Master drawing navigation in ZWCAD. Learn how to manage Model/Paper Space, create Layout Viewports, and utilize 3D Views for dynamic observation.
Table of Contents
When working in ZWCAD, understanding how to navigate your workspace is key to working efficiently, especially when switching between design and presentation modes, or when dealing with complex 3D models.
This guide introduces three core concepts that are essential for both 2D drafting and 3D modeling:
Whether you're preparing a 2D drawing or working with 3D geometry, mastering these tools will help you work more clearly, precisely, and professionally.
The interface that opens when creating a new graphic file is Model Space, which can be accessed through the Model tab. Model space is an infinite 3D space that primarily serves the design of graphics, allowing you to freely create and edit objects.
After the drawing is completed, it is often necessary to export in layout space, which can be accessed through the Layout tab. In layout space, it is not possible to modify the drawing, adjust the scaling ratio, and plot or export the drawing.
In the Layout tab, use the MSPACE command to switch from layout space to model space, and use the PSPACE command to switch from model space to layout space.
In the Layout tab, use the CHSPACE command to transfer objects from layout space to model space, and you can also transfer objects from model space to layout space.
A viewport is a window that displays graphic objects, and objects outside the viewport are not displayed. There are two types of viewport in ZWCAD Flex: model space viewport and layout viewport.
Click the Model tab to display the model space viewport. You can use multiple viewports to display different areas or views of graphics in model space. When used in combination, multiple viewports can reduce the frequency of zooming or panning in a single viewport.
New Viewport
ZWCAD Flex has preset some standard viewport configurations, and different configurations have different numbers and arrangements of viewport. Executing the VPORTS command to call the standard viewport configuration can create a specified number of views in model space.
When there are multiple viewports in model space, the viewport highlighted by the border is current viewport.
Modify Viewport
Click the [+] or [-] control in the top left corner of viewport to quickly switch viewport configurations.
Drag the viewport boundary to adjust the viewport size or create a new viewport. If dragged to coincide with another boundary, the viewport will be deleted.
Execute the VPORTS command to specify a new name for current viewport arrangement, which can be saved as a named viewport configuration. Named viewport configuration, also known as custom viewport configuration, can be used through the VPORTS command.
Click the Layout tab to display layout viewport. Multiple layout viewport can display different details or views, it can be plotted or exported on a single sheet.
New Viewport
By default, paper space contains a single layout viewport that covers the entire layout. You can create a new viewport or call up viewport configurations to add viewports.
Execute the MVIEW command, specify two diagonal points, and the rectangular area defined by them will serve as the range for new viewport.
Execute the MVIEW command, select the Entity branch, and convert a closed object in paper space as a new viewport. The selectable objects include: closed polylines, circles, ellipses, splines, and regions.
Execute the MVIEW command, select the Polygonal branch, draw a polyline, and the polygon enclosed by polyline will serve as new viewport.
Execute the VPORTS command, specify the viewport configuration, and apply its viewport quantity and arrangement to paper space.
Double clicking inside the viewport allows you to enter model space from paper space, while double clicking outside the viewport allows you to return to paper space from model space. In model space, you can create or edit graphics, and the results will be applied to all viewports.
Clicking within a viewport can make it the current viewport, with the current viewport border displayed in bold. Scaling or panning operations only take effect in the current viewport.
A 3D view is a projection of a 3D model observed from different viewpoint directions in 3D space. Based on the differences in viewpoint positions and projection methods, views can be divided into standard views, isometric views, and arbitrary views.
In current viewport, you can use preset views to view graphics or dynamically observe graphics.
Display Plan View
Use the PLAN command to convert the current view to a plan view, which is equivalent to a top view.
PLAN changes the observation direction but does not change the current UCS. That is, all user input and coordinate display are relative to the current UCS.
Display Preset View
ZWCAD Flex provides standard orthogonal and isometric views, including top, bottom, front, back, left, right, southwest, southeast, northeast, and northwest isometric views. You can switch to preset views to view drawing objects.
Dynamic Observation
You can enable the constrained orbit, continuous orbit and free orbit modes respectively by executing the 3DORBIT command, 3DCORBIT command and 3DFORBIT command.
Executing the 3DSWIVEL command, the 3DWALK command, and the 3DFLY command, you can observe objects by swivelling, walking, and flying.
The STEPSIZE and STEPSPERSEC system variables control the size of each step and the number of steps moved per second in swivelling/flying mode respectively. When swivelling or flying modes is turned on, it will switch from a parallel view to a perspective view.
You can define a 3D view with coordinate points or angles.
When you use a coordinate point to define a 3D view, this point is the viewpoint. The 3D model that you looked from this point toward the origin (0,0,0) is the 3D view defined by the point.
When you use angles to set a view, the two angles you specified are relative to the X axis and the XY plane of the UCS.
Set a View with Viewpoint Coordinates
Execute the DDVPOINT command and change the viewpoint coordinates in the Preset Viewpoints dialog box using following methods.
Execute the VPOINT command, directly input viewpoint coordinates, or select viewpoints by sanpping.
Set a View with Two Angle of Rotation
Execute the VPOINT command and select the Rotate branch. Specify the angle between observation direction in XY plane and X-axis, as well as the angle between observation direction and XY plane in sequence.
Set a View with a Preset Viewpoint
Execute the DDVPOINT command and click the Preset button in the View Control dialog box. A series of 3D views are set in the Preset viewpoints dialog box, from which you can directly select.
A parallel projection of the model can be obtained with the projection of parallel rays. The parallel projection view correctly represents the shape and structure of the model regardless of the distance between the model and the projection plane.
A perspective view is determined by the distance between the theoretical camera and target point. When the distance changes, the perspective effects will also change. Perspective view can display the 3D features of the model on a 2D plane
The following images show parallel and perspective views of a 3D model in the same viewing direction.
View Parallel Views
By default, the views in model space are all parallel views, and you can view them in following ways.
View Perspective View
Turn on or off the perspective view through the following methods.
An isometric drawing is a stereoscopic drawing made by projecting 3D objects on a single projection surface with the parallel projection method. You can get an isometric view by creating an isometric drawing along three axes with angles of 120 degrees. The use of the isometric view creates a three-dimensional view space for you and reduces the number of visually overlapping objects.
Preset Isometric Views
There are four commonly used isometric views preset in ZWCAD, namely Southwest Isometric View, Southeast Isometric View, Northeast Isometric View, and Northwest Isometric View. You can use the preset camera position and observation direction to view the 3D model after selection.
2D Isometric Plane
Use 2D lines to display 3D effects by aligning the model along three major axes. As a 2D isometric drawing is not a real 3D drawing, you cannot extract 3D distances and areas from the 2D isometric drawing, view objects from different viewpoints, or remove hidden lines automatically.
The axes of a standard isometric plane are 30 degrees, 90 degrees and 150 degrees, and each plane is defined by a pair of associated axes:
When creating a 2D isometric drawing, you can choose one of the three isoplanes, and then switch to the other plane. After you specified an isoplane, the following design modes will be automatically switched:
Use the ISOPLANE command to switch between isometric planes, or press F5 or <Ctrl+E> keys to cycle between the left, top, and right views.
Isometric Circles
On isometric planes, circles are represented as ellipses. To draw an ellipse with the correct shape on the isometric plane, use the Isocircle option of the ELLIPSE command. The Isocircle option is available only when the isometric plane is active.
You can draw arcs, fillets and any other radial curve by trimming and extending operations. However, concentric circles cannot be drawn by offsetting and can be represented by drawing multiple ellipses with the same center. The oval-shaped splines produced by offsetting isocircles do not correctly represent the zoom distances that you may expect.
Whether you're preparing a 2D drawing or working with 3D geometry, mastering these tools will help you work more clearly, precisely, and professionally. Properly distinguishing between model and layout spaces, scaling details with viewports, and utilizing dynamic 3D observation tools guarantees an efficient, professional CAD drafting workflow.
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