Shift + mouse wheel / how to set focal point

[Bertdorf3]

Hey guys, always get led back to here!

I think I once knew how, but today I received a large drawing and when trying to show that it WAS a drawing with elevation objects, I did my usual "shift key+mouse wheel" and tried to rotate it 3D and it shot off the page. HOW DO I SET THE FOCAL / AXIS POINT?

 

I know I can use the command 3DORBITCTR but that is cumbersome, and all the other drawings I seem to create have that focal point in the middle, and shift+mouse wheel works fine.

 

I thought that once I knew a command that allowed me to set the focal point, then it stayed there no matter how I moved around my drawing, always making "shift+mouse wheel" a useful and fast tool... but this morning, I was stumped, and looked a fool.

 

THANKS!

 

Robert

[Cad64]

You posted your question in the 3ds Max section. I have moved your thread to the Civil 3D section, as stated in your user profile. Please be sure to always post your questions in the relevant section of the forum, according to the software you are using.

[Emigrato]

t shot off the page

 

Sounds like you have something dirty far from the main objects: do a _WBLOCK of them, and try again.

 

If it doesn't work, put a temporary origin 0,0,0 in the middle of your model (command _UCS suboption _OR) and perform the orbit: any changes?

 

[Bertdorf3]

Hi Emigrato,

 

Both soultions work for the very first rotate, but if I zoom (scroll) in or out, the focal point gets moved and a subsequent attempt to shift+mouse-wheel 3D rotate shoots the drawing off the page.

 

I do have two blocks far from the main object, but that shouldn't matter if the focal point can be set... and stay put.

 

HEY I do believe I just found the answer! It doesn't seem to work if I am viewing the entire drawing, but if I'm zoomed in close to a particular area, I can hold down the shift key and press the wheel button once... the drawing flashes, then my pivot point is set! I just navagated around my drawing and tried it in many locations, and it gives me what I need. It works more consistently when I am zoomed in close... backing out and it loses both its focal point and the ability to reset it.. but I can work with this.

 

Thanks for your input!