Managing the Compass

This task shows you how to use and manage the compass.

A sphere has been created.
  This kind of selection enables a filter mode to select only specified elements.
It is available through the Tools Palette, which appears when creating or modifying a surface for instance.
  To display the toolbar below, click Compass Definition .
 
  The following icons let you:
 
  • modify the origin and orientation of the compass, as well as exit the compass definition and return to the previous function
 
  • reset the compass orientation to the model axis
 
  • switch the main plane between one of the three compass axes
  The compass is defined depending on the selected elements : generally the compass plane (x and y axis) is computed using the mean plane computation of the selected elements.
  Successively selecting three vertices defines the:
  • compass origin
 

 
  • Z axis
 

 
  • X and Y axes (drag the arc of circle to replace the previous Z axis by the X axis)
 

The compass is locked by a single click on a vertex and is not modified when you add elements to the selection (the origin is not modified, but its orientation is). To free its position, click Reset Compass .