• AutoCAD

The navigation bar in AutoCAD

Learn the ins and outs of the navigation bar, from panning, zooming, to orbiting around your designs.


00:03

The navigation bar gives you access to all of the tools that allow you to navigate within an AutoCAD drawing.

00:10

These tools include both those that can be found across many Autodesk products, as well as tools specific to AutoCAD.

00:18

For example, the ViewCube indicates the current orientation of a model and is used to reorient the current view of a model.

00:27

The SteeringWheels can be used to switch rapidly between specialized navigation tools.

00:32

ShowMotion provides an onscreen display for creating and playing back for design review, presentation, and bookmark-style navigation.

00:47

Pan moves the view parallel to the screen.

00:50

The Zoom tools increase or decrease the magnification of the current view of a model.

00:55

Lastly, the Orbit tools rotate the current view of a model.

01:00

The navigation bar floats over and along one of the sides of the current drawing area.

01:05

To launch any of the navigation tools, simply click one of the buttons on the navigation bar.

01:10

You can also click the split button to display a menu of more tools.

01:15

From the navigation bar, click the Zoom split button and from the menu, select Zoom Window.

01:21

Now, in the drawing, notice that the cursor tooltip prompts you to specify the first corner of the window.

01:27

Pick a point, and then pick the opposite corner for the window.

01:31

The program automatically zooms accordingly.

01:34

Once a type of navigation command is specified, that command becomes the default tool on the navigation bar.

01:42

In this case, for the Zoom tool, the default command is set to Zoom Window.

01:47

Click the Zoom split button again, and this time, select Zoom Extents.

01:52

Now, Zoom Extents is the default Zoom tool on the navigation bar.

01:58

To reposition the navigation bar, expand the navigation bar menu and select Docking positions.

02:04

From this menu, you can select from different docking options.

02:08

Select Top left.

02:12

Because the navigation bar is currently linked to the ViewCube, both are now docked at the top left of the drawing area.

02:19

Reposition the navigation bar to the bottom left.

02:23

Again, both the ViewCube and navigation bar move.

02:27

Reposition the navigation again back to its default placement, which is top right of the drawing area.

02:33

To unlink the ViewCube from the navigation bar, open the Docking positions submenu again.

02:39

This time, clear Link to ViewCube.

02:42

On the navigation bar, a grip handle appears.

02:46

You can use the grip handle to freely move the navigation bar around the drawing area.

02:52

To redock the navigation bar, from the Docking positions submenu, enable Link to ViewCube.

02:59

Start a new drawing.

03:02

Then, on the ribbon, click the View tab.

03:07

From here, you can turn on and off the navigation bar, the View Cube, and the UCS icon.

03:14

The navigation bar and the View Cube resize according to the drawing area.

03:20

From the Interface panel, select Tile Vertically.

03:23

Both drawings that are open tile vertically.

03:26

Now, select Tile Horizontally.

03:29

Notice the change in size of the View Cube and navigation bar.

03:33

Maximize one of the drawings to return to the default view of a single drawing.

Video transcript

00:03

The navigation bar gives you access to all of the tools that allow you to navigate within an AutoCAD drawing.

00:10

These tools include both those that can be found across many Autodesk products, as well as tools specific to AutoCAD.

00:18

For example, the ViewCube indicates the current orientation of a model and is used to reorient the current view of a model.

00:27

The SteeringWheels can be used to switch rapidly between specialized navigation tools.

00:32

ShowMotion provides an onscreen display for creating and playing back for design review, presentation, and bookmark-style navigation.

00:47

Pan moves the view parallel to the screen.

00:50

The Zoom tools increase or decrease the magnification of the current view of a model.

00:55

Lastly, the Orbit tools rotate the current view of a model.

01:00

The navigation bar floats over and along one of the sides of the current drawing area.

01:05

To launch any of the navigation tools, simply click one of the buttons on the navigation bar.

01:10

You can also click the split button to display a menu of more tools.

01:15

From the navigation bar, click the Zoom split button and from the menu, select Zoom Window.

01:21

Now, in the drawing, notice that the cursor tooltip prompts you to specify the first corner of the window.

01:27

Pick a point, and then pick the opposite corner for the window.

01:31

The program automatically zooms accordingly.

01:34

Once a type of navigation command is specified, that command becomes the default tool on the navigation bar.

01:42

In this case, for the Zoom tool, the default command is set to Zoom Window.

01:47

Click the Zoom split button again, and this time, select Zoom Extents.

01:52

Now, Zoom Extents is the default Zoom tool on the navigation bar.

01:58

To reposition the navigation bar, expand the navigation bar menu and select Docking positions.

02:04

From this menu, you can select from different docking options.

02:08

Select Top left.

02:12

Because the navigation bar is currently linked to the ViewCube, both are now docked at the top left of the drawing area.

02:19

Reposition the navigation bar to the bottom left.

02:23

Again, both the ViewCube and navigation bar move.

02:27

Reposition the navigation again back to its default placement, which is top right of the drawing area.

02:33

To unlink the ViewCube from the navigation bar, open the Docking positions submenu again.

02:39

This time, clear Link to ViewCube.

02:42

On the navigation bar, a grip handle appears.

02:46

You can use the grip handle to freely move the navigation bar around the drawing area.

02:52

To redock the navigation bar, from the Docking positions submenu, enable Link to ViewCube.

02:59

Start a new drawing.

03:02

Then, on the ribbon, click the View tab.

03:07

From here, you can turn on and off the navigation bar, the View Cube, and the UCS icon.

03:14

The navigation bar and the View Cube resize according to the drawing area.

03:20

From the Interface panel, select Tile Vertically.

03:23

Both drawings that are open tile vertically.

03:26

Now, select Tile Horizontally.

03:29

Notice the change in size of the View Cube and navigation bar.

03:33

Maximize one of the drawings to return to the default view of a single drawing.

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