The build view shows whatever you’re building from three directions - one for each axis, and a fourth 3D view. The general idea is that you build your model by placing and manipulating meshes and vertices in the three views, seeing the result in the 3D view.
The build view is the view picoCAD starts in. It can be returned to by pressing the left button in the upper right hand corner or by pressing V.
To move an object click on a face and drag the model. The origin point (red dot) will follow.
Grab a mesh with the left mouse button and drag it to where you want it. This moves the mesh’s origin point as well which is important if you start rotating things.
Holding Z disable grid snap and allows you to move the model freely.
Click vertices to select them. Select multiple vertices by holding down X.
Any selected vertices can then be moved by either dragging them directly with the mouse, or by using the arrow keys.
Holding Z disable grid snap and allows you to move vertices freely.
To select multiple vertices in one go, draw a rectangle with the left mouse button and any vertices inside the rectangle will be selected.
Hovering over faces takes precedence over selecting vertices so if you can’t reach a specific vertex, hold X to force vertex selection.
Moving vertices does not move the mesh’s origin point, which is important if you later rotate the mesh.
If you need to move multiple meshes at once, select their vertices and move them together.
The origin point will not follow vertices movement. If you want to keep the origin point where it is, move meshes one at a time by dragging faces.
Objects rotate around their origin point (red pixel). If you move the vertices instead of the mesh, the origin point will not follow.
To rotate a mesh right click on a face and choose "rotate mesh". This will rotate the mesh in .125 (45 degree) increments in clockwise rotation.
You can rotate in any of the four views. The model view (top right) will rotate base on the camera's facing while the other three rotate on their respective axis.
An alternate method of rotation is to press the R and T keys. This rotates in half increments (.0625 or 22.5 degrees), with R being counterclockwise and T being clockwise rotation.
Note: R and T keys cannot be used in the top right model view.
The quickest way in the editor to scale an object is to select each a side of vertices and move them.
You can do this by holding down left click and dragging over the vertices in the view that you want to expand.
If you want to scale overall, try scaling in each of the 3 views on all sides. Using the arrow keys to move vertices can be useful to count precise scaling.
Note that the origin point will not be moved with the vertices. Scale in all directions to keep it same place.
To extrude the face of a model, right click on the face and choose "Extrude Mesh", or click E.
Extruding allows you to make complex objects out of simple primitive shapes.
If you have two meshes with overlapping vertices at all points a face, considering replacing one of them with an extrusion.
Extrude uses less vertices and reduce memory load than two separate meshes.
