Is it possible to rotate the view more precisely than using MMB only?
Sometimes I want to rotate the view just in one axis (for example for UV projection or manipulating vertices using View axis mode).
I know for simmilar tool in 3DS Max and Anim8or:)
You can use the buttons 2,4,6,8 on the numeric keypad.
They rotate you based on the rotation value given in the View and Controls Preferences.
Thank you about the tip!
Unfortunately it doesn’t help much. Because as I can see the rotation of the view is performed around the world axes. And I want to rotate around the view axes.
An example:
Create a cylinder and rotate it randomly in the 3D world. Create seams for applying Cylindrical map projection.
Now try to orient te view so that the cylinder is positioned straight up in the current view, and the long seam (between both cylinder caps) is at the back of the cylinder.
How to do that, precisely?
Try shift-v in mesh Edit Mode. It aligns view based on selected faces.
Yippie
didn´t know that one but was hoping for something like that for months now.
thank you very much.
Hereby you are the hero for this day.
Thanks, BeBraw!
That is satisfactory solution. But you have to find (or create) the nescessary face (for selection) for orienting the model in right direction.
I assume this, as quick alignment instead of using the numpad keys that florianfelix proposed.
In the case of randomly rotated cylinder - to align the caps vertically you have to select the corresponding cap faces (or edges, or vertices) you want to be on the top and SHIFT-v ->To Selected (front)
But what if you want to align an edge from the cylinder body to be aligned vertically AND positioned right in the middle front (or back) - for example the cylinder seam?
If you want to rotate around your object instead of globally, go into local mode ( / on numpad) or change the rotation to “around selection” in user preferences.
zooming in, of course, and then any movement is scaled waaaaay down.
also, the arrow keys move a grabbed thing just a smidge. agaiin, zooooomed in a smidge is even a smaller smidge.
and then there’s N where you can move something by .001 blender units.
The only thing that approaches Arc Rotate, I think is to place a camera in Active View, the 3D cursor in the center of the object and rotate around the 3D cursor with constrained axis.
Hi,
to rotate your view around local axis, you could “abuse” a camera and limit movement accordingly.
Add a new camera for modeling only and align it to your current view (Ctrl-Alt-Numpad 0). Now while in camera view, keep the cam selected and rotate it around local axis’. To tilt your view hit (R, Z, Z) for rotation around camera view direction.
edit: Just noticed you had the same idea…
To determine the axis for cylindrical and spherical unwrap you don’t need to align your view, you can use object axis instead: In UV Face Select there’s a tab in editing buttons labeled “UV Calculation”. The default choice “VATop” sets your view direction onto the poles of the unwrapping cylinder. Try “Al Object” instead, this option will use local Z-axis independent from view direction.
Regards
Thanks Bartleby !
I learned many new things from all your posts!
My question was general and maybe I gave wrong example with Cylindrical UV mapping.
It’s all about using MMB only, for orienting your view exactly as you like. That’s what I find very difficult.
Well, Blender is full with surprises:)
Thanks Syziph, I’m glad you found it useful!
Another advantage of using your current camera for navigation is this: you can still use the Shift- and the Ctrl-keys while moving. It will make the transition more precise and/or snapping to full degrees, just like when modeling.
Regards