The Examiner Viewer lets you view an object and rotate it while you remain stationary. For example, if you are viewing a 3D model of a globe, you can look at Africa and then rotate the globe so you're looking at Australia.
To rotate and manipulate objects in the Examiner Viewer, you use the Trackball, Arrow Pad, and Thumbwheel controls, and the Seek tool shown in Figure 1-8. Once you're familiar with the viewer, you can choose to hide the controls and use keyboard shortcuts by deselecting "Show Dashboard" from the Options menu.
Figure 1-8 : A Sample Examiner Viewer Scene
The navigation controls are described in detail in the following sections:
The Trackball control shown in Figure 1-9 lets you rotate or spin an object to view it from different angles. As you click and drag the Trackball, the object rotates in the same direction. Step-by-step instructions follow.
Figure 1-9 : The Trackball Control in the Examiner Viewer
If you release the mouse button as you move
the mouse, the object continues spinning. To stop the spinning, click
anywhere in the window with the left mouse
button.
Shortcut: To spin the object, press the <Alt> key while pressing the left mouse button and drag. Or press only the arrow keys (up, down, left, or right).
The Arrow Pad, shown in Figure 1-10, controls the position of the camera along the y-axis (up or down) and along the x-axis (left or right). The camera's orientation does not change; it does not tilt or turn. Step-by-step instructions follow.
Figure 1-10 : The Arrow Pad Control in the Examiner Viewer
Shortcut: To position the camera, press the <Alt> key while pressing the middle mouse button and drag. Or press the <Alt> key with the arrow keys (up, down, left, or right).
If you want a closer view of the object you're viewing, use the Thumbwheel control shown in Figure 1-11. Similarly, use the Thumbwheel to view the object from a distance. Step-by-step instructions follow.
Figure 1-11 : The Thumbwheel Control
Shortcut: To move the object away from or toward you, press the <Alt> key while pressing the left and right mouse buttons and drag. Or press the <Ctrl> key while pressing the up or down arrows.
The Seek Tool, shown in Figure 1-12, lets you move to a selected target quickly and easily without using the Trackball.
Click the Seek Tool and click a target in the scene, and the view moves smoothly to the selected target. When you reach the target point, the Seek tool turns off automatically. Notice that the selected target point becomes the center of rotation for the object.
If you wish to jump to the target instead of moving smoothly, select "Jump Cuts" from the Options menu. Step-by-step instructions follow.
Figure 1-12 : The Seek Tool in the Examiner Viewer
Shortcut: Place the cursor over the target. Press the <Alt> key while pressing the <Shift> key and click the left mouse button to move to the target.