Viewport

The Viewports are windows in the graphics area that display views of your model and allow interaction with it.

Each viewport, can set a view with a distinct orientation of the model, as well as a different display mode.

• Viewport elements
• Viewport tabs
• Mouse navigation

1. Model Viewport elements

Viewport title

Each viewport has a viewport title on the upper-left corner.

• Right-click on the viewport title or click the triangle button to show the menu for view management commands. Most of the commands can be found on the Visualization Toolbar.
• Click the title of a viewport to activate the viewport without deselecting objects. The active viewport highlights its title in blue.
• Double-click a viewport title to maximize the viewport, or restore the multi-viewport layout.
• Drag a viewport title to move the viewport around.

Note: To restore the default four-viewport workspace, use the 4View command from the Visualization toolbar.

Construction plane grid

The grid is a visual reference system that consists of a series of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines forming a grid pattern. This grid is associated with the Construction plane and serves as a visual aid to help users dimension and orient objects in the 3D space within Rhino.

World axis icon

The World Axis icon in a 3D workspace serves as a visual reference for the global orientation within the three-dimensional coordinate system. It typically consists of three arrows representing the X, Y, and Z axes, each assigned a specific color (red for X, green for Y, and blue for Z). This icon aids in understanding the navigation and orientation of objects within the 3D environment.

Note: The visibility of the background, Grid and Axis can be controled through the Display Panel.

2. Viewport tabs

Viewport tabs are located at the bottom of the main viewport frame by default. Each model and layout viewport has a tab. The tabs are useful for managing multiple-page layout style viewports along with standard modeling viewports.

Two types of viewports provide different functions:
In model viewports, create your surface or solid model using the appropriate units and precision. They appear by default with the name of the corresponding view on the tabs (Perspective, Top, Front...).
In layout viewports, place one or more details of your model and add information that annotates the printed sheet, such as lists, bill of materials, general notes, title blocks, seals, and scale bars. They appear by default as numbered pages on the tabs (Page 1).

Click the tab for options:

• Create New Layout viewport
• Import layout files
• New floating Viewport
• Split Horizontal
• Split Vertical

3. Viewport mouse navigation

Navigation
	Activate a viewport Click the viewport title to activate the viewport without losing selected objects. Double-click to toggle between a small viewport and one that fills the graphics area.
	Move and rotate Drag with the right mouse button to pan parallel views. Drag with the right mouse button to rotate perspective views.
Shift +	Move and rotate Drag with the right mouse button to pan perspective views.
Ctrl +	Zoom Drag with the right mouse button up to zoom in or zoom out.

Several navigation commands feature their own graphical icons on the Standard bar

Select objects
	Select Click on any object in the viewport to select it. Drag from left to right to select objects completely enclosed within the selection rectangle. Drag from right to left to select all objects inside or partially inside the selection rectangle.
Shift +	Add to selection Click on any object to include it to the current selection. Drag from left to right to add objects completely enclosed within the selection rectangle to the current selection. Drag from right to left to add all objects inside or partially inside the selection rectangle to the current selection.
Ctrl +	Remove from selection Click to remove object from selection. Drag from left to right to remove objects completely enclosed within the selection rectangle from the current selection. Drag from right to left to remove all objects inside or partially inside the selection rectangle from the current selection.

To select elements of a specific type, you can use the commands in the Selection toolbar

Run commands
	Initiate commands Click the graphical icons in the toolbars to initiate the commands.
	Accept and deny command-line inputs Click to accept command-line input when command is running. Click to cancel the current command when a command is running and any input is required. Repeat last command Click to repeat the last command when no command is active. Initiate second command Click the graphical icons in the toolbars to access the second command in case they have it. The tooltip that appears when you hover over the icon tells you what the right mouse button does.