created library item.

Axis triad visible

Toggles visibility of the axis triad.

Navigation cube visible

Toggles visibility of the navigation cube, home button and rotation controls.

Navigation cube size

Determines the size of the navigation cube.

Navigation cube home button view

Determines the home button view of the navigation cube.

Up direction axis

Sets the axis, which defines the up direction in the 3D working window.

Graphics

In this subnode, you find the following dialog elements:

• Graphics driver: Determines the driver for displaying graphics. Available are OpenGL, Direct3D (default), and GDI.

  Note:

  OpenGL may not work correctly with Remote Desktop Connection.

• Preset: The following presettings are available in this drop-down list:
  • Best performance: focus on best performance
  • Balanced: balance between performance and display quality
  • Best quality: focus on best display quality
  • User-defined: when selected, the other settings of this group box become ungrayed and can be determined by you
• Antialiasing: In computer graphics, antialiasing is the process of removing or reducing the jagged distortions in curves and diagonal lines so that the lines appear smoother. You can select one of the available values from this drop-down list.
• Shading model: The following shading models are available for the user-defined preset:
  • Flat shading: shading of each polygon of an object based on the angle between the polygon's normal surface and the direction of the light source, their respective colors, and the intensity of the light source
  • Gouraud: interpolation method producing shading of surfaces represented by polygon meshes
  • Phong: empirical model of local illumination
  • Gooch: non-photorealistic shading technique
• Pixel culling threshold: Objects smaller than the value determined here are not displayed in the workspace / workdesk.
• Backface culling: When checked, all surfaces seen from behind are culled.
• Alternate transparency: When activated, the internal transparency calculation is accelerated.
• Constant frame rate: Activate the Enabled check box to ensure a sufficient frame rate when handling a view. If the frame rate drops below the limit (set internally), the pixel culling value is increased up to the maximum pixel culling threshold level determined in the Threshold field. This means, objects smaller than the threshold are being hidden when moving a view.

Handles / Mounting points

In this subnode, you find the following dialog elements:

• Main handle name prefix: Prefix of the main handle name.
• Main handle color: Color of the main handle in 3D environment.
• Main handle size: Size of the main handle in 3D environment.
• Handle name prefix: Prefix of the handle names.
• Handle color:Color of handles in 3D environment.
• Handle size: Size of the handle in 3D environment.
• Mounting point prefix: Prefix of the mounting point name.
• Mounting point color: Color of the mounting point in 3D environment.
• Mounting point size: Size of the mounting point in 3D environment.

Grids

In this subnode, you find the following dialog elements:

• Cell height / Cell width: Defines the cell size of newly created grids.
• Radial circle distance: Determines the span of the circles within a newly created radial grid.
• No. of rays: Determines the number of rays within a newly created radial grid.

Measuring

In this subnode, you find the following dialog elements:

• Font group box: Determines the settings of font, font size, and font style for displaying the measurements in the 3D working window.

Paths

In this subnode, you find the following dialog elements:

• Path end point color: Default color of newly created leading path end points.

Pins

In this subnode, you find the following dialog elements:

• Pin name prefix: Default prefix of newly created pins. It is displayed in the 3D window navigation panel and in the connector properties.
• Full pin name separator: Default separator in full pin names.
• Connection point designations separator: Default separator of connection point designations.
• Pin color: Default color of newly created pins.
• Pin size: Default diameter of newly created pins.
• Connection pin color: Default color of newly created connection pins in assembly / device components.
• Grouped pin color: Default color of newly created grouped pins.
• Ribbon grouped pin size: Default size of newly created ribbon grouped pins.
• Ribbon grouped pin notch color: Default color of newly created ribbon grouped pin notch.

Preview

In this subnode, you find the following dialog elements:

• Preview layout: Specifies the type of 3D view which should be used as a library item's preview.

Texts

In this subnode, you find the following dialog elements:

• Font group box: Determines the settings of font, font size, and font style for newly created annotations.