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Navigate in Locations on desktop

This article covers how to navigate models and drawings on Dalux desktop. Learning how to best move around your 3D model will help you quickly find the information you seek.

We recommend using the Dalux desktop app, when working with complex models, as it allows your computer to use more resources than a web browser.

If you are using Dalux on mobile, you can learn how to navigate in 3D in this article: Navigate drawings and models on mobile.

Table of contents

  1. How to access and navigate drawings in Locations

How to access and navigate drawings in Locations

To access your 3D models on the project, start by going to Locations in the sidebar.

Dalux will automatically open the BIM viewer in the last used view.

In the toolbar, you can switch between the different views:

  • 3D - Fullscreen 3D navigation allowing movements in all axes
  • Drawing - 2D only view for drawings added to the building
  • Split - A split between 3D and 2D where you can use the 2D drawing to move around in 3D
  • 3D section - A 3D view with an automatic cut based on your levels or vertical mappings in the model

The views are covered in detail below.

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Using the 3D view

The 3D view is a full view that allows you to roam around the model freely. This view is helpful for collecting information from model elements or adding comments in 3D.

Moving around in 3D uses the mouse, keyboard, or a combination of both.

You can see some useful shortcuts by clicking on your name in the top right and then Keyboard shortcuts.

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It is recommended to get familiar with these shortcuts, as they will help when moving around the model. You can also use your mouse to move the camera over larger distances.

  • Click and hold the left mouse and drag to orbit the camera
  • Click and hold the right or middle mouse and drag to move the camera
  • Scroll with the mouse wheel to zoom in and out

While in the 3D view you can create Comments if the feature is enabled, and you have the correct permissions.

You cannot create Field registrations in the 3D view. You will have to use the Split view. This is because the locations of registrations need to be connected to a drawing.

 Tips and tricks

Use the mouse for large movements and the keyboard to fine-tune your view. Mouse movements work best for outside views or in large rooms, and keyboard navigation is effective in smaller spaces.

Using the combination of mouse and keyboard in the 3D lets you quickly navigate around your model.

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Using the drawing view

The drawing view is 2D only and shows drawings that have been added to the levels in the building. If you do not have drawings in the building, you can use the automatic level-cut drawings based on the elevation of levels in your building.

The Drawing view shows a 2D drawing and a menu. In the menu, you can choose which drawing to display. 

Levels are indicated with a -icon. Each level can contain multiple drawings. By clicking 'Show' you will automatically jump to the default drawing for the level.

If the project is using disciplines and subdisciplines they will be shown as folders with the -icon.

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When looking at a drawing in Locations you can:

  • Click and hold the left mouse and drag to move around
  • Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in and out (You can hold down Ctrl to zoom in smaller increments)

If you click on the drawing, you can jump to that location in 3D. This will open the Split view.

Using the split view

The split view lets you easily move around the 3D model by clicking on the 2D drawing. While in the split view you can still navigate around in 3D, however the view is locked to the current level. This means you cannot move the camera up or down.

You can create Field registrations in the split view by clicking objects in model. When doing so the 3D location is saved in the registration.

Similarly to the Drawing view you select a drawing from the menu.

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In the Split view, you will see your current location marked on the drawing as a green circle. The direction of the camera is also displayed.

In the split view, you can use the drawing window to:

  • Click and hold the left mouse and drag to move the drawing around
  • Scroll the mouse wheel to zoom in and out (You can hold down Ctrl to zoom in smaller increments)
  • Click on the drawing to jump to the 3D view of this location

In the 3D window, the 3D navigation keyboard shortcuts are always active (you cannot change the elevation of the camera). Moving around in 3D will automatically move the position marker on the drawing.

The split view is great for moving around one level in the model and requires less complex navigation in 3D.

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Using the 3D section view

The 3D section view automatically applies a cut and shows the drawing for a combined 2D and 3D view. This works for both levels and vertically mapped drawings.

Similarly to the drawing and the split view, you have to select which drawing to display.

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In this view, all the 3D navigation shortcuts are available. You can:

  • Hold Ctrl and scroll with the mouse wheel to move the cut up or down
  • Click on the drawing and toggle transparency or hide the drawing
  • Click on the drawing and press the spacebar to zoom out and view the whole drawing

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You can remove the cut in the bottom right corner by clicking Remove cut.

 Read more

To learn more about using cuts and measurements on Dalux desktop, you can read this article: How to cut and measure.

Filters and bookmarks will let you save different views for later use. You can learn more in these articles:

2D and 3D bookmarks in Locations

Filters and visualization in Locations

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