Viewing 3-D objects in viewport with objects behind me

In attached drawing how do I show the red block in the view port without

putting the white block on a hidden layer? In other words I want a front

view that only showing red block looking at the face with the circle on it.

Here is the attached drawing

MyView.dwg

Both blocks are on layer "0" and one of them (plus a circle) have had the layer property for color overridden. You've caused your own problem.

 

It might help if both blocks were on separate layers (that use different colors) then you could freeze the layer the white block is on in the viewport itself, leaving only the red block showing, and still see the white block when you pop back into model space.

 

FYI - There is no need to turn a layer off and freeze it too. It's either one or the other.

Edited March 20, 2015 by ReMark

You can also set clipping planes using the 3DCLIP command: http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-D06A6280-D5B7-4AE4-8D16-D0BA8DEEF6E8-htm.html

Maybe my example drawing is over simplified.

 

What if the two blocks are complicated pipe rack structures that have many layers nested

in x reference drawings. It would be difficult to change the layers in the block that I do not

want to see. In this case the white block that represents a pipe rack.

 

Thank you,

Maybe my example drawing is over simplified.

 

What if the two blocks are complicated pipe rack structures that have many layers nested

in x reference drawings. It would be difficult to change the layers in the block that I do not

want to see. In this case the white block that represents a pipe rack.

 

Thank you,

 

See my previous post.

Select the few layers you want to see in the Layer manager>Right-Click>Invert Selection>Viewport Freeze. Takes a couple of seconds.

 

Or see Cad64's post #4.

Freezing layers behind the viewer might be ok in some instances.

 

Only problem with freezing layers is if some objects in the view

have the same layers as objects that you want to get rid of.

 

Thank you,

Edited March 23, 2015 by muck
Another Consideration

It'll be difficult since AutoCAD and AutoCAD Viewports are model based, instead of view based. Visibility is controlled by layers, not objects. Granted, you do have Hide and Isolate Objects, but I don't think this is view based, where you can apply this differently for each Viewport.

Freezing layers behind the viewer might be ok in some instances.

 

Only problem with freezing layers is if some objects in the view

have the same layers as objects that you want to get rid of.

 

Thank you,

 

That's why you should put them on different layers. Takes a few seconds to change layers.

 

About the only way I can think of besides what has already been mentioned would be to make a mask in paperspace using a solid hatch to block out everything else.

Layer management is key, especially if you're going to need to freeze certain objects, but I'm unsure as to why the OP is reluctant to try clipping planes. It does exactly what he's asking for.

Only problem with changing layers to hide objects is that the many objects are in nested X-Reference drawings.

Can objects layers be changed to another layer on my drawing without change the x-reference or master model.

Is there an easy way to do that?

Usually I am working with larger site plan drawings that have many x-references in them.

 

I looked at 3DCLIP above. I will work on a simple drawing like the one I attached but when I get into

more complex drawings it appears to not work. The viewer is too small for large site plans and it overwhelms

my computer. I think.

 

Still looking for suggestions

Thank you,

Still looking for suggestions

I know exactly what you're trying to do but I think Layers is the only way to do what you need to do. Layers = Visibility in AutoCAD, unfortunately.

 

Unless you find a pseudo way of manipulating this I can't see it working unless you itemize everything on individual layers. If you do find a way to overcome this obstacle it would be interested to hear it.

one possibility would be to make a new layer, set it to current, make a block selecting the stuff you wish to hide, then freeze the layer through the viewport, this will hide the parts, in the block, without changing the layer they are on. I don't know very much about X-ref's or if they will update once you do this.

Let me look at the 3DClip again.

Last time I tryed to use it I went into the VP and zoom the drawing and tried to clip planes.

The drawing is large and complex It was difficult to view what I wanted to Clip.

Is there away to home in on my area to make a clip?

The 3DClip window is so small.

 

Is that the correct approach to this?

Thank you,

You can click on the edge of the 3DClip window and drag it out to make it as big as you want. You're not stuck with that little window up in the corner of your screen.

 

And you can zoom and pan inside the window to find the area you want to clip.

Procedure I am testing.

 

1. I am in layout with a View Port showing an elevation view. I go into it by clipping the edges.

2. I use 3DClip command.

3. I get my 3D Clip Window showing the entire drawing in plan.

4. I expand my 3-clip window.

5. Pan/zoom to my target area while moving the green/white line to my target area.

6. What is the green line top for?

7. The white bottom line for? It seems to be clipping things when I move it up/down.

8. Is there an tutorial that explains what i am doing with the upper icons?

9. What is the slice icon for?

 

 

Thank you,

Green line and white line are clipping planes IIRC.

Excuse the ignorance of an LT user, but what effect do the camera and target positions have within a drawing.

It's what legislates the (1) view source location and the (2) end direction to generate the desired view.