Greetings all,
I'm a newish user to MOI, so please excuse me if:
1. This 'can be done already' - please let me know how : )
or
2. This has been discussed to death and rejected : )

A suggestion for viewport navigation:
-----------------------------------------------------
Please see attached demo video - from another 3D software I use that has this feature.
This is viewport rotation which is automatically centered around the intersection of a 'cursor ray' and first visible object. The small cross indicates that position in the video. This happens automatically on pressing the mouse button for zoom / rotation / pan. It's the most intuitive navigation method I've come across. If the 'cursor ray' does not intersect an object the world origin or screen centre is used (automatically) as a fallback.

I'd be interested to get feedback on this.

Select a segment(s), a face(s), a volume(s)
Icon bottom page / Reset (Left Click) toggle
Icon bottom page / Rotate (Left Click&move mouse)
Icon bottom page / Zoom (Left Click&move mouse)
etc...
If you "Right Click" on the icon Reset (toggle) View 3D you will have the same Zoom All on each all views on the same time! ;)
Here with a Surface selected

Thank you Pilou. I do know and use the method you are describing. While it's in the right direction, it's nowhere near as immediate and interactive.

Current MOI method:
1. Deselect any current selection.
2. Click to select focus element
3. Right click on button to focus view
4. Alt drag in window to rotate.

My suggestion:
1. Alt drag in window to rotate.

Maybe Michael will cook this for you! :)

I hope so - he's clearly a great chef!

Hi Viewbyte, you can get something similar in MoI currently by using the "Zoom area" tool. It will also set the center of rotation. The method you're describing would not be a great fit with MoI because you wouldn't have a chance to use object snap to precisely set the target point.

Also currently the Alt key is being used for a different purpose, it disables object snaps when point picking.

Here's a demo using "Zoom area" in MoI:



- Michael

Thanks for the tip on the 'Zoom area' tool. i'll try that.

I'm not sure what you mean by:
"The method you're describing would not be a great fit with MoI because you wouldn't have a chance to use object snap to precisely set the target point."

Because in the method / demo I uploaded I'm not snapping to anything. Snapping is not active at all. It's simply that the intersection of the 'cursor ray' and face of first visible object is automatically used to establish the rotation / zoom origin. For the user it's simply a case of position the cursor over the scene and Alt drag.

Hi Viewbyte,

re:
> Because in the method / demo I uploaded I'm not snapping to anything. Snapping is not active at all.

Yes, but that's the problem - that would be unusual in Moi to have something target a point on an object but not be able to use snapping while doing so.

- Michael

But if I do a pan, zoom or rotate in MOI now - I'm not typically 'targeting or selecting' anything, so why are you suggesting that's a requirement with an alternative (improved) method?

Hi Viewbyte, the difference is that pan/zoom/rotate like you're describing manipulates the camera and doesn't do any object-specific targeting in it.

The method that you were describing targets an object but in MoI when you target a point on an object with the mouse it should allow for object snaps.

- Michael

I would say the method I'm describing targets a location in 3D space - to manipulate the camera : )

Hi Viewbyte, it's a location in space on an object. In MoI it's a focus for points on objects to be placed with precision using object snaps.

- Michael

"In MoI it's a focus for points on objects to be placed with precision using object snaps."

I totally understand and appreciate that, but I'm not doing, or intending to do, anything whatsoever to the object by manipulating the camera.

Anyway I'll rest my case here. I appreciate your engagement and willingness to respond, and I do understand the desire to stay consistent with your chosen modus operandi. MOI is clearly a very fluid and well thought out application. I just feel the viewport navigation isn't quite on that same high level.

I've found a script on Petr's page that goes most of the way to what I want when assigned to a shortcut:

script:var objs = moi.geometryDatabase.getSelectedObjects(); if ( objs.length > 0 ) { moi.ui.mainWindow.viewpanel.getViewport('3D').targetPt = objs.getBoundingBox().center; }

It requires a section and a shortcut key press - but I can live with that.