user interface when in multiple views - basic setup questions (can I make like Rhino?

Hello,

I have extensive experience using Rhino3d for modeling, rendering and also drafting, but now need to move over to AutoCad for a new employer.

I have no issues when using autocad for simple 2d drafting, layers and commands seem straightforward enough, but I am having real difficulty with the 3d interface when set up with 4 viewports, similar to Rhino (top, front, right and perspective)

Question #1: can I link the viewports so that moving around in 1 moves the other simultaneously to the same zoom and location? anyone familiar with Rhino will understand what I'm looking for.

Question #2: can I set up the MButtonPAN (or similar for orbit) command to orbit ONLY when in a perspective viewport? (in rhino, the right mouse button always orbits in a perspective viewport, and pressing shift with right mouse button can pan, ideally this is what I need or some variant of it). It seems very cumbersome to have to use the orbit button every time I want to adjust my perspective view!

Basically I want to make my workflow as similar to Rhino as possible, as it has become deeply engrained, and so far the crossover is not going well.

Any help would be appreciated!

-Stefan

Question #1: can I link the viewports so that moving around in 1 moves the other simultaneously to the same zoom and location? anyone familiar with Rhino will understand what I'm looking for.

Question #2: can I set up the MButtonPAN (or similar for orbit) command to orbit ONLY when in a perspective viewport? (in rhino, the right mouse button always orbits in a perspective viewport, and pressing shift with right mouse button can pan, ideally this is what I need or some variant of it). It seems very cumbersome to have to use the orbit button every time I want to adjust my perspective view!

Thanks for the shortcut. Not sure how I missed that one.

I have my model space set up with four viewports, in an attempts to mimic what I'm used to with rhino. I have them set to three orthogonal (top, front, right) and one perspective.

I have a third question that has been addressed in some other forum posts, but none of their advice helped solve my problem: my delete key will not work for erasing objects. I have to use the erase command, which is irritating. I'm running autocad 2012 off of bootcamp on my macbook pro 8.1 (basically brand new).

Regarding the other forums on this issue, no one has mentioned if Bootcamp may be the problem. There is no atipdxxx.exe file to delete, and I am obviously not using a keyboard that would be causing the issue. Is there a setting somewhere I may have missed?

Thanks!

Hmmm, regarding the Delete Key error, I would try posting that in a new Thread so you can possibly received some help from other members. I would be at a loss with that one.

As for your four Viewports, it seems like you have the setup you need although you're probably figuring out the limitations of the AutoCAD Viewport system when compared to Rhino. Another tip is to keep the UCS command in mind with your orthographical views. When I change a view to an elevated view such as Front or Side, I make sure to change the UCS to align with that current View. You can automate this process with the UCSFOLLOW command. Also, there is a tool called OSNAPZ variable, look into it. It can be a life saver with working in 3D, especially when you're drawing in 2D for profiles and such.

Set _PICKFIRST=1 for the Delete key problem.

That's the first thing I tried... no luck. Thanks though.

Are you on a laptop?

Yes. I am running bootcamp on a MacBook Pro 8.2. Windows 7 Home premium.

Are you using the fn-delete?