The draft viewer is monochromatic (mostly) It quickly renders the current model into 3D. When we say “quick” it really means quick! Even models that can crash 3D Studio, TAD quickly puts the 3D together and allows you to not just view it, but actually move around the model and into the model too.
Handles all kinds of complexity.
When a 3D view is invoked, TAD quickly runs all the internal ARDELA scripts that may change the geometry of the objects. Then it will do all the pinning; and finally it gives it to the 3D viewer pipeline. That is why in complex projects; it may take a few microseconds more than in simpler projects.
View even partial models.
The Draft viewer will render only the visible objects. That means you can hide some objects to get specific internal views you are focused on. Say, just the columns. Or just the beams … Or both…The choice is yours!
Pre-requisites
For 3D draft view to work; you need a special class called “View” and in that class, you need to create at least two pseudo objects – one called “Location” and the other “Lookat”
The height and level of these two objects would determine the initial camera location.
Tell you what? The default TAD model already has this class. Copy that class and the objects therein to your own project; and you should have the basic view setting required by the 3D modeler done.
Of course you need to ensure that the Location and Lookat are located correctly (i.e. they are indeed viewing something or the other)
Use the scrollbars in the 3D Draft view window to spin around and zoom into.
At the bottom right hand corner of the 3D Draft View ; you can access the 3D Options. In very large projects (i.e. with large extents, not necessarily the number of objects in the project); you may see nothing because the “Yon” plane setting is set low. Change that to 1000 and you should get the view
Enjoy!!