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The Scene Properties Palette

Introduction

The scene properties palette is in the properties panel, on the right of your screen. It is divided into two parts.

The Scene Tree Tab

scene_tree_tab.jpg
The scene tree tab.

The scene tree gives you a symbolic access to all the objects which make up your scene.

In the scene tree you can:

  • Select an object by clicking on its name, instead of in the 3D Workspace.
  • See if the selected object is a group, and to see what objects make up the group. The symbol next to the name lets you unfold and refold the list of sub-objects.
  • Hide or show an object by clicking on the icon before the name of the object.
  • Lock or unlock an object by clicking on the icon before the name of the object.
  • Unclone an object by clicking on the icon before the name of the object.
  • To sort the object names by increasing or decreasing alphabetical order by clicking on the icons located at the bottom of the tree.
  • To search for an object by name by entering the beginning of its name and clicking on the search button located at the bottom of the tree.

Locking an object makes it non-selectable and there for non-movable or modifiable, just until it is unlocked. This function can be very useful by allowing you to keep an object in the 3D workspace, but block any further modification.

To facilitate the management of the elements of the tree view, it is possible to move them in the list using drag and drop.

To do a multiple selection in the scene tree, use the usual system shortcuts:

  • Ctrl to add or remove an element to the scene tree selection.
  • Shift to do a multiple selection by selecting all objects between the previously selected element and the current element. (or to deselect if they were already selected)
  • Ctrl+Shift to add a multi selection to a partial selection.

The Scene Properties Tab

scene_properties_tab.jpg
The scene properties tab.

This lets you control:

  • Whether coordinates are relative or absolute.
  • The unit of measurement used in the file for precise positioning and modifying: mm, cm, inches, etc.
  • The units used to measure angles and rotation: degrees or radian.
  • Grids and working planes orientation.
  • Show/hide grid guides in the scene.
  • Show/hide an image instead of the grid guides, to act as a visual guide to construct your model, for example, to reproduce a contour of an object or face.

Remark:

  • The proportions of these images should be square, or have the same height and width pixel dimensions, to avoid distortion.