Viewports enable you to view the models from different view
points at the same time. Various display settings such as zoom
factor and shade modes can be applied to every viewport. There
are two types of viewports available in AutoCAD: Tiled and
Floating.
Tiled viewports are applicable to Model space while Floating
viewports are used in Paper space only.
Note: The tutorial is designed for AutoCAD 2004
though might be applicable for other releases.
1. Download
r16_tiled_vports.
Note:
If you are using AutoCAD 2002 or an earlier version, download
r15_tiled_vports.dwg.
2. Enable the Shade
toolbar.
3. Open the file in
AutoCAD. The file contains a single viewport that shows the top
view of a simple model with some lateral holes [Figure 1].
Figure 1
4. Invoke VPORTS
(View menu > Viewports > New Viewports). The Viewports
dialog box appears [Figure 2].
Figure 2 - Click on image to
enlarge
5. On Standards
Viewports list click, Three: Left.
6. From Setup drop
down list select, 3D [Figure 3].
Figure 3 - Click on image to
enlarge
7. Click OK. Three
different views of the model are shown [Figure 4].
Figure 4 - Click on image to
enlarge
8. Click the left
side viewport.
9. On Shade toolbar
click Gourad Shaded [Figure 5].
Figure 5
10. Click the top
right side viewport to make it the active one.
11. Invoke VPORTS.
12. In New name box
type, Ideal [Figure 6].
Figure 6
13. On Standard
viewports click, Two: Vertical.
14. From Apply to
list select, Current Viewport [Figure 7].
Figure 7
15. On Preview
section select the viewport to the right.
16. From Change
view to select, Right [Figure 8].
Figure 8
17. Use the same
method to change the view of the left side viewport.
18. Click OK. The
viewport is divided into two viewports.
19. Change the
shade mode of both viewports to Gouraud.
20. Pan the model
to the center of every viewport [Figure 9].
Figure 9 - Click on image to
enlarge
21. Enable the
bottom right side viewport.
22. On View menu
select, Viewports > 1 Viewport. A single viewport replaces all
viewports.
23. On View menu
select, Viewports > Named Viewports.
24. From Named
Viewports list select, Ideal [Figure 10].
Figure 10 - Click on image to
enlarge
25. Click OK. The
saved arrangement of viewports appears on screen [Figure 11].
Figure 11 - Click on image to
enlarge
Alireza Parsai is the founder of cadpanel.com. He is a
mechanical engineer with more than 12 years experience with
AutoCAD. Alireza is an Autodesk Authorized Author, the AutoCAD
consultant for Al Khawarizmi Institute, a contributing editor
for Augiworld magazine, a writer for CAD Digest, an instructor
for AUGI Training Program, and an elected speaker for Autodesk
University 2002. He has written 7 books in Farsi, 3 booklets in
English, and more than 30 articles for different magazines and
newsletters. You can reach him at
alireza.parsai@cadpanel.com or visit his website
www.cadpanel.com.
