In AutoCAD, the Viewport is an important element that helps users obtain intuitive and clear design views in complex 3D models. By using the view window, users can easily observe, analyze, and modify the design, thereby improving design efficiency and accuracy. This article will detail the functions, usage methods, and application areas of the AutoCAD view window, in order to help users better understand and apply this important tool.
AutoCAD Viewport History #
In 1984, Autodesk introduced a new command called VIEW, whose use enabled the creation of named views. However, it was not until October 1988 that Autodesk included the VIEWPORTS (VPORTS), REGENALL, and REDRAWALL with the launch of AutoCAD Release 10. The VPORTS command enabled users to create and control multiple viewports. REDRAWALL refreshes the display of all viewports, while REGENALL regenerates all models in the viewports. Based on the release notes, the first iteration of AutoCAD Viewport was released in 1988.
Since then, the command and the associated viewports feature have been progressively improved. For instance, AutoCAD Release 11, released in October 1990, revamped viewports by introducing a system variable known as TILEMODE. Used to enable paper space, TILEMODE helped modify the meaning of Viewports.
TILEMODE specifically achieved this by ensuring that Viewports now displayed the objects contained in the model space rather than being simple partitions of the display graphics area. (A model space refers to the limitless drawing area on AutoCAD.)
In addition, as part of Release 11, users could now include multiple views of a model in a single plot or paper space, complete with title blocks, annotation text, and so on. This version also boasted Viewport-specific layer visibility.
What is AutoCAD Viewport? #
CAD Viewport displays different scaled views or sections of a 2D drawing or 3D model. This feature is specifically designed to help you reduce the time you would ordinarily need to pan or zoom in on a single view, especially when working with complex or large drawings. This is because you can set multiple zoomed-in views of different parts of the drawing or model, which you can then switch between easily and quickly, with the main view remaining unchanged. This way, AutoCAD viewport enables you to easily identify errors you would have otherwise missed if you were looking at the entire drawing.
Types of Viewport #
There are two types of AutoCAD Viewports:
- Model Space viewport
- Layout viewport
Model Space Viewports #
In model space, you can split the drawing area into one or more rectangular areas called model space viewports.
Viewports are areas that display different views of your model. In large or complex drawings, displaying different views reduces the time needed to zoom or pan in a single view. Errors that you might miss in one view might be visible in another.
Below are several examples of model space viewport configurations. You can save and restore viewport configurations by name with the VPORTS command.
When you display multiple viewports, the one that is highlighted with a blue rectangle is called the current viewport.
- Commands that control the view, such as panning and zooming, apply only to the current viewport.
- Commands that create or modify an object are started in the current viewport, but the results apply to the model and can be visible in other viewports.
- You can start a command in one viewport and finish it in a different viewport.
- You can make any viewport the current one by clicking in it.
Note: Model space viewports should not be confused with layout viewports, which are available only on layout tabs and are used to arrange views of your drawing on a sheet.
How to Create a Model Space Viewport #
- Click View tab > Viewports panel > Viewport Configurations drop-down arrow .
- Click the viewport configuration that you want to use.
Tip:
Viewport controls are displayed at the top-left corner of each viewport, which that might look like the following:
[-] [Top] [2D Wireframe]
Click the – or + control, and then the Viewport Configuration List to change the number and arrangement of viewports.
Press CTRL while dragging viewport boundaries to display the green splitter bar and create new viewports. Alternatively, you can drag the outermost splitter controls.
When you display multiple viewports, the one that is highlighted with a blue rectangle is called the current viewport.
- Commands that control the view, such as panning and zooming, apply only to the current viewport.
- Commands that create or modify an object are started in the current viewport, but the results apply to the model and can be visible in other viewports.
- You can start a command in one viewport and finish it in a different viewport.
- You can make any viewport the current one by clicking in it.
Note: Model space viewports should not be confused with layout viewports, which are available only on layout tabs and are used to arrange views of your drawing on a sheet.
How to Modify Model Space Viewports #
You can modify the size, shape, and number of model space viewports in a viewport configuration:
- Choose from several viewport configurations by clicking the [+] or [-] control in the top-left corner of a viewport.
- Drag the boundaries of viewports to adjust their size.
- Press CTRL while dragging viewport boundaries to display the green splitter bar and create new viewports. Alternatively, you can drag the outermost splitter controls.
- Drag a viewport boundary onto another boundary to remove a viewport.
Layout Space Viewports #
Layout viewports are objects that display views of model space. You create, scale, and place them in paper space on a layout.
On each layout, you can create one or more layout viewports. Each layout viewport is like a closed circuit TV monitor of a view of the model at a scale and orientation that you specify.
How to Create a Layout Viewport #
When you use the MVIEW command to create a new layout viewport, you specify the view that you want to display in it with one of several methods:
- Click the diagonal corners of a rectangular area, and the extents of model space are displayed automatically.
- Specify the Named option to use a previously saved model-space view.
- Specify the New option for temporary access model space to define a rectangular area.
- Choose the Object option and select a closed object such as a circle or closed L-shaped polyline to convert into a layout viewport.
Note: It is important to create layout viewports on their own layer. When you are ready to output your drawing, you can turn off that layer to display the layout viewport without its boundary.
How to Modify a Layout Viewport #
After you create a layout viewport, you can change its size and properties, and also scale and move it as needed.
- For control of all the properties of a layout viewport, use the Properties palette.
- For the most common changes, select a layout viewport and use its grips.
Note: Because they are objects, you can also use editing commands such as COPY, MOVE, and ERASE on layout viewports.
How to Rotate a Layout Viewport #
- Click on the rectangular or polygonal viewport to select it
- Right click mouse button
- Select the Rotate option on the menu that pops up
- Specify the base point that will act as the center of the rotation
- Next, you can either specify the rotation angle in the command line or manually rotate the viewport.
- Press Enter to end the rotate command
How to Lock a Layout Viewport #
To prevent accidental panning and zooming, each layout viewport has a Display Locked property that can be turned on or off. You can access this property from the Properties palette, the right-click menu when a layout viewport is selected, a button on the Layout Viewports tab on the ribbon, and a button on the status bar when one or more layout viewports are selected.
