Switching Display Modes

At the top right corner of each viewport is the Display pop-up menu, which contains settings related to the display of the corresponding viewport.

Display Modes

Choose between Wireframe, Hidden Wireframe, Shading, Shading and Wireframe, Texture, Texure and Wireframe, and Preview Rendering display modes for displaying objects.

The display mode can be set separately for each viewport of the Figure Window. Select a display mode from the Display pop-up menu at the top right corner of a viewport to change the display mode for that viewport.

Note Changing display modes can also be done from the Quick Menu.

Wireframe

This is the standard, high-speed display mode. The color of the wireframe can be changed in the Preferences Dialog.

Hidden Wireframe

Hiding the wireframe of the back side of objects can make modeling easier.

Shading

Objects are displayed with their diffuse color and the effects of any distant lights in the scene.

Shading and Wireframe

This is a combination of Shading mode and Hidden Wireframe mode. (The wireframe is superimposed on the shaded geometry.) This mode can make selecting object elements easier.

Texture

Objects are displayed with textures superimposed on their shaded geometry. This mode makes it easy to understand how the scene will look.

Texture and Wireframe

This is a combination of Shading, Texture, and Hidden Wireframe modes. In this mode objects can be edited while still making it possible to check their appearance.

Preview Rendering

Objects are displayed closely to how they will appear when rendered. This mode makes it easy to grasp how the scene will look when rendered.

When using Preview Rendering display mode, an Options pop-up menu and Pause/Start button become available from the top of the viewport.

Options Pop-up Menu

The rendering method and other settings used for Preview Rendering can be specified here.

Ray Tracing (Draft), Ray Tracing, Path Tracing, and Path Tracing (Global Illumination): Specifies the rendering method used for Preview Rendering.
Rendering Settings: Preview Rendering is performed using the Image Window's Rendering Settings.
Use Multiple Threads: When selected, rendering is performed using multiple threads.
Draft Displacements: When selected, the number of divisions used for displacement maps is limited to accelerate Preview Rendering.
Save Image...: Saves the current Preview Rendering as an image file.

Pause/Start Button

Pauses or resumes Preview Rendering. Clicking the button toggles its function.

Shading Settings

Standard: When selected, uses standard functions for shading.
Phong: When selected, uses more detailed shading.
Standard: When selected, displays the orientation of normals in color.

OpenGL Settings

Enhanced OpenGL

When selected, the enhanced OpenGL functions (found in the GLSL menu) become available.

Note In order to use Enhanced OpenGL, the Use OpenGL 3.2 Core Profile checkbox on the View tab of the Preferences Dialog must be unselected.

Note Included with Shade3D Standard and Professsional.

Note A graphics card supporting OpenGL 2.1 or higher is required for Enhanced OpenGL.

GLSL

Note Included with Shade3D Standard and Professsional.

Phong shading: When selected, the shading becomes more detailed and texture and lighting can be quickly verified.
Show Normals: Displays the orientation of normals in color. This often makes it easier to understand the normal orientation of even complex objects.
Show UV: Displays the UVs.

Note These are not the UVs that can be edited directly in Shade3D; this refers to the UVs used internally when displaying textures with OpenGL shading.

Viewport Lighting

Default Light: Uses the standard light to display objects.
Modeling Light: Uses a combination of several lights to display objects, designed to make modeling easier.
Modeling Light Type: Select from six types of modeling lights.
Use All Lights: When selected, the intensity and color of all distant lights and ambient light settings are reflected in the shading.
Use Global Illumination: When selected, uses Global Illumination for the shading.
See also Figure Window Global Illumination

Other Display Settings

Display Sub-menu

Show Normals: Displays the normals of curved surfaces, polygon meshes, and line objects.
Show Bounding Box: When selected, the bounding box is displayed for each selected object.
Show Highlight: When selected, specular highlights are displayed except in Wireframe and Hidden Wireframe modes.
Show Environment Map: When selected, environment maps are displayed except in Wireframe and Hidden Wireframe modes.
Note Use OpenGL 3.2 CoreProfile must be selected on the View tab of the Preferences Dialog.

Show Joint Wireframe: When selected, joint wireframes are displayed even in Shading and Texture display modes.
Show Joint Line Wireframe: When selected, joint line wireframes are displayed even in Shading and Texture display modes.
Note Show Joint Wireframe and Show Joint Line Wireframe are only available in Joint or IK Editing Modes.
Single Sided: When selected, shading of the back of objects is not displayed.
Double Sided: When selected, shading is displayed for both sides of object geometry.
Double Sided (Color Back Faces): When selected, both sides of objects are shaded, with the back faces displayed in the color specified in the Preferences Dialog.
Flat Shading: When selected, flat shading is performed with the face normal line vector.
Color Shading: When selected, the diffuse color is used for the shading. When unselected, the color white is used. If an object's diffuse color is dark, deselecting this option can make it easier to see.

Figure Window Sub-menu

Show Grid: When selected, a grid is displayed in the Figure Window. The grid width is 10 times the dot counter value. The color of the grid and axes can be specified in the Preferences Dialog.
Show Work Plane: When selected, the work plane is displayed.
Show Background: When selected, a preview of the background is displayed.
Note Use OpenGL 3.2 CoreProfile must be selected on the View tab of the Preferences Dialog.

Non-Manifold Geometry Sub-menu

Show: When selected, non-manifold geometry is highlighted.
Hidden Edges: When selected, non-manifold geometry behind other shapes (which would normally be hidden) is highlighted.
Bold: When selected, non-manifold geometry is highlighted with bold lines.
Show Non-Manifold Edges: When selected, edges connected to three or more faces are highlighted.
Show Flipped Faces: When selected, the edges of faces with flipped normals are highlighted.
Show Border Edges: When selected, edges only connected to one face are highlighted.

Template Sub-menu

Load Image...: Loads an image for use as a template.
Show Image: When selected, the template image is displayed.
Delete Image: Deletes the template image.
Template Settings: Opens the Template Settings Window.

Updating the Display

Update Background: Used to update the background if it is not automatically updated with Show Background selected.
Update Solid Texture: Updates the solid texture.
Update Global Illumination: Updates the global illumination.

UV Display Settings

When UV View is selected from the View pop-up menu, these settings are available from the Display pop-up menu.

Show Color UVs: Displays the UVs with color shading.
Show Mapped Image: Displays the object's texture image.
Brighter: Brightens the mapped texture.
Darker: Darkens the mapped texture.