Documentation

InterfaceTop

The main window of Edifice 3D is composed of 4 elements:

  • On the top, the menu gives access to all features.
  • In the middle, the scene is the creation space.
  • On the left, the tree details the project elements.
  • On the bottom, the status bar displays information about the application state.
SceneTop
The scene is the workspace to create 3D models and textures.

Navigation

  • To move the point of view over the scene, press mouse right button and move mouse.
  • To elevate the point of view, press shift key, mouse right button and move mouse.
  • To rotate around the center of the view, press mouse middle button and move mouse.
  • To zoom in and out, scroll mouse wheel.

Action

  • To do an action, click with the mouse left button.

Selection

  • To enter selection mode, press space bar or click on select button in select menu.
  • To select an element, click on it with the mouse left button.
  • To select multiple elements, press shift key and click with mouse left button on each element you want to select.
  • To select multiple elements in a defined zone, press mouse left button and move mouse over the elements you want to select.

Grids

  • To modify the grid size, press ctrl key and scroll mouse wheel.
  • To modify the grid divisions count, press shift key and scroll mouse wheel.
  • To modify the grid height position in space, press ctrl key, shift key and scroll mouse wheel.
TreeTop
The tree details the current project and it’s elements.

Selection

  • To select an element in the scene, click with the mouse left button on it’s node.
  • To access element’s operations, click with the mouse right button on it’s node.

Groups:

  • Create Group: Creates a group inside the current model
  • Rename: Renames the selected group
  • Move Up: Place the selected group above the previous one.
  • Move Down: Place the selected group below the next one.
  • Duplicate: Creates and place a copy of the selected group.
  • Delete: Deletes the selected group.
  • Paste: Pastes the copied group
Status barTop
The status bar displays application’s state information:

  • Current menu.
  • Current feature.
  • Grid properties:
    • Size.
    • Subdivisions count.
    • Subdivision size.
    • Height.
  • Cursor position in space.
FileTop

The File menu lets you manage and visualize files:

  • Create, open, and save projects.
  • Visualize the construction of a model with the construction sequence.

Files

  • New: Create a new project.
  • Open: Open an existing project.
  • Import: Import a project into the current project.
  • Save: Save the current project in the defined path.
  • SaveAs: Save the current project in a path to define.
  • Export: Save the project in an external format.
  • Export selection: Save the selected elements in an external format.

Images

  • Render: Render the scene.
  • Export: Export the current render in a path to define.

Textures

  • Render: Render the texture.
  • Export: Export the current texture in a path to define.
ViewTop

The View menu lets you to configure your workspace:

  • Select the viewpoint and the perspective.
  • Ajust the grid size, the subdivisions count and location.
  • Define the visibility of the scene elements.

Views

  • Up: Up view.
  • Down: Down view.
  • Left: Left view.
  • Right: Right view.
  • Front: Front view.
  • Back: Back view.
  • Orbit: Orbit view.
  • Free: Free view.

Zooms

  • Zoom in: Increase the zoom in isometric views.
  • Zoom out: Decrease the zoom in isometric views.

Modes

  • Perspective: Natural-like view mode.
  • Orthographic: Schematic-like view mode.

Style

  • Textured: Display lines and faces.
  • Illuminated: Display lines, faces, and shadows.

Grids

  • Main: Display the main grid.
  • Contextual: Display the contextual grid.
  • Decimal grids: Indicate if grid subdivisions are a multiple of 10.
  • Snap to grids: Indicate if construction snaps into the grid intersections.
  • Size: Increase or decrease the grid size in the space.
  • Subdivisions: Increase or decrease the grid case subdivisions count.
  • Height: Increase or decrease the grid height in space.

Sketches

  • Show All Guides: Activate all sketch guides display.
  • Points: Activate points display.
  • Lines: Activate lines display.
  • Faces: Activate faces display.
  • Models: Activate volumes display.

Models

  • Show All Guides: Activate all model guides display.
  • Points: Activate points display.
  • Lines: Activate lines display.
  • Faces: Activate faces display.
  • Models: Activate volumes display.

Others

  • Entities: Activate entities guides display.
  • Armatures: Activate armatures guides display.
  • Weights: Activate weights guides display.
  • Lights: Activate lights guides display.
  • Cameras: Activate cameras guides display.
  • Paths: Activate paths guides display.
  • Groups: Activate groups guides display.
PrepareTop

The Prepare menu lets you to create sketches:

Points

Point

  • To create a point: Click on the scene to place the point.
  • To create a point in height: Press the mouse left button, keep it pressed and move the mouse in height.

Lines

Line

  • Click on the scene to place the starting point.
  • Click on the scene to place the ending point.
  • Press Shift key and click in the scene to place an intermediary point

Arc

  • Click on the scene to place the starting point.
  • Click on the scene to place the ending point.
  • Click on the scene to define the height.

Faces

Rectangle

  • Click on the scene to place the top left corner.
  • Place the top right corner.
  • Place the bottom right corner.

Polygon

  • Click on the scene to place the first point.
  • Place points in the scene to set the polygon sides.
  • Press Enter key or click on the first point to end the polygon.

Disc

  • Indicate in the menu the sides count.
  • Click on the scene to place the top left corner.
  • Place the top right corner.
  • Place the bottom right corner.

Ring

  • Indicate in the menu the sides count and the inner diameter.
  • Click on the scene to place the top left corner.
  • Place the top right corner.
  • Place the bottom right corner.

Colors

Color

  • Paint: Click on a face to paint it with the defined color.
  • Drop: Click on a face to drop it’s color.
ModelizeTop

The Modelize menu lets you to create models:

Points

Point

  • To create a point: Click on the scene to place the point.
  • To create a point in height: Press the mouse left button, keep it pressed and move the mouse in height.

Lines

Line

  • Click on the scene to place the starting point.
  • Click on the scene to place the ending point.
  • Press Shift key and click in the scene to place an intermediary point

Arc

  • Click on the scene to place the starting point.
  • Click on the scene to place the ending point.
  • Click on the scene to define the height.

Faces

Rectangle

  • Click on the scene to place the top left corner.
  • Place the top right corner.
  • Place the bottom right corner.

Polygon

  • Click on the scene to place the first point.
  • Place points in the scene to set the polygon sides.
  • Press Enter key or click on the first point to end the polygon.

Square

  • Click on the scene.

Disc

  • Indicate in the menu the sides count.
  • Click on the scene to place the top left corner.
  • Place the top right corner.
  • Place the bottom right corner.

Ring

  • Indicate in the menu the sides count and the inner diameter.
  • Click on the scene to place the top left corner.
  • Place the top right corner.
  • Place the bottom right corner.

Volumes

Box

  • Click on the scene to define the back left corner.
  • Place the back right corner.
  • Place the front right corner.
  • Click on the scene to define the height of the box.

Polyhedron

  • Place each point of the polyhedron base.
  • Click on the first point or push Enter key.
  • Click on the scene to define the height of the polyhedron.

Cube

  • Click on the scene.

Cylinder

  • Indicate in the menu the sides count.
  • Click on the scene to define the back left corner.
  • Place the back right corner.
  • Place the front right corner.
  • Click on the scene to define the height of the cylinder.

Tube

  • Indicate in the menu the sides count and the inner diameter.
  • Click on the scene to define the back left corner.
  • Place the back right corner.
  • Place the front right corner.
  • Click on the scene to define the height of the tube.

Sphere

  • Indicate in the menu the vertical and horizontal sides count.
  • Click on the scene to define the back left corner.
  • Place the back right corner.
  • Place the front right corner.
  • Click on the scene to define the height of the sphere.

Arch

  • Click on the scene to define the back left corner.
  • Place the back right corner.
  • Place the front right corner.
  • Click on the scene to define the height of the arch.

Others

Entity

  • Click on the scene to define the back left corner.
  • Place the back right corner.
  • Place the front right corner.
  • Click on the scene to define the height of the entity.

Armature

  • Press the mouse left button to define the first point position on the ground.
  • Keep the mouse left button pressed to move the mouse vertically.
  • Release the mouse left button to define the first point position.
  • Do the same for each point.
  • Validate the armature creation by pressing Enter key.

Light

  • Press the mouse left button to define the light position on the ground.
  • Keep the mouse left button pressed to move the mouse vertically.
  • Release the mouse left button to define the light position.

Camera

  • Press the mouse left button to define the camera position on the ground.
  • Keep the mouse left button pressed to move the mouse vertically.
  • Release the mouse left button to define the camera position.
  • Do the same for the camera target.

Path

  • Press the mouse left button to define the first point position on the ground.
  • Keep the mouse left button pressed to move the mouse vertically.
  • Release the mouse left button to define the first point position.
  • Do the same for each point.
  • Validate the path creation by pressing Enter key.

Colors

Color

  • Paint: Click on a face to paint it with the defined color.
  • Drop: Click on a face to drop it’s color.
SelectTop

The Select menu lets you to select elements and transform their position:

  • Activate the selection of points, lines, faces and volumes.
  • Select elements by clicking on them or drawing a square around them.
  • Move, rotate, scale or adjust the position of the selected elements.

Select

  • Select: Place the application in selection mode.
  • Clear selection: Deselect all selected elements.

Sketches

  • Select All Guides: Activate all sketch guides selection.
  • Points: Activate points selection.
  • Lines: Activate lines selection.
  • Faces: Activate faces selection.
  • Models: Activate volumes selection.

Models

  • Select All Guides: Activate all data guides selection.
  • Points: Activate points selection.
  • Lines: Activate lines selection.
  • Faces: Activate faces selection.
  • Models: Activate volumes selection.

Others

  • Entities: Activate entities selection.
  • Armatures: Activate armatures selection.
  • Lights: Activate lights selection.
  • Cameras: Activate cameras selection.
  • Paths: Activate paths selection.
  • Groups: Activate groups selection.
  • Projects: Activate projects selection.
UpdateTop

The Update menu lets you to transform and organize selected elements:

  • Move, rotate, and scale elements.
  • Extrude and section elements.
  • Join or separate elements.
  • Hide selection and show hidden elements.
  • Create external projects from selection.

Actions

  • Undo: Cancel the last action.
  • Redo: Restore the last cancelled action.

Edit

  • Cut: Cut the selection.
  • Copy: Copy the selection.
  • Paste: Paste the selection.
  • Delete: Delete the selection.

Display

  • Hide: Hide the selected elements.
  • Show: Show the hidden elements.

Transforms

  • Move: Move the selection according to:
    • The coordinates indicated in the menu.
    • The mouse moves in the scene.
  • Rotate: Rotate the selection according to:
    • The coordinates indicated in the menu.
    • The mouse moves in the scene.
  • Scale: Scale the selection according to:
    • The coordinates indicated in the menu.
    • The mouse moves in the scene.

Operations

  • Extrude: Create a volume from a face.
  • Section: Cut a face in two parts.
  • Subdivide: Create a smoother model from the selected model.

Links

  • Join: Join separate elements into one.
  • Fuse: Fuse colinear elements into one.
  • Separate: Transform the faces of the selected volume into distinct volumes.

Lines

  • Bevel: Transform a line linking two faces into a face.
  • Round: Transform a line linking two faces into a set of faces.

Faces

  • Create: Create a face from selected lines.
  • Offset: Create a face inside the selected face.
  • Invert: Invert the selected faces.

Armatures

  • Set weights: Set the links between armature and models.
  • Clear weights: Clear the links between armature and models.

Camera

  • Position: Position the viewpoint according to the selected camera.

Mirror

  • Create: Create a mirror model of a selected model according to the YZ plane.

Convert

  • To model: Transform the selection in models.
  • To ssketch: Transform the selection in sketches.

Projects

  • Create a project: Create an external project from selection.
  • Uncompose: Uncompose the selected project into the current project.
  • Reload selection: Reload the selected project.
  • Reload instances: Reload all the instances of the selected project.
  • Reload project: Reload all the projects of the current scene.
TextureTop

The Texture menu lets you to select textures to place on models:

  • Select textures in the browser.
  • Click on the model faces to place them.

Modes

  • Paint: Activate the paint mode: |- Click on a face will apply the selected texture in the menu.
  • Drop: Activate the drop mode: |- Click on the face to see it’s texture selected in the menu.

Folders

  • Add: Add a folder in the textures folders list.
  • Remove: Delete a folder from the textures folders list.
MapTop

The Map menu lets you to adjust the textures on the faces of the models:

  • Move, rotate, scale, or adjust a texture on a face model.
  • Position the texture on the face with the Face perspective.
  • Position the face on the texture with the Texture perspective.

Modes

  • Drop: Activate the drop mode. Click on a face to see it’s texture coordinates in the menu.
  • Paint: Activate the paint mode. Click on a face to apply the texture coordinates defined in the menu.

Perspectives

  • Face: Update the texture coordinates according to the face perspective.
  • Texture: Update the texture coordinates according to the texture perspective.

Paint

  • Coordinates: Paint coordinates. Apply texture coordinates to the surface.
  • U: Paint U. Apply U coordinate and adapts V to the length of the surface to paint.
  • V: Paint V. Apply V coordinate and adpats U to the length of the surface to paint.
  • Density: Paint density. Adapt U and V coordinates to the lengths of the surface to paint.

Tools

  • Move: Move the selected texture coordinates.
  • Rotate: Rotate the selected texture coordinates.
  • Scale: Scale the selected texture coordinates.
  • Flip: Invert the selected texture coordinates.
  • Reset UVs: Reset textures coordinates.
PaintTop

The Paint menu lets you to create textures to place on the models:

  • Create textures with drawing tools.
  • Click on the faces to place them.

File

  • New: Create a new picture.
  • Open: Open a picture.
  • Save: Save the updates of the current picture.
  • Save As: Save the picture in the defined path.

Modes

  • Tools: Activate the Tools mode. Click on the tools in the menu and draw the texture.
  • Faces: Activate the Faces mode. Click on faces in the scene to affect them the current texture.
  • UVs: Activate the UVs mode. Click on the faces in the tree to see their coordinates on the texture.

Tools

  • Pen:
  • Line:
  • Arc:
  • Rectangle:
  • Polygon:
  • Disc:
  • Square:
  • Path:
  • Text:

Tool options

  • Border color:
  • Back color:
  • Size: Border size.
  • Brush: Activate the Brush mode. The brush is a picture used as a pattern for textures.

Text options

  • Font:
  • Bold:
  • Italic:
  • Underline:

Tool Operations

  • Select: Select shapes.
  • Move: Move selection.
  • Rotate: Rotate selection.
  • Scale: Scale selection.
  • Add point: Click on a shape line to add a point.
  • Delete point: Click on a point to remove it from shape.

UV Operations

  • Select: Select texture coordinates.
  • Move: Move selection.
  • Rotate: Rotate selection.
  • Scale: Scale selection.
  • Copy UVs: Copy current textures coordinates.
  • Paste UVs: Apply textures coordinates on current face.
  • Reset UVs: Reset textures coordinates.

Layers

  • Diffuse: The diffuse map shows colors.
  • Normal: The normal map shows the reliefs.
  • Specular: The specular map shows the luminosity.
AnimateTop

The Animate menu lets you to create animations:

  • Select elements to animate.
  • Define transformations.
  • Launch the animation.

Animations

  • +: Add an animation.
  • : Delete the selected animation.

Animation

  • Start: Navigate to the animation beginning.
  • Previous second: Navigate to the previous second.
  • Previous frame: Navigate to the previous frame.
  • Play: Read the animation.
  • Pause: Pause the animation.
  • Stop: Stop the animation.
  • Next frame: Navigate to next frame.
  • Next second: Navigate to the next second.
  • End: Navigate to the animation ending.
  • Select: Navigate to the selected instant.

Items

  • +: Activate the Add Item mode. Click on elements on the scene to add them in the animation.
  • : Delete the selected element from the animation.

Parent

  • +: Activate the Add Parent Item mode. Click on an animation element to set it as the parent of the current element.
  • : Delete the selected relationship from the animation.

Transformations

  • ++: Import transformations from a selected path.
  • +: Create a transformation.
  • : Delete the selected transformation.
  • : Delete all transformations.

Animations

  • +: Connect the selected inner animation.
  • : Disconnect the selected inner animation.

Output

  • Read: Read the animation in an external window.
  • Save: Save the animation as a list of pictures.
ScriptTop

The Script menu lets you to create interactive simulations:

  • Define conditions and actions.
  • Start the simulation.
  • Move through triggers to activate animations.

Variables

  • +: Add a variable.
  • : Delete the selected variable

Scripts

  • +: Add a script.
  • : Delete the selected script

Conditions

  • +: Add a condition.
  • : Delete the selected condition

Actions

  • +: Add an action.
  • : Delete the selected action

Simulation

  • Play in scene: Start the simulation in the scene.
  • Play in window: Start the simulation in an external window.
  • Stop: Stop the simulation.
AssembleTop
The Assemble menu lets you to place models in the scene::

  • Add folders where models are stored.
  • Select models in the browser.
  • Place and replace models in the scene.

Modes

  • Place: Activates the place mode:
    • Select a project in the browser.
    • Click on the scene to place the project.
  • Replace: Activates the replace mode:
    • Select the replacement project in the browser.
    • Click on the project to replace in the scene.
    • The replacement project appears at the place of the preceding project.
  • Replace All: Activates the replace all mode:
    • Select the replacement model in the browser.
    • Click on the project to replace in the scene.
    • The replacement project appears at each occurence of the preceding project.

Folders

  • Add: Adds a folder in the projects folders list.
  • Remove: Deletes a folder from the projects folders list.
HelpTop
The Help menu displays application information and links to Edifice 3D website.

About

  • Version number
  • Edifice 3D website address

Help:

  • Display Getting started guide: Display getting started guide.
  • Display contextual info: Display hovered button description.

Themes:

  • Select light theme: Display the interface with light tones.
  • Select dark theme: Display the interface with dark tones.

Languages:

  • English: Set English as current language.
  • French: Set French as current language.