The Primary Toolbar

The Primary toolbar is located at the top of the screen, below the menu options.

File Functions

creates a new scene.

opens an existing scene.

saveHS.png (239 bytes) saves the scene.

Edit Functions

CutHS.png (242 bytes) cuts the selected scene component to the clipboard.

CopyHS.png (247 bytes) copies the selected scene component to the clipboard.

PasteHS.png (277 bytes) pastes the scene component currently in the clipboard onto the scene. If a component is active, this new component will become a child of the selected component.

deletes the selected scene component.

Undo/Redo Functions

Edit_UndoHS.png (143 bytes) undoes the previous operation. Only modeling operations can be undone. Animation, parenting and shape naming operations cannot be undone. To undo a Boolean operation you will need to undo twice, once for each shape.

Edit_RedoHS.png (143 bytes) redoes the last action undone.

Constrain Options

constrains operations along the X axis.

constrains operations along the Y axis.

constrains operations along the Z axis.

Note that when using the Point/Edge/Face Selection tool the constraints will be based on the current Orientation Mode (see below).

Tool and Operation Orientation Modes

enables modeling in standard 3D Canvas mode. This mode attempts to be intuitive as to tool and operation effects orientation.

enabled modeling in screen coordinates mode. Tool and operation effects are oriented along the path being viewed.

enabled modeling in world coordinates mode. Tool and operation effects are oriented along the world's Z axis.

enabled modeling in component coordinates mode. Tool and operation effects are oriented along the selected shape's Z axis.

enables modeling in face coordinates mode.  In shape selection mode, tool and operation effects are oriented in the same direction as the last face clicked. In face selection mode, tool and operation effects are oriented along the average direction of the selected faces.

Highlighting Options

enabled standard 3D Canvas selection highlighting. This is a simple box surrounding the shape.

enables operation direction highlighting. An orientation map is temporarily applied to the shape to showing the orientation that will be used for tool/operation effects.

enabled material wrap preview highlighting. A texture is temporarily applied using the material palette's current texture wrapping options in order to show how a texture will be applied.

Snap To Options

enables snap to grid.

Rendering Options

makes all shapes visible.

makes the axes for scene components visible.

makes all bones visible.

makes the animation camera visible.

makes all lights visible.

makes animation paths visible for the active shape.

Grid Options

enables grids

ViewSide.gif (138 bytes) select a side view of your model to be used as a backdrop plan.

ViewTop.gif (135 bytes) select a top view of your model to be used as a backdrop plan.

ViewFront.gif (134 bytes) select a front view of your model to be used as a backdrop plan.

Scene Rendering Options

causes atmosphere (fog) to be rendered.

causes the background image to be rendered.

causes shadows to be rendered. Note that not all graphics card support the rendering of shadows.

Title Bar

show/hide the 3D Canvas title bar

Miscellaneous

takes a snapshot image of your scene and saves it to a Windows bitmap file. You will be prompted for your snapshot preferences prior to the snapshot being taken.

raytrace using the POV-Ray raytracing engine. This feature is only available with 3D Canvas Pro. Clicking this button will provide more information on where to get this free raytracing engine.