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The 3D View

The 3D view displays three-dimensional renderings of your data, including volume images, surface meshes, and volume meshes.

3D View and 2D Views

Display Modes​

The 3D view can display different types of renderings:

ModeDescription
Volume RenderingSemi-transparent visualization of volume image data
Surface RenderingSolid display of surface mesh models
Volume Mesh RenderingDisplay of tetrahedral/hexahedral meshes
MixedCombination of volume and surface rendering

Mouse Controls​

ActionMouseDescription
RotateLeft-dragRotates the view around the focal point
PanMiddle-dragMoves the view horizontally/vertically
ZoomRight-dragZooms in (drag up) or out (drag down)
ZoomScroll wheelZooms in/out incrementally
PickLeft-clickSelects an object at the clicked location

Keyboard Shortcuts​

ShortcutAction
RReset view to default orientation
CSet center of rotation under mouse cursor and center it on screen
VToggle perspective/orthographic projection
SSolid representation mode
ESolid with edges representation mode
WWireframe representation mode
QPoint representation mode
XView from +X direction (Right)
Shift+XView from -X direction (Left)
YView from +Y direction (Front)
Shift+YView from -Y direction (Back)
ZView from +Z direction (Top)
Shift+ZView from -Z direction (Bottom)
Ctrl+SpaceMaximize or restore the active 3D view
F11Detach the active 3D view
Ctrl+Alt+SpaceToggle fullscreen for the active 3D view

View Options​

Access view options from the View ribbon tab:

Controller And Settings​

The 3D view also provides a controller overlay with quick access to view actions and a 3D View Settings dialog. The dialog contains GPU volume-rendering options plus renderer choices for:

SettingDescription
Volume rendererChoose between Single volume renderer (default) and Multi-volume renderer for grayscale volumes
Mask direct rendererChoose between Single volume renderer and Multi-volume renderer for direct mask preview

The grayscale volume renderer setting updates the currently loaded volumes immediately. The direct mask preview renderer setting also updates the currently loaded direct mask previews immediately.

note

For best interaction quality, keep 3D view → View settings → Performance → Quality at Maximum while Mask 3D Preview (Direct) is enabled. Lower settings may show edge artefacts while interacting in the 3D view.

See 3D View Controller And Settings for the full dialog reference.

Camera Settings​

SettingDescription
PerspectiveStandard 3D perspective projection
OrthographicParallel projection without perspective distortion
Field of ViewAdjusts the viewing angle (perspective mode)

Display Options​

OptionDescription
BackgroundSet background color or gradient
AxesShow/hide coordinate axes indicator
Orientation CubeShow/hide orientation reference cube
Bounding BoxShow/hide bounding box around data
Scale BarShow/hide physical scale reference

Lighting​

OptionDescription
Light DirectionDirection of the primary light source
AmbientOverall ambient lighting level
ShadowsEnable/disable shadow rendering

Clipping​

Clipping planes allow you to cut away portions of the 3D scene:

Clip TypeDescription
Box ClipClip to a rectangular region
Plane ClipClip with an infinite plane
ROI ClipClip using a primitive shape

Enable clipping from the View ribbon tab.

Volume Rendering Controls​

When displaying volume images:

ControlDescription
Transfer FunctionMaps intensity values to colors and opacity
PresetsPre-configured transfer functions for common use cases
Window/LevelAdjusts the displayed intensity range
QualityBalance between rendering speed and quality

Context Menu​

Right-click in the 3D view to access:

  • View reset options
  • Camera presets (Front, Back, Top, Bottom, Left, Right)
  • Display toggles
  • Screenshot capture
tip

Press C while hovering over a feature of interest to set the center of rotation there and bring that point to the middle of the 3D view, making it easier to inspect specific regions during 3D exploration.