Free movement view with Shift + Middle mouse button

Support Basics & Interface
1

I know this has been discussed numerous ways. I have even found some discussions about problems with Shift + Middle mouse button, but none of them seem to address my exact problem or apply to few latest versions of Blender (I’m using 2.66.1).

When I push down MMB when Blender starts, I can move view around origin of my scene. That’s great. But especially when doing complex structures (game level, for example) I want more freedom about placing my view. So I push down Shift and MMB.

At this point navigation changes so, that rotation happens around view’s camera when pushing MMB, and I can move view around along view’s X- and Y-axis with Shift + MMB, and along view’s Z-axis with Mouse wheel. So far so good.

When I have went around my scene for a while, following things happen:

  • Mouse wheel does not zoom / move forward any more (or movement happens in very, very small steps)
  • Shift + MMB don’t move anymore (or movement happens in very, very small steps)
  • However, Shift or Ctrl + Mouse wheel works moving view along view’s X- and Y-axis, but I have no means to move along Z-axis.

Traditional questions: What is wrong? Why free movement stops working? How do I exit from this state to default world origin-based rotation?

2

For your zoom problem and maybe your movement problem:

  1. You are in perspective mode, you can switch to orthographic view by pressing 5 on the numberpad. You should be able to zoom in as much as you want now without it slowing down.

  2. If you want to stay in the perspective view, select the object or vertex you are trying to zoom in on and press . on the numberpad. This will recenter what you had selected and allow you to zoom in more on it.

3

Switching to orthographic view, then rolling mouse wheel like maniac does help to get back to state where I can zoom again. For a moment, then problem repeats. Bug perhaps?

However… Pressing “.” works and switches mode nicely. Thanks!

4

“Switching to orthographic view, then rolling mouse wheel like maniac does help to get back to state where I can zoom again.” - this works! thanks!