Here are solutions to a couple of the most common issues we hear about.
Key-ins: (watch your prompt & message fields)
AZ=? will display your ‘active depth’ (the elevation data points will assume when drawing elements).
AZ=800.12 will set your active depth (the elevation you want to draw at).
DP=? will display the ‘vertical slice’ you are viewing in your 3D file.
DP=-500,1600 will set your display depth from negative 500 to positive 1600
- You cannot ‘draw’ outside your active depth. Attempting to set your AZ beyond the upper or lower limits of your display depth will force your AZ to the DP limits.
- Snapping (tentative point) to elements will generate the familiar x,y values, but also the z (elevation) in the status bar.
- Snapping to ‘blank screen space’ will display your active depth in the status bar.
- Turning on your ‘depth lock’ will allow snapping to elements at differing elevations but only draw at your active depth. Allowing you to draw a planar element.
- ‘Fit’ (with expand clipping planes on) will fit your design file to the x,y, & z limits of the graphics in your file.
Palettes for 3D view control are at MicroStation > Tools > View Control.