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.

saves the scene.

Edit Functions

cuts the selected scene component to the clipboard.

copies the selected scene component to the clipboard.

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

undoes the previous operation. Only modeling operations can be undone. Animation, parenting and object naming operations cannot be undone. To undo a Boolean operation you will need to undo twice, once for each object.

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 and 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 object coordinates mode. Tool and operation effects are oriented along the selected object's Z axis.

enables modeling in face coordinates mode.  In object 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 object.

enables operation direction highlighting. An orientation map is temporarily applied to the object 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

Raytrace using the POVRay 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.

A drop down list allows the selection of the method used to render objects.

Smooth rendered objects smoothly.

Flat renders all objects flat (creased).

Solid Outline renders objects in a combination of the flat (creased) and wireframe modes.

Wireframe renders objects in wireframe (lines).

Points renders objects as a cloud of points.

Cartoon renders objects in a simulated cartoon style. Options for Cartoon Rendering are available by selecting Options from the Tools menu and then selecting the Miscellaneous tab. Note that not all graphics card support Cartoon rendering. Shading is based on a single light source. The main point light in a scene is used as the lighting direction.

makes all bones visible.

makes the animation camera visible.

makes all lights visible.

makes animation paths visible for the active object.

makes the scene axis visible and object axes visible for active objects.

Grid Options

A drop down list allows the selection of the appearance of the 3D Canvas grid.

a solid grid.

a backdrop plan. Use this option to replace the grid with one or more plans of the model you are creating.

a translucent grid.

a wireframe grid.

a grid made up of points only.

select a side view of your model to be used as a backdrop plan.

select a top view of your model to be used as a backdrop plan.

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.

Snapshot

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.