Viewport Navigation

The 3D viewport is where you view and interact with your designs. MatterCAD uses a trackball camera model that lets you orbit, pan, and zoom freely around your objects.

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Mouse Controls

Rotate the View

  • Right-click + Drag - Orbit the camera around your design
  • Ctrl + Left-click + Drag - Alternative rotation method

Pan the View

  • Middle-click + Drag - Slide the view left, right, up, or down
  • Ctrl + Shift + Left-click + Drag - Alternative pan method

Zoom In and Out

  • Scroll Wheel - Scroll up to zoom in, scroll down to zoom out
  • Ctrl + Alt + Left-click + Drag - Alternative zoom method

Keyboard Controls

View Shortcuts

  • W - Reset the view to fit all objects in the viewport
  • Z - Zoom to the currently selected object

Arrow Key Navigation

  • Arrow Keys - Rotate the view
  • Shift + Arrow Keys - Pan the view

Zoom Shortcuts

  • Ctrl + Plus (+) - Zoom in
  • Ctrl + Minus (-) - Zoom out

Tips

  • If you lose sight of your model, press W to reset the view and bring everything back into frame
  • Use Z after selecting an object to quickly focus on it
  • The scroll wheel zoom is centered on your mouse cursor position, so point at the area you want to zoom into
  • You can combine rotation and panning to inspect any angle of your design