logo

TopoGX - View Options

After Opening a 2D or 3D drawing, there are various options for viewing the drawing.

Some view options are for the 2D plan view and some for the 3D view.

Show Surafce Colouring button Show Surface Colouring

Available in both Plan view and 3D View, but requires a 3D Document. This option displays the 3D surface colour shaded according to its level. The shading graduates between two pre-set colours which are defined in the View Properties. The 3D View colour scheme is pre-set to grass-like greens for realism.

Display 3D View button Display 3D View

Select this opton to display the 3D view, showing the drawing in 3D perspective, so that you can examine it from all angles.

Show 3D Controls

Available in the 3D View only. Shows a small window with button style controls to navigate around the 3D View. These aren't necessary unless you are having difficulty using the mouse button controls. There are additional navigation tools on this window which allow you to set the Sensitivity of the options.

Show Flow Arrows

Available in both Plan view and 3D View, but requires a 3D Document. Shows an arrow indicating the downhill direction of every triangle in the 3D Surface. The arrows are coloured according to their steepness. White means flat, Blue/Green means slight slope and Red means moderate to steep slope.

Show Mouse Levels

Available in Plan View, but requires a 3D Document. When enabled indicates the level on the Survey directly beneath the mouse coordinate. The X, Y and Z are displayed in the Status Bar at the bottom of the application.

Show Gouraud Shading

Available in 3D View Only and requires a 3D Document. When Gouraud shading is active the survey surface is drawn so as to smooth the angles between the surface triangles. The effect gives a more naturalistic ground profile. When the option is off you can better see all the triangles which make up the surface, but the appearance is more artificial.

Gouraud shading is never applied along actual surveyed lines on the drawing. This allows actual features to be clearly seen. For example, road kerbs, or ditch sides.