Author Tab

Grids and magnetic lines help you place and align actors in your scene.

Icon	Command Name	Description
	Create Grid on Geometry	Creates a grid attached to the local frame of a geometry actor.
	Create Grid	Creates a grid at the location defined by vertices or axes you select. Follow the status bar prompts to make the selections. The resulting grid is not associated with any actor.
	Transform Grid on Geometry	Moves a grid to the local frame of a geometry actor. Any actor association does not change.
	Transform Grid	Moves a grid to a new location. Any actor association does not change.
	Create Magnetic Line	Creates a magnetic line.
	Align Magnetic Line	Aligns a magnetic line to an axis (geometry actor edge or coordinate system axis).

Markup commands let you create and manage actors that enhance your models, such as arrows and redlining.

Icon	Command Name	Description
	Create Redlining	Adds free-hand redlining. Click and drag on an actor or in the viewport. Note: To change redlining color, click the lower half of the Redlining button, and select a color. This color is also used for arrows and circles.
	Create Polyline	Creates a line with multiple segments. Click any number of times to create nodes, and then right-click (or press End) to end the polyline. Tips: Press Alt to detect circle centers as polyline nodes. Use grids to help you create polylines. After creating a polyline: To move a node, drag the anchor. Press Alt to constrain the movement. To move the entire polyline, use Free Dragging Mode or other transformation tools. To resize a polyline segment, press Alt and drag the adjacent segment while in Free Dragging Mode.
	Add Polyline Node	Adds segments to polylines. Click a polyline to add a node.
	Remove Polyline Node	Removes segments from polylines. Click a node to remove it.
	Split Polyline	Splits a polyline into multiple segments. Click the node at which to split.
	Join Polylines	Merges two polylines. Click the two ends to merge.
	Create Composite Polyline	Creates a polyline from selected edges. Click any number of edges, and then right-click to end the polyline. The edges need not be adjacent.
	Create Arrow	Creates a straight arrow. Click to place the arrowhead, and then click to place the tail. Tip: To easily change arrow shape and size properties, drag anchors in the viewport. Anchor behavior varies between arrow types (straight, corner, circular). Scales arrows by multiplying size properties by the same value. Note: Scaling does not change straight-arrow length because length is typically determined by the positions of geometry actors with which arrows are associated. Changes shaft width, head width, head length, and head shape. Dragging the head-width anchor changes head and shaft widths simultaneously. To change just head width, press Shift while dragging the anchor. Changes arrow length, position, rotation (circular arrows), and association. To change the geometry actor or actors with which the arrow is associated, drag a anchor onto another actor.
	Create Circular Arrow	Creates a circular arrow, which is automatically set on a circle or axis if detected. Click to place the center (axis), and then click to define the offset (radius). Tip: To rotate or resize the arrow, drag the arrow body. A dashed line shows the original radius. The arrow snaps to this line when nearby so you can easily change the rotation angle without changing the radius.
	Create Corner Arrow	Creates a corner arrow. Click to place the corner, and then click to define the size.
	Create Circle	Creates a circle. Click to place the center, and then click to place the radius.

Panel commands let you insert images (2D and 3D) and 2D text boxes in your 3D scene.

Icon	Command Name	Description
	Create Image Panel	Creates raster image 3D panels. Click to place one corner, and then click to place the diagonal corner. Image panels have one anchor at the upper-right corner.
	Create Vector Image Panel	Creates vector image ( .svg) 3D panels. Click to place one corner, and then click to place the diagonal corner. Vector Image panels have one anchor at the upper-right corner.
	Create Image 2D Panel	Creates raster image 2D panels. Click to place one corner, and then click to place the diagonal corner. Image 2D panels have one anchor at each corner. 2D panel positions are fixed (unaffected by camera movement). Tips: You can also create an image 2D panel by dragging a file of a supported image type from the Image Library workshop or Windows Explorer window into the viewport. To create an Image 2D panel linked to a view, Ctrl+drag a view from the Views pane into the viewport.
	Create Next Button	Creates an image 2D panel preconfigured as a "next" button, which steps through all your views or animation markers. The panel is subscribed to the Play Widget Next style, which defines several properties including Event > Link as next://. See Panel Properties You can modify the style in the Styles workshop. Tip: To add a button to all your views, create a button in one view and then use Update Views with Selected Actors .
	Create Previous Button	Creates an image 2D panel preconfigured as a "previous" button, which steps backwards through all your views or animation markers. The panel is subscribed to the Play Widget Previous style, which defines several properties including Event > Link as previous://. You can modify the style in the Styles workshop.
	Create First Button	Creates an image 2D panel preconfigured as a "first" button, which activates the first view or moves the animation to the first marker. The panel is subscribed to the Play Widget First style, which defines several properties including Event > Link as first://. You can modify the style in the Styles workshop.
	Create Last Button	Creates an image 2D panel preconfigured as a "last" button, which activates the last view or plays the animation up to the last marker. The panel is subscribed to the Play Widget Last style, which defines several properties including Event > Link as last://. You can modify the style in the Styles workshop.
	Create Set of Navigation Buttons (All Buttons)	Creates a complete set of navigation buttons (first, previous, next, last).
	Create Vector Image 2D Panel	Creates vector image ( .svg) 2D panels. Click to place one corner, and then click to place the diagonal corner. Image 2D panels have one anchor at each corner. 2D panel positions are fixed (unaffected by camera movement).
	Create Text 2D Panel	Creates 2D text boxes. Click to place the lower-left panel corner, type the text, and then click outside the panel to finish. Notes: Unlike most Author commands, which create actors until you exit the command, this command creates one panel. To create additional text panels, click the command again. The AutoFit property ( Panel Properties pane) determines sizing behavior. You can embed properties and meta-properties in panel text. For details, see the String property ( Panel Properties pane). 2D panel positions are fixed (unaffected by camera movement).

Path commands let you create associative and non-associative lines that show actor displacement in views or during animations.

Associative paths automatically update when the associated actor moves. Non-associative paths do not update automatically.

Icon	Command Name	Description
	Create Associative Path from Animation	(Available when an actor is selected in animation mode only.) Creates an associative line. Select an actor that has been moved from its neutral position. During the animation, the path is updated in real time.
	Create Non-Associative Path from Animation	(Available when an actor is selected in animation mode only.) Creates a non-associative path.
	Create Associative Path from Neutral	(Available when an actor is selected.) Creates an associative line from neutral position. Typically used in View mode.
	Create Non-Associative Path from Neutral	(Available when an actor is selected.) Creates a non-associative line from neutral position. Typically used in View mode.
	Generate Free Path	(Available when a path is selected.) Creates a customizable path from an associative or non-associative path. You can modify free paths as you would polylines. Note: Generating a free path from an associative path creates a non-associative path and hides the original associative path. To create a free path, create a path (associative or non-associative), optionally set the Construct mode (Properties pane), and then click Generate Free Path. The free path contains anchors you can drag, and you can use polyline commands (such as Add Node).

Annotation commands let you add labels, callouts, links, and other annotations to your models.

Icon	Command Name	Description
	Create Label	Creates a text box linked to an actor.
	Create Label with Multiple Actors	Creates a label linked to multiple actors. Select the actors before selecting this tool.
	Create GD&T Label	Creates a text box linkable to an actor where you can define geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) symbols. You can define pre, middle, and post symbols in the Properties pane.
	Create Area Label	Creates a label containing the area of the selected actors. The area is computed when importing the CAD model (see Application Preferences - Input).
	Create Volume Label	Creates a label containing the volume of the selected actors. The volume is computed when importing the CAD model (see Application Preferences - Input ).
	Create Coordinate Label	Creates a label containing the point coordinates in the world frame.
	Create Callout	Creates a label with the associated geometry actor's BOM ID as the text (by default), or blank if no BOM ID is defined. Callouts are also known as balloons. Notes: You can also display BOM quantities. In the Annotation Properties, under Callout exponent, select a Quantity exponent location and set the Font ratio. You can configure how callout widths are determined from (Default) Document Properties - Image Quality. You can also create callouts with multiple attach lines. See Create Annotations with Several Lines.
	Create Link	Creates a link to a Web page, file, view, or other target. The Link property (Properties pane, Event category) defines the link target, and the String property (Properties pane, Text category) defines the link text.

Measurement commands let you create labels from model dimensions, such as angles and distances.

Tip: To move measurement text and attach lines, drag any part of the measurement. To move just the text, press Alt while dragging.

Icon	Command Name	Description
	Create Linear Length Measurement	Creates a label containing a line length.
	Create Curve Length Measurement	Creates a label containing the length of a polyline or CAD feature such as a curve or pipe. Tip: To display the sum of multiple curve lengths, select the curves first.
	Create Arc Length Measurement	Creates a label containing an arc length (defined by three points) or a circle perimeter (press Alt for curve detection). Tip: To flip the arc direction, in the Measurement Properties, for Complementary, click Proceed.
	Create Thickness Measurement	Creates a label containing the thickness of the actor at the selected point.
	Create Diameter Measurement	Creates a label containing a circle diameter.
	Create Diameter Measurement from 3 Points	Creates a label containing the diameter of a circle defined by three points.
	Create Radius Measurement	Creates a label containing a circle radius.
	Create Radius Measurement from 3 Points	Creates a label containing the radius of a circle defined by three points.
	Create Distance Measurement Between 2 Points	Creates a label containing the distance between two points. Tip: Press Alt to detect circle centers.
	Create Distance/Angle Measurement Between 2 Lines	Creates a label containing the distance between two lines.
	Create Distance/Angle Measurement Between 2 Planes	Creates a label containing the distance between two parallel planes or the angle between two nonparallel planes.
	Create Distance Measurement Between 2 Axes	Creates a label containing the minimal distance between two detected circle axes.
	Create Distance Measurement Between 2 Centers	Creates a label containing the distance between two detected centers.
	Create Distance Measurement Between 2 Actors	Creates a label containing the distance between two faces, lines, or points. Note: This tool can create a variety of measurements, but it can be hard to select the intended geometry. Consider using a more specific tool when possible.
	Create Distance Measurement Between Plane and Point	Creates a label containing the distance between a plane and a point.
	Create Distance Measurement Between Line and Point	Creates a label containing the minimal distance between a line and a point.
	Chain Measurement Mode	Creates a series of distance measurements where the last point of one measurement is the first point of the next. Tip: You can also press Ctrl while selecting points.
	Fan Measurement Mode	Creates a series of distance measurements where the first point is common to all other points. Tip: You can also press Shift while selecting points.
	Create Angle Measurement from 3 Points	Creates a label containing the angle defined by three points. The first selected point is the vertex.
	Create Plane Projected Measurement	Creates a plane-projected (horizontal or vertical component) measurement. First select a face that indicates the normal direction of the dimensions, and then select a series of points for a chain of dimensions. Tip: Press Alt to detect hole centers.
	Project Plane Measurement on Axis	Creates a projected measurement between a plane-projected measurement and an axis. First select a plane-projected measurement, then select a plane to get the axis.
	Create Minimal Distance Measurement	Creates a label containing the minimal distance between two selected actors. Note: When actors move after creating the measurement, the distance between the two points defining the measurement updates automatically, but the points defining the minimal distance do not. To recompute a new minimal distance, delete the existing measurement and create a new one.
	Create Global Dimensions Measurement	Creates three labels containing the height, length, and width of the bounding box of the selected actors according to the world coordinate system. If no actors are selected, the dimensions apply to all visible actors. Note: Dimension measurements do not have associations.
	Create Local Dimensions Measurement	Creates three labels containing the height, length, and width of the bounding box of the selected actors according to a custom coordinate system. If no actors are selected, the dimensions apply to all visible actors. Note: Activate the coordinate system with the Use coordinate system property of the viewport before running this command.
	Create Coordinate System on Geometry	Creates a coordinate system (CS) at an actor's local frame. The CS is listed in the Collaboration tree and in the Assembly tree under the actor.You can change the CS origin and orientation by transforming the CS actor in the viewport or from the Properties pane.To enable a CS, right-click it in the Collaboration tree and click Enable Coordinate System.Dimensions are based on the current CS.
	Create Coordinate System	Creates a coordinate system (CS) at the location defined by vertices or axes you select. Follow the prompts in the status bar to make the necessary selections. The CS is listed in the Collaboration tree and at the top level of the Assembly tree (the CS is not associated with an actor).You can change the CS origin and orientation by transforming the CS actorin the viewport or from the Properties pane.To enable a CS, right-click it in the Collaboration tree and click Enable Coordinate System.Dimensions are based on the current CS.

Cutting Plane commands let you create and manage cross-section (cutaway) views of your models.

Icon	Command Name	Description
	Create Cutting Plane	Creates a cutting plane on the selection and hides any other visible cutting planes. If no actors are selected, the cutting plane is applied to the entire model. The cutting plane is created normal to the positioning arrow . You can display a maximum of three cutting planes simultaneously. Tip: To orient your model so the cutting plane is parallel to the screen, double-click the cutting plane.
	Create and Add Cutting Plane	(Available when at least one cutting plane is visible in your scene.) Creates a cutting plane on the selection and adds it to the scene without hiding existing cutting planes. If no actors are selected, the cutting plane is applied to the entire model.
	Create Cutting Plane from 3 Points	Creates a cutting plane from three points you select. Tip: Press Alt to select circle centers.
	Move Cutting Plane	Moves the selected cutting plane to another position. Press Alt to align on an axis.
	Apply Cutting Plane to Selection	Applies a cutting plane to selected geometry actors. Select the cutting plane and the actors you want to cut, and then click this command. To add actors to the selection, select the actors and then Ctrl+click this command. To remove actors from the selection, select the actors and then Shift+click this command.
	Union Mode	Inverts actor visibility (swaps Front space opacity and Back space opacity property values):
	Flip Cutting Plane	Inverts the cut and uncut parts of your model created by the selected cutting plane.
	Create Cutting Line Actor from Cutting Plane	(Available when the Cutting line property is enabled for the cutting plane.) Creates an independent cutting line actor that you can move.
	Save Cutting Line	Saves the cutting line in a vector image file.