User Options

The User Options section in Document Options enables you to set up your working preferences. You might, for example, want to specify how the snap operation will work or how much information will be displayed on your plot.

General tab

Options on the General tab contain settings for current scenes as well as general display options.

• Current Scene: The current layer shown on the plot. The current scene can also be changed on the Scene toolbar.

Display Options

General display preferences.

• Enable Tooltips: Displays tooltips on your drawing. Tooltips are pop-up messages that display specific information about a fixture or object when you hover over it in Wireframe view.

A tooltip appears and displays the object information, including name (if applicable), layer, and other details such as the number of vertices and faces that make up the object.

Tip: The number of vertices and face counts in tooltips can help you determine which object impedes the Shaded view performance.

• Show Fixture notes when inserting: Select this checkbox to display the fixture notes when you are hanging fixtures, if applicable to the selected fixture.
• Show Dimension Layer selection dialog: Select this checkbox to be prompted to select a layer when inserting a new dimension.
• Show Linear Scale Layer selection dialog: Select this checkbox to be prompted to select a layer when inserting a new linear scale.
• Show Motion Object Layer/Name selection dialog: Select this checkbox to be prompted to select a layer when inserting a new motion object.
• Show Bounding Box for CAD operations: Select this checkbox to enable a framing outline or bounding box to appear as a substitute placeholder to objects when scaling or rotating in CAD. Using the bounding box improves the performance of Scale and Rotate tools.
• Prompt to put deleted fixtures in flight case: Select this checkbox to be prompted when you delete a fixture. You will be prompted to delete it completely or send it to the Flight Case. If you choose to send it to the Flight Case, the fixture is reserved for you in case you want to reinsert it.

Layer Options

Choose how layers are displayed in the Layer Database and highlighted in your drawing.

• Enable Layer Groups: Select this checkbox to display the layers in the Layer Database as items organized in Layer groups. Clear this checkbox to display Layers as a list. New Layer Groups are created in the Layer Database window. The Layer Groups and the list of layers will be displayed in the Layer Database and Properties windows.
• Prompt to confirm Layer Group delete operation: Select this checkbox to be prompted to delete the selected Layer Group.
• Position “Ungrouped”: Choose where the Ungrouped Layer Group is displayed in the Layer Database window.
• Top: Select this option to display the ungrouped layers at the top of the list of layers in the Layer Database window.
• Bottom: Select this option to display the ungrouped layers at the bottom of the list of layers in the Layer Database window.

Greyscale Layer Behavior

Choose how the objects in the layer(s) will be displayed when the layer(s) are set to greyscale.

• Always display object custom color: When you select this option, objects that were set to a custom color (in Object Properties) will always be displayed in the custom color even if the object’s layer is in greyscale.
• Use greyscale layer for all objects: When you select this option, objects that were set to the layer color or a custom color will be displayed in greyscale when the layer(s) for all objects are in greyscale.
• Greyscale: Set the greyscale intensity for the selected layer(s).
• Layer Color Intensity: Select this option to display the layer in greyscale with the same intensity as that of the layer’s set color.
• Custom (for all): Select this option and click the box to adjust the greyscale intensity for all the objects in the selected layer(s).
• Highlight Color: Set the color for the highlighted layer.
• Layer Color: Select this option to display the highlighted layer with the color of the layer.
• Custom (for all): Select this option and click the color select box to select the color for all the objects in the highlighted layer.

Draw Defaults tab

Options on the Draw Defaults tab affect general preferences for snap, grid, and units settings.

• Units: The units of measurement used in WYSIWYG. For more information on these units, see Metric vs. Imperial. The units can be toggled from metric to imperial at any time by double-clicking the units display on the Status bar.
• Precision: This option affects the units of drawing precision. For more information on these units, see Coordinate notation. Based on your choice for measurement units, you can choose to display the drawing precision in centimeters, millimeters, whole numbers, or fractions.

General

Options that affect the general appearance and ability to work in Wireframe views.

• Background Color: The color that will be used in all wireframe views. Click the box to choose a different color.
• Show Crosshairs: Select this checkbox to set the cursor display to use cross hairs in plot views. Cross hairs are useful for lining up objects.
• Enable Grip Dragging: Select this checkbox to resize objects by clicking and dragging on their markers.
• Show Ruler: Select this checkbox to show the rulers in drawing modes.
• Snap Box Size: Sets the size of the snap box that appears around the cursor when in snap mode. Consequently, this affects how close the cursor must be to the objects before the snap is applied.

Grid

Options that affect the drawing grid.

• Interval: Select the spacing between points on the drawing grid. Although the WYSIWYG drawing grid might not be visible, it exists in the background. The settings in this group box are important when using the snap to grid tool. For more information on this tool, see Snaps.
• Angle: Select the angle of rotation for the drawing grid. Although the WYSIWYG drawing grid might not be visible, it exists in the background. The settings in this group box are important when using the snap to grid tool. For more information on this tool, see Snaps.
• Origin: The point of origin. For more information on the origin, see Coordinate system and origin.
• Show Grid: Select this checkbox if you want to add a grid to your wireframe view (in every view except isometric).
• Grid Color: Click this box to choose the color that grid lines will be displayed as in the Wireframe view.
• Style: You can also choose the style of the grid by selecting the appropriate option button.
• Standard creates a grid with evenly spaced, closed squares.
• Open creates a grid with open squares.
• Point creates a grid of dots.

The lines in the resulting grid are spaced at the interval specified in the Interval box. If the interval is short, you may have to zoom in on your plot to see the gridlines.

Missing Coordinate

Sets missing coordinate options. For more information on missing coordinates, see The missing coordinate.

• CAD coordinate: The missing coordinate in CAD mode.
• Focus coordinate: The missing coordinate when manually focusing fixtures.
• Use CAD as Focus coordinate: Select this checkbox to use the same missing coordinate for Focus coordinate as CAD coordinate.
• Draw Order: Arrange the order in which fixtures, hang structures, and objects will be drawn in your model by selecting the items and moving them up or down with the arrow buttons. Whichever item appears at the top of this box will always appear on top of the other items in your model.

Example: If you leave the default order of Fixtures > Hang Structures > Objects, then fixtures will always appear on top of truss and truss will always appear on top of all other objects, regardless of how you arrange them via the Send to Back and/or Bring to Front commands. For more information on these commands, see Sending to back/bringing to front.

• Snap: Enables or disables the snap function. For more information, see Snaps. Snap tools can be toggled at any time using the tools on the CAD Options toolbar.

Wireframe Details tab

The Wireframe Details tab affect what and how fixtures, hang structures, objects, text, and information are displayed.

• Wireframes & Layouts: Select to display information and drawing details of the object in Wireframe views, Layouts, and Plots.

Tips:

• Select the checkbox on the top row of the list to select all checkboxes below.
• Click the arrows in the leftmost column to expand and display the rows with additional options.
• Fixture Symbols: Select this checkbox to always show 2D symbols in 2D wireframe views, and then select the option below. When this option is disabled, fixtures will be displayed as 3D models instead of their 2D symbols.
• Fixture Symbol Fill: Select this checkbox to always show filled 2D Fixture Symbols in wireframe views.
• Beams for Selected Fixtures: Select this checkbox to automatically turn on beams w hen selecting a fixture on your drawing. If this checkbox is not selected, the beam is not visible when you select a fixture.

Note: Only applies to CAD and DATA modes.

• Hang Structures: Select this checkbox to always show truss and pipes in wireframe views, and then select the options below.
• Truss and Pipe Thickness/Fill: Select this checkbox to always show filled 2D Pipe and Truss objects with chords and cross-member thickness.
• Truss Cross-Members: Clear this checkbox to hide truss cross members on your drawing to reduce the clutter or to increase the speed of the display. Select this checkbox to see the cross members.
• Truss Dividers: Truss Dividers show where the breaks in your truss sections are for quick assembly on site and ease-of-use for rental shops and other personnel who need to analyze your truss configuration. Select the Truss Dividers checkbox to enable this feature, and then select the options below. For more information on using this feature, see Configuring truss dividers.
• Linear: Select this checkbox to show the lines that appear parallel to the ends of your truss sections. These lines are always thick and can be colored any way you choose.
• Angled: Select this checkbox to show the lines that appear at the junction of truss sections on a 45 degree angle with the truss end. The Angled Section dividers can be thick or thin, and can be colored any way you choose.
• Library Objects: Select this checkbox to always show library objects in wireframe views and then select the option below.
• Library Symbols: Select this checkbox to always show library objects as 2D symbols in wireframe views. When this option is disabled, library objects will be displayed as 3D models instead of their 2D symbols.
• Hatching: Select this checkbox to always show hatching styles assigned to objects in wireframe views.
• Text Labels: Select this checkbox to always show text labels in wireframe views.
• Dimensions: Select this checkbox to always show dimensions in wireframe views.
• Focus Objects: Select this checkbox to always show focus objects in wireframe views.
• Motion Objects: Select this checkbox to show objects set with motion in wireframe views.
• Cameras: Select this checkbox to always show Cameras in wireframe views.

Fixture Attribute Details tab

The Fixtures Attribute Details tab affect where, what, how fixture information are displayed.

• Wireframes & Layouts: Select the checkboxes in this column to always display the selected fixture information in Wireframe views, Layouts and Plots.
• Fixture Tooltips: Select the checkboxes in this column to always display the selected fixture information on fixture tooltips when your cursor hovers over the fixture in Wireframe views.
• Shaded Views: Select the checkboxes in this column to always display the selected fixture information when your cursor hovers over the fixture in Shaded view.

Select the checkbox on the top row of the Wireframes & Layouts, or Fixture Tooltips, or Shaded Views column to select all checkboxes in the column.