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    Learning Autodesk Alias Design 2016
    Learning Autodesk Alias Design 2016
    Learning Autodesk Alias Design 2016
    Ebook1,908 pages16 hours

    Learning Autodesk Alias Design 2016

    By Sham Tickoo

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    About this ebook

    Autodesk Alias Design 2016 is a powerful designing and styling software developed by Autodesk Inc., USA. This concept-based software is widely used in automotive designing and styling, 3D modeling, and rendering. The dynamic modeling capabilities of this software make it an effective tool for Industrial designers. The sketching, modeling, and concept visualization tools of Alias Design enable the designers to transform their ideas into reality with ease. The specialized design tools of Alias Design meet the design requirements of automobile, marine, aircraft, sports equipment, and toy industry.
     
    Alias Design ensures that aesthetic and functional requirements of a design are efficiently addressed by first exploring the concept, sculpting a 3D surface model, analyzing the surface, and finally creating a good quality rendered image. One of the most intriguing and useful capabilities of Alias Design is its ability to mix 2D and 3D geometry into one image, thereby addressing every design through manufacturing needs.
     
    Learning Autodesk Alias Design 2016 textbook has been written with the intention to help the readers use Autodesk Alias Design 2016 effectively. The surface modeling tutorials and exercises used in this textbook ensure that the users can relate the knowledge of this book with the actual industry designs. Written with the tutorial point-of-view and the learn-by-doing theme, the textbook is ideally suited for learning at your convenience and at your pace.
     

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCADCIM Technologies
    Release dateOct 4, 2017
    ISBN9781386714637
    Learning Autodesk Alias Design 2016
    Author

    Sham Tickoo

    Prof. Sham Tickoo is professor of Manufacturing Engineering at Purdue University Northwest, USA where he has taught design, drafting, CAD and other engineering courses for over nineteen years. Before joining Purdue University, Prof. Tickoo has worked as a machinist, quality control engineer, design engineer, engineering consultant, and software developer. He has received a US patent for his invention Self Adjusting Cargo Organizer for Vehicles. Professor Tickoo also leads the team of authors at CADCIM Technologies to develop world-class teaching and learning resources for Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) and related technologies.

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      alias_design_2016_web_Kindle.jpg

      Learning Autodesk

      Alias Design 2016

      (5th Edition)

      CADCIM Technologies

      525 St. Andrews Drive

      Schererville, IN 46375

      USA

      (www.cadcim.com)

      Contributing Author

      Sham Tickoo

      Professor

      Department of Mechanical Engineering Technology

      Purdue University Calumet

      Hammond, Indiana

      USA

      CADCIM Technologies

      525 St Andrews Drive

      Schererville, Indiana 46375, USA

      www.cadcim.com

      Copyright ©2015 by CADCIM Technologies, USA. All rights reserved. Printed in the United

      States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in the database or retrieval system without the prior permission of CADCIM Technologies.

      ISBN 978-1-942689-11-9

      NOTICE TO THE READER

      Publisher does not warrant or guarantee any of the products described in the text or perform any independent analysis in connection with any of the product information contained in the text. Publisher does not assume, and expressly disclaims, any obligation to obtain and include information other than that provided to it by the manufacturer.

      The reader is expressly warned to consider and adopt all safety precautions that might be indicated by the activities herein and to avoid all potential hazards. By following the instructions contained herein, the reader willingly assumes all risks in connection with such instructions.

      The publisher makes no representation or warranties of any kind, including but not limited to, the warranties of fitness for particular purpose or merchantability, nor are any such representations implied with respect to the material set forth herein, and the publisher takes no responsibility with respect to such material. The publisher shall not be liable for any special, consequential, or exemplary damages resulting, in whole or part, from the reader’s use of, or reliance upon this material.

      www.cadcim.com

      CADCIM Technologies

      DEDICATION

      To teachers, who make it possible to disseminate knowledge

      to enlighten the young and curious minds

      of our future generations

      To students, who are dedicated to learning new technologies

      and making the world a better place to live in

      THANKS

      To the faculty and students of the MET department of

      Purdue University Calumet for their cooperation

      To employees of CADCIM Technologies for their valuable help

      Online Training Program Offered by CADCIM Technologies

      CADCIM Technologies provides effective and affordable virtual online training on various software packages including Computer Aided Design, Manufacturing, and Engineering (CAD/CAM/CAE), computer programming languages, animation, architecture, and GIS. The training is delivered ‘live’ via Internet at any time, any place, and at any pace to individuals as well as the students of colleges, universities, and CAD/CAM/CAE training centers. The main features of this program are:

      Training for Students and Companies in a Classroom Setting

      Highly experienced instructors and qualified engineers at CADCIM Technologies conduct the classes under the guidance of Prof. Sham Tickoo of Purdue University Calumet, USA. This team has authored several textbooks that are rated one of the best in their categories and are used in various colleges, universities, and training centers in North America, Europe, and in other parts of the world.

      Training for Individuals

      CADCIM Technologies with its cost effective and time saving initiative strives to deliver the training in the comfort of your home or work place, thereby relieving you from the hassles of traveling to training centers.

      Training Offered on Software Packages

      CADCIM provides basic and advanced training on the following software packages:

      CAD/CAM/CAE: CATIA, Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire, Creo Parametric, Creo Direct, SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor, Solid Edge, NX, AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD Plant 3D, Customizing AutoCAD, AutoCAD MEP, Autodesk Simulation Mechanical, EdgeCAM, and ANSYS

      Architecture and GIS: Autodesk Revit Architecture, AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Revit Structure, AutoCAD Map 3D, Revit MEP, Navisworks, Primavera Project Planner, and Bentley STAAD Pro

      Animation and Styling: Autodesk 3ds Max, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Alias, Foundry NukeX, and MAXON CINEMA 4D

      Computer Programming: C++, VB.NET, Oracle, AJAX, and Java

      For more information, please visit the following link: http://www.cadcim.com

      Note

      If you are a faculty member, you can register by clicking on the following link to access the teaching resources: http://www.cadcim.com/Registration.aspx. The student resources are available at http://www.cadcim.com. We also provide Live Virtual Online Training on various software packages. For more information, write us at sales@cadcim.com.

      Table of Contents

      Dedication iii

      Preface xvii

      Chapter 1: Getting Started with Autodesk Alias Design

      Introduction to Alias Design 

      Basic Terms Used in Alias Design

      Representation of Curves 

      Cubic Spline 

      Bezier Curve 

      B-Spline Curve 

      NURBS 

      Representation of Surfaces

      Bicubic Surface

      Bezier Surface 

      B-Spline Surface 

      NURBS Surface 

      Autodesk Alias Products 

      Autodesk Alias Design 

      Autodesk Alias Surface 

      Autodesk Alias SpeedForm 

      Autodesk Alias Concept 

      Autodesk Alias AutoStudio 

      System Requirements 

      Starting Alias Design 2016

      Alias Design 2016 Interface

      Menu Bar 

      Promptline 

      Promptline History 

      Layer Bar 

      Work Area 

      Palette 

      Control Panel 

      Shelves Window 

      Status Bar 

      History View 

      Alias Design Windows/Layouts 

      Types of Windows 

      Navigating the Windows 

      Controlling the Window Display 

      Using Marking Menus 

      Viewing Panel 

      Variant Lister 

      ViewCube 

      Snapping Tools 

      Snap to CV/Edit Point 

      Snap to Grid 

      Snap to Curve 

      Workflows in Alias Design 

      Default 

      Paint 

      Modeling 

      Visualize 

      Understanding Symbols in Menu, Palette, and Shelves Window 

      Hotkeys

      Creating Customized Shelves

      Object Lister Window 

      Different States of Node 

      Scene Block Diagram (SBD) 

      Starting a New File 

      Opening an Existing File 

      Opening Recent Files 

      Saving Files 

      Printing the Output 

      Exiting the Application 

      Controlling the Display of Windows 

      Controlling the Display of the Title Bar 

      Toggling the Window Components 

      Controlling the Display of Window Components 

      Changing Preferences in Alias Design 

      Color Schemes 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Chapter 2: Working with Basic Tools

      Introduction to Basic Tools 2-2

      Invoking Tools 2-2

      Methods of Creating Objects 2-2

      Creating Keypoint Curves 2-3

      Creating a Line 2-3

      Creating Polylines 2-5

      Creating a Parallel Line 2-5

      Creating a Line at Angle 

      Creating a Circular Arc 

      Creating an Ellipse 

      Creating a Rectangle 

      Creating a Three Point Arc 

      Creating a Two Point Arc 

      Creating an Arc Tangent to a Curve 

      Creating a Concentric Arc

      Creating a Line Tangent to a Curve 

      Creating a Line Tangent from/to Curves 

      Creating a Line Perpendicular to a Curve 

      Creating Linearcs 

      Creating Text 

      Features of a Curve 

      Control Vertices 

      Edit Points 

      Hulls 

      Creating Curves 

      Creating a Circle 

      Creating a CV Curve 

      Creating an Edit Point Curve 

      Creating a Freeform Curve 

      Creating Primitives 

      Creating a Sphere 

      Creating a Torus 

      Creating a Cylinder 

      Creating a Cone 

      Creating a Cube 

      Creating a Plane 

      Pick Tools 

      Picking Objects 

      Picking Components 

      Picking Templates 

      Picking Edit Points 

      Picking CVs 

      Picking Hulls 

      Picking Curves-on-surface 

      Picking all Objects 

      Picking Objects by Shaders 

      Picking Locators 

      Picking Visible Objects 

      Picking Surface Chains 

      Picking Nothing 

      Transform Tools 

      Moving an Object 

      Rotating Objects 

      Scaling an Object 

      Scaling Objects Non-proportionally 

      Transforming an Object 

      Setting the Pivot Point 

      Creating Array of an Object 

      Creating Path Array of an Object 

      Creating Surface Array of an Object 

      Setting the Pivot Point at the Center 

      Rotating the Local Axes of the Object 

      Resetting the Transformation of Objects 

      Shading Objects in View Windows 

      Diagnostic Shading 

      Hardware Shading 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions

      Exercise 1 

      Exercise 2

      Chapter 3: Working with Surfaces-I

      Creating Surfaces 

      Creating a Revolved Surface 

      Creating an Extruded Surface 

      Creating a Skin Surface Using the Skin 2012 Tool 

      Creating a Skin Surface Using a Skin Tool 

      Creating a Planar Surface 

      Editing Features 

      Removing an Object 

      Copying an Object 

      Pasting an Object 

      Reverting to the Previous Command 

      Re-applying the Previous Command 

      Reinvoking the Last Command 

      Editing Keypoint Curves 

      Moving the Keypoints 

      Breaking the Keypoint Curves 

      Joining the Keypoint Curves 

      Modifying the Attributes of a Keypoint Curve 

      Construction Objects 

      Placing a Point 

      Creating a Vector 

      Creating a Reference Plane 

      Setting the Construction Plane 

      Toggling between the Planes 

      Presetting the Grid 

      Working with Layers 

      Assigning the Objects to Layers 

      Selecting the Objects 

      Controlling the Visibility of Objects 

      Setting the Symmetry of Objects 

      Deleting the Layers 

      Controlling the State of Objects 

      Applying the Colors to Layers 

      Toggling between the Visibility States of Layers 

      Controlling the Display of Objects 

      Controlling the Visibility of Objects 

      Turning off the Visibility of Objects 

      Turning on the Visibility of Objects 

      Turning Objects into Templates 

      Changing the Appearance of Data 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1 

      Exercise 2 

      Chapter 4: Working with Surfaces-II

      Secondary Surfaces 

      Creating a Fillet Surface 

      Creating a Freeform Blend Surface 

      Creating a Profile Blend Surface 

      Modifying the Objects Proportionally 

      Moving the CVs Normally 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1 

      Exercise 2 

      Chapter 5: Editing Surfaces

      Generating Curves-on-surface 

      Projecting Curves on the Surface 

      Generating Curves-on-surface at the Intersection of Surfaces

      Mapping Curves on Surface 

      Trimming Surfaces 

      Untrimming Surfaces 

      Creating Round Surfaces 

      Creating Variable Radii Round 

      Duplicating Objects 

      Creating Duplicate Copies 

      Mirroring Objects 

      Grouping Objects 

      Ungrouping Objects 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions

      Exercise 1 

      Exercise 2 

      Chapter 6: Advanced Surface Modeling Tools-I

      Advanced Surfaces 

      Creating a Rail Surface 

      Creating a Square Surface 

      Creating Multi Blend Surfaces 

      Creating Multi-Surface Drafts 

      Transforming the CVs and Hulls 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1

      Exercise 2 

      Chapter 7: Editing Tools-I

      Editing Curves 

      Duplicating a Curve 

      Combining Curves 

      Adding a Fillet Between Curves 

      Modifying a Curve 

      Adding Points to an Existing Curve 

      Transforming a Curve 

      Stretching a Curve 

      Breaking of Curves 

      Breaking a Curve at Inflections 

      Intersecting and Detaching Curves 

      Rebuilding a Curve

      Planarizing a Curve

      Sectioning a Group of Curves 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2

      Self-Evaluation Test

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1

      Exercise 2 

      Chapter 8: Editing Tools-II

      Editing Objects 

      Attaching Objects 

      Detaching an Object 

      Inserting Edit Points into an Object 

      Extending an Object 

      Offsetting Objects

      Setting the Surface Orientation 

      Unifying the Normals of Surfaces 

      Reversing the Orientation of Surfaces 

      Reversing the U and V Parameters of a Surface 

      Reversing the Direction of a Curve 

      Editing an Object 

      Closing an Object 

      Editing a Comment 

      Editing a Query 

      Editing Isoparametric Curves 

      Symmetric Modeling 

      Fit Curve 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1 

      Exercise 2 

      Chapter 9: Advanced Surface Modeling Tools-II

      Advanced Modeling 

      Aligning Objects 

      Using Manipulators to Align Objects 

      Aligning Objects across the Symmetry Plane 

      Creating a Bevel Surface 

      Refining the Edges of Surfaces

      Creating a Fillet Flange Surface

      Creating a Tube Flange Surface 

      Creating a Tubular Offset Surface 

      Tutorial 1 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1 

      Chapter 10: Advanced Modeling and Editing Tools

      Dynamic Shape Modeling 

      Advantages of Dynamic Shape Modeling 

      Disadvantages of Dynamic Shape Modeling 

      Dynamic Shape Modeling Tools 

      Dynamic Shape Modeling Using the Lattice Rig Tool 

      Lattice States 

      Lattice Rig Toolbox 

      Understanding Curve Networks 

      Terminology Used in Curve Networks 

      Valid and Invalid Regions 

      Creating Surfaces from Curve Network 

      Curve Network Toolbox 

      Working with Shells 

      Applications of Shells 

      Disadvantages of Shells 

      Conversion of Surfaces/Shells 

      Stitching the Shell 

      Unstitching the Shells 

      Boolean Operations 

      Shell Subtraction 

      Shell Intersection 

      Shell Union 

      Labeling Objects and Measuring the Distance 

      Annotating or Labeling Objects 

      Editing and Moving the Locators 

      Measuring the Dimensions 

      Measuring the Linear Distance between Objects

      Measuring the Angular Distance 

      Measuring the Radius 

      Measuring the Diameter 

      Measuring the Arc Length 

      Measuring the Deviation 

      Measuring the Closest Point Deviation 1

      Measuring the Deviation between Two Curves at Single Location 

      Measuring the Deviation between Two Curves 

      Measuring the Deviation between Two Surfaces 

      Measuring the Deviation between a Curve and a Surface 

      Measuring the Deviation between a Mesh and a Surface 

      Displaying the Curvature of a Curve 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1 

      Chapter 11: Advanced Editing Tools

      Dynamic Shape Modeling 

      Modifying an Object Using the Twist Rig Tool Twist Rig Toolbox 

      Modifying an Object Using the Bend Rig Tool 

      Bend Rig Toolbox 

      Modifying an Object Using the Conform Rig Tool 

      Conform Rig Toolbox

      Introduction to Meshes 

      Generating Meshes 

      Saving Meshes 

      Working on Meshes 

      Creating Meshes from NURBS or Shells 

      Projection on Mesh 

      Projecting the Curve on the Mesh 

      Projecting the Curve Normal to the Mesh 

      Creating Curves on Mesh Boundaries 

      Mesh Partitioning Operations 

      Subsetting of Meshes 

      Merging Meshes 

      Cutting Meshes 

      Reversing the Orientation of Mesh 

      Defects in Meshes 

      Repairing Meshes 

      Mesh Information 

      Mesh Topology Checks 

      Stereolithography Validation Checks 

      Display 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1 

      Exercise 2 

      Chapter 12: Basics of Rendering

      Introduction to Rendering 

      Types of Renderers 

      Commonly used Terms in Rendering 

      Applying Shaders to Surfaces 

      Shader Name 

      Shading Model 

      Blinn Shading Parameters 

      Common Shader Parameters 

      Special Effects 

      Ambient Occlusion 

      Glow 

      Clearcoat Settings 

      Raytrace Parameters 

      Hidden Line Rendering Parameters 

      Shading Parameters 

      Blinn Shading Parameters 

      Phong Shader Parameters 

      Lambert Shader Parameters 

      Mapping Textures on a Surface 

      Texture Procedures 

      Texturable Values 

      Adding Lights to a Scene 

      Editing Cameras 

      Camera 

      Camera Properties 

      Image Planes 

      Using Mouse Buttons to Apply Shaders 

      Left Mouse Button 

      Middle Mouse Button 

      Right Mouse Button 

      Using the Multi-Lister 

      The Title Bar 

      The Swatch Display Area 

      The Multi-lister Menu 

      Rendering Parameters 

      Global Rendering Parameters 

      Object Rendering Parameters 

      Rendering a Scene 

      Rendering Objects Directly 

      Tutorial 1 

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1 

      Exercise 2 

      Chapter 13: Surface Evaluation and Painting

      Surface Evaluation 

      Evaluating the Continuity of Surfaces 

      Evaluating the Continuity of Curves 

      Evaluating the Min/Max Curvature 

      Evaluating Mass Properties 

      Checking Models for Data Transfer 

      Evaluating the Deviations 

      Creating Parting Lines by Horizon 

      Sketching/Painting in Alias Design 

      Working with Sketching/Painting Window 

      Components of Sketching/Painting Window 

      Creating a New Canvas/Paint Window 

      Introduction to Canvas Layers 

      Image Layers 

      Mask Layers 

      Shape Layers 

      Organizing Canvas Layers 

      Working on Layers 

      Creating a New Image Layer 

      Creating a New Mask Layer 

      Creating a New Invisibility Mask Layer 

      Creating a New Layer Folder 

      Duplicating a Layer 

      Merging Layers 

      Merging the Visible Layers 

      Merging All Layers 

      Color Schemes 

      RGB 

      CMY 

      HSL and HSV 

      Importing Images 

      Exporting Images 

      Tutorial 1

      Tutorial 2 

      Self-Evaluation Test 

      Review Questions 

      Exercise 1 

      Student Projects

      Project 1 SP-2

      Project 2 SP-9

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      Preface

      Autodesk Alias Design 2016

      Autodesk Alias Design 2016 is a powerful designing and styling software developed by Autodesk Inc., USA. This concept-based software is widely used in automotive designing and styling, 3D modeling, and rendering. The dynamic modeling capabilities of this software make it an effective tool for Industrial designers. The sketching, modeling, and concept visualization tools of Alias Design enable the designers to transform their ideas into reality with ease. The specialized design tools of Alias Design meet the design requirements of automobile, marine, aircraft, sports equipment, and toy industry.

      Alias Design ensures that aesthetic and functional requirements of a design are efficiently addressed by first exploring the concept, sculpting a 3D surface model, analyzing the surface, and finally creating a good quality rendered image. One of the most intriguing and useful capabilities of Alias Design is its ability to mix 2D and 3D geometry into one image, thereby addressing every design through manufacturing needs.

      Learning Autodesk Alias Design 2016 textbook has been written with the intention to help the readers use Autodesk Alias Design 2016 effectively. The surface modeling tutorials and exercises used in this textbook ensure that the users can relate the knowledge of this book with the actual industry designs. Written with the tutorial point-of-view and the learn-by-doing theme, the textbook is ideally suited for learning at your convenience and at your pace.

      The salient features of this textbook are as follows:

      • Tutorial Approach

      The author has adopted the tutorial point-of-view and the learn-by-doing approach throughout the textbook. This approach guides the users through the process of creating models in the tutorials.

      • Real-World Models as Projects

      The author has used about 25 real-world surface modeling projects as tutorials in this textbook. This enables the reader to relate the models in the tutorials to the real-world models. In addition, there are exercises that can be used by the readers to assess their knowledge.

      • Tips and Notes

      Additional information related to topics is provided to the users in the form of tips and notes.

      • Heavily Illustrated Text

      The text in this book is heavily illustrated with about 1400 diagrams and screen capture images.

      • Learning Objectives

      The first page of every chapter summarizes the topics that are covered in the chapter.

      • Self-Evaluation Test, Review Questions, and Exercises

      Each chapter ends with Self-Evaluation Test so that the users can assess their knowledge of the chapter. The answers to Self-Evaluation Test are given at the end of the chapter. Also, the Review Questions and Exercises are given at the end of each chapter and they can be used by the Instructors as test questions and assignments.

      Symbols Used in the Textbook

      Note

      The author has provided additional information related to a topic in the form of notes.

      Tip

      The author has provided a lot of useful information to the users about the topic being discussed in the form of tips.

      New

      This symbol indicates that the command or tool being discussed is new.

      Enhanced

       This symbol indicates that the command or tool being discussed has been

      enhanced in Autodesk Alias Design 2016.

      Formatting Conventions Used in the Textbook

      Please refer to the following list for the formatting conventions used in this textbook.

      • Names of tools, buttons, options, and tabs are written in boldface.

      • Names of dialog boxes, drop-downs, drop-down lists, list boxes, areas, edit boxes, check boxes, and radio buttons are written in boldface.

      • Values entered in edit boxes are written in boldface.

      • Names and paths of the files are written in italics.

      The methods of invoking a tool/option from a flyout and Application Menu are enclosed in a shaded box.

      Flyout: Surfaces > Primitives > Sphere

      Application Menu: Render > Render

      Example: The Extrude tool, the Project button, the Linear option of Blend Type drop-down list, the Surface tab, and so on.

      Example: The Revolve Control dialog box, the Blend Type drop-down list in the Square Control dialog box of the Surfaces tab, the Type drop-down list of Multi-surface Draft Control dialog box, the Segments edit box in the Revolve Control dialog box, the Periodic check box in the Revolve Control dialog box, the Manip radio button in the Revolve Control dialog box, and so on.

      Example: Enter 5 in the Radius edit box.

      Example: C:\Alias Design\c03, c03tut03.prt, and so on

      Naming Conventions Used in the Textbook

      If you click on an item in a flyout or a menu and a command is invoked to create/edit an object or perform some action, then that item is termed as tool.

      For example:

      To Create: Line tool, Revolve tool, Extrude tool

      To Edit: Lattice Rig tool, Twist Rig tool, Bend Rig tool, and Conform Rig tool.

      Action: Zoom All tool, Pan tool, Duplicate curve tool

      Button

      The item in a dialog box that has a 3d shape like a button is termed as Button. For example, OK button, Cancel button, Apply button, and so on.

      Dialog Box

      In this textbook, different terms are used for referring to the components of a dialog box. Refer to Figure 1 for the terminology used.

      Dialog%20box%202016.pcx

      Figure 1 The components in a dialog box

      Drop-down List

      A drop-down list is the one in which a set of options are grouped together. You can set various parameters using these options. You can identify a drop-down list with a down arrow on it. For example, Transform Control drop-down list; refer to Figure 2.

      Snap10.pcx

      Figure 2 The Transform Control drop-down list of the Birail I Gen. Control dialog box

      Free Companion Website

      It has been our constant endeavor to provide you the best textbooks and services at affordable price. In this endeavor, we have come out with a Free Companion website that will facilitate the process of teaching and learning of Alias Design. If you purchase this textbook, you will get access to the files on the Companion website.

      The following resources are available for the faculty and students in this website:

      Faculty Resources

      • Technical Support

      You can get online technical support by contacting techsupport@cadcim.com.

      • Instructor Guide

      Solutions to all review questions and exercises given in the textbook are provided in this guide to

      help the faculty members test the skills of the students.

      • PowerPoint Presentations

      The content of the book is arranged in PowerPoint slides that can be used by the faculty

      for their lectures.

      • Part Files

      The part files used in illustrations, examples, and exercises are available for free

      download.

      Student Resources

      • Technical Support

      You can get online technical support by contacting techsupport@cadcim.com.

      • Part Files

      The part files used in illustrations and examples are available for free download.

      If you face any problem in accessing these files, please contact the publisher at sales@cadcim.com or the author at stickoo@purduecal.edu or tickoo525@gmail.com.

      Stay Connected

      You can now stay connected with us through Facebook and Twitter to get the latest information about textbooks, videos, and teaching/learning resources. To stay informed of such updates, follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/cadcim) and Twitter (@cadcimtech). You can also subscribe to our You Tube channel (www.youtube/cadcimtech) to get information about our latest video tutorials.

      xviii Learning Autodesk Alias Design

      Preface xix

      xx Learning Autodesk Alias Design

      Preface xxi

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      Chapter 1

      Getting Started with Autodesk Alias Design

      Learning Objectives

      After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

      • Understand the basic concepts of surfacing.

      • Know system requirements for Alias Design 2016.

      • Get familiar with Alias Design 2016 interface.

      • Get familiar with Alias Design view windows and workflows.

      • Use Marking menus, Viewing Panel, and hotkeys.

      • Use snapping tools.

      • Customize shelves.

      • Use the Object Lister and the Scene Block Diagram window.

      • Open, save, and close files in Alias Design.

      • Change preferences in Alias Design.

      • Change color schemes.

      chapter1.pcx

      Introduction to Alias Design

      Welcome to the world of Computer Aided Industrial Designing (CAID) with Alias. If you are a new user of this software package, you will be joining thousands of users who are using this creative and conceptual design software package. If you are familiar with the previous releases of this software, you will be able to upgrade your designing skills with tremendously improved release of Alias.

      Alias Design, a product of Autodesk Inc. USA, is a complete set of interactive surfacing and concept-based design software. Alias meets all the requirements of the industries based on industrial design workflow. This software provides you with a complete set of tools that are required for conceptual design of surfaces and for their realization into real world surface models. You can communicate your design intent to this software by sketching, building the model, and then evaluating it to realize your design. Alias provides you flexibility in taking design decisions and prevents the design from getting modified or lost during the engineering phase. This software also enables the designers and engineers to collaborate with each other to help ensure that aesthetics and functional requirements of design are taken care of. Alias provides you with the specialized design tools to meet the specific design requirements that are listed below:

      1. Concept Exploration: The concept is explored through sketching or painting, editing, and modifying images. The concept exploration also involves creating sketches and then importing 3D CAD data to make sure the designs are feasible.

      2. Design Modeling: Design modeling is an iterative process that involves application of modeling tools to sculpt a 3D model. This process also includes editing 3D models by using the advanced modeling techniques so that the specified requirements of the project are met.

      3. Visualization and Communication: This concept involves analyzing the concepts and the model to provide feedback to help you understand the design intent. Feedback is given in the form of shading, rendering, and animation. You can use this feedback to communicate better ideas to the software to get the best possible design solution.

      4. Precision Surface Modeling: In this phase of design, you can create a high quality surface model by using the advanced surface creation tools. These tools enable you to maintain continuity and alignment between different parts of a model. Also, you can render high quality surface models in less time.

      5. Reverse Engineering: Reverse engineering involves effective handling of scanned data such that it can be extracted properly. The extracted data enables you to evaluate the shape information of the model. If you modify the physical model, the digital data corresponding to that model is updated accordingly.

      6. Productive Environment: Alias Design provides the intuitive user interface (UI) that helps you work quickly and efficiently. You can even customize the user interface to suit the workflow that you are using for the design process.

      7. Process Integration: It involves exchanging digital design data with CAD software while maintaining the design integrity at engineering stage. You can use CAD translators to convert the data into the industry-standard data formats such as IGES, STEP, DXF, DES, and so on. The design data of a model created in Alias can be exchanged with other software packages such as CATIA, CREO, and SolidWorks. You can even prevent the potential problems that can occur while transferring the data into these CAD software packages.

      Basic Terms Used IN Alias Design

      Before you start working with Alias Design, you need to know the basic terms used in this software. Getting acquainted with these terms will help you become easily accustomed to the software. As you go through this book, you will know about these terms in detail as well as learn their applications. A brief description of these terms is given next.

      Point

      A point is a location defined in three-dimensional space. A point can be located by specifying three spatial coordinates. A point has no size or unit but it specifies the location.

      Curve

      A curve is a line that deviates from straightness with smooth and continuous transition. A curve represents data in the space. A curve can be represented by nonparametric or parametric equation. The nonparametric equation of a curve relates coordinates directly with each other. For example, the equation of a circle of radius 1 unit and center (0,0) in nonparametric form is expressed as

      x²+y²=1

      The parametric equation of a curve expresses coordinates of the curve in terms of another variable known as parameter. For example, the equation of a circle in parametric form is expressed as

      x=Cos t, y=Sin t

      where x and y are the coordinates of the points on the curve and are the functions of the parameter t.

      Surface

      A collection of points in three-dimensional space is known as a surface. A surface can be defined as the locus of points that satisfy a constraint equation in the form of F (X, Y, Z)=0. The parametric form of a surface is expressed as

      x=X(u,v)

      y=Y(u,v)

      z=Z(u,v)

      where X, Y, and Z are the functions of two parameters, u and v.

      The simplest form of a surface is the plane surface. Other examples of surfaces are cylinders, spheres, cubes, and so on.

      Representation of Curves

      Curves are categorized into different types based on their representation. The types of curves are discussed next.

      Cubic Spline

      Cubic spline is a curve that passes through a number of data points and is based on interpolation technique. Cubic spline curves have global control characteristics, therefore, when you modify a single data point, the shape of the entire curve is modified, which sometimes is not desired. As a result, cubic splines are not popular in design applications.

      Bezier Curve

      Bezier curves were developed by French Engineer, Pierre Bezier at Renault Automobile Company to design automobile bodies. These curves blend at joints and are completely defined by four consecutive points (x0, y0), (x1, y1), (x2, y2), and (x3, y3). A Bezier curve passes through the first and fourth points only, but the second and third points define the slope of the curve at end points. You can change the direction of the curve at joints by specifying the positions of the second and third points. The limitation of Bezier curves is that when you modify the position or shape of one point, it affects the entire curve rather than that local point. Bezier curves are generally used in computer graphics to produce curves that are smooth on all scales.

      B-Spline Curves

      B-Spline curves provide another effective method to generate curves. B-Splines were developed for ship building. In addition to the characteristics of bezier curves, B-Splines enjoy some other unique advantages. These curves, unlike the Bezier or Cubic spline, provide local control by using control points. This means that modifying one control point affects only that part of the curve that lies near the control point. You can also add more control points without affecting the degree of curve. In other words, the degree of curve is independent of the number of control points.

      NURBS

      NURBS, an acronym for Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines, encompasses all the characteristics of the Bezier and B-spline curves. Non-uniform reflects the parametric nature of the curve, which allows you to have multi-knots in it. In a NURBS curve, a local vertex is defined by a set of four-dimensional control points. A NURBS curve is expressed in homogenous space as

      P=(Wixi, Wiyi, Wizi, Wi)

      where xi, yi, and zi are the coordinates of a particular point and W is the weight associated with each control point. The weight can be viewed as an extra shape parameter.

      Representation of Surfaces

      Surfaces are designed in patches in which each patch corresponds to a rectangular array of data points in u-v space. Surfaces are categorized into different types based on their representation. The types of surfaces are discussed next.

      Bicubic Surface

      A parametric bicubic surface connects four corner data points and uses a bicubic equation. The characteristics of a bicubic surface are same as that of a bicubic curve. The control characteristics of a bicubic surface are global.

      Bezier Surface

      A Bezier surface is an extension of bezier curves in two parametric directions, u and v. A Bezier surface consists of control points that are set in an order to build a topological surface. The characteristics of a Bezier surface are same as that of a Bezier curve.

      B-Spline Surface

      A B-Spline surface is an extension of B-Spline curves. The degree of surface is independent of control points. You can control B-Spline surfaces locally. The characteristics of a B-Spline surface are same as that of a B-Spline curve.

      NURBS Surface

      A NURBS surface is an extension of NURBS curve. The NURBS surface consists of two parametric directions, u and v. The NURBS surface can be defined by its order, weighted control points, and a knot vector. A knot vector defines the sequence of parameter values that specify how and where the control points affect the NURBS surface. The order of the surface specifies the number of nearby control points that affect a given control point in the surface. The characteristics of a NURBS surface are same as that of a NURBS curve.

      Autodesk Alias Products

      Autodesk Alias family provides a range of products to meet unique creative requirements of the entire industrial design workflow. The various products offered by Alias are discussed next.

      Autodesk Alias Design

      Autodesk Alias Design is a complete concept design package. Using this package, you can create and communicate design concepts by using sketches, illustrations, visualization, animation, rendering, prototyping, data sharing, and so on. In this book, you will be working on the Alias Design product.

      Autodesk Alias Surface

      This product of Autodesk Alias is used to develop Class-A surfaces by using the most sophisticated technical features such as reverse engineering, real-time diagnostics, scan-data processing, and so on. This product provides you with a set of tools to attain a high level of quality, precision, and accuracy required in automotive styling.

      Autodesk Alias SpeedForm

      Autodesk Alias SpeedForm is used to transform 2D sketches and curves into 3D design concepts. It enables you to visualize your final product from concept sketches through Class-A surfacing.

      Autodesk Alias Concept

      Autodesk Alias Concept is used for concept sketching, fast concept modeling, and visualization. The tools in this package support concept communication, design modelling, fast concept modelling, technical surfacing, reverse engineering, real-time design visualization, and engineering development collaboration.

      Autodesk Alias AutoStudio

      Autodesk Alias AutoStudio is used for creating automotive design and styling, 3D concept modeling, data integration, technical surfacing, analysis, and visualization. It enables you to realize your final product from concept sketches through Class-A surfacing.

      System Requirements

      The system requirements to install Alias Design on your system as well as to ensure smooth functioning of this product are as follows:

      • System Unit: Microsoft® Windows® 7 (SP1), Windows 8 Professional, Windows 8.1 Professional operating systems, Apple® Mac OS® X 10.9.x, or 10.10.x operating system

      • Processor: 2 GHz 64-bit Intel® or AMD® multi-core processor

      • Memory: 4 GB (8 GB recommended)

      • Hard disk: 5 GB for installation

      • Internal/External drives: A DVD drive or a shared DVD drive accessed through a network mapped drive for the software installation.

      • Display: A graphic color display compatible with the selected platform-specific graphic adapter. The minimum recommended monitor size is 17 inches.

      • Graphics card: Supported NVIDIA® or ATI graphics card with a minimum of 256 MB dedicated texture memory

      • Mouse: A three-button mouse.

      Starting Alias Design 2016

      To start Alias Design 2016, double-click on its shortcut icon on the desktop of your computer; the Autodesk Alias Design 2016 window will be displayed momentarily, as shown in Figure 1-1.

      As Alias Design gets started, a design screen is displayed, as shown in Figure 1-2. Figure 1-3 shows different components of the Alias Design screen. In this figure, the display of grids has been turned off for better visibility of screen components.

      Alias Design 2016 Interface

      The initial screen of the Alias Design 2016 interface is shown in Figure 1-3. The components of the Alias Design 2016 interface are title bar, Palette, Shelves window, menu bar, promptline, Layer bar, and Control Panel. The Shelves window, Control Panel, and Palette may or may not be visible when you start Alias Design 2016 for the first time. They can be made visible by choosing the Windows option from the menu bar and choosing the required option from the menu. Various components of the Alias Design 2016 screen/interface are discussed next.

      Menu Bar

      The menu bar is located at the top of the interface screen of Alias Design interface, as shown in Figure 1-4. It contains different menus that have options to control Alias Design programs such as preferences, layouts, objects, and views. When you click a menu, a flyout showing different options is displayed.

      alias2016_ch01_sc001.pcx

      Figure 1-1 The Autodesk Alias Design 2016 window

      alias2016_ch01_sc002.pcx

      Figure 1-2 Initial screen of the Alias Design 2016 interface

      alias2016_ch01_sc003.pcx

      Figure 1-3 Different components of the Alias Design 2016 interface screen

      C01SC004.PCX

      Figure 1-4 The menu bar

      Promptline

      The promptline is located below the menu bar. It displays instructions for the currently selected tool, error messages that occur while using a tool, numeric feedback, and the input that you key in.

      Promptline History

      The Promptline History icon is located on the left of the promptline. When you click on this icon, a list of promptline messages will be displayed in the Promptline History window, as shown in Figure 1-5. The Promptline History window is essential in case you want to know all the promptline messages that you may not view in the promptline.

      alias2016_ch01_sc004.pcx

      Figure 1-5 The Promptline History window

      Layer Bar

      The Layer bar is located below the promptline. It is used to organize, assign, and manage objects on the screen. You can create a new layer, assign one or more objects to a new layer, select a layer, set the current layer as an active layer, or delete a layer. You can view the options associated with a layer in the Layers flyout that is displayed on choosing Layers from the menu bar, as shown in Figure 1-6. The options in the Layer bar are discussed in the next chapter.

      alias2016_ch01_sc005.pcx

      Figure 1-6 The Layers flyout

      Work Area

      The work area or window area includes all the windows of the interface screen. It occupies maximum space in the interface window. When you start Alias Design for the first time, the perspective view window will be displayed. The view windows are used to display entities in orthographic or perspective views. The view windows will be discussed later in the chapter.

      Palette

      By default, the Palette is displayed on the left of the interface screen. Figure 1-7 shows the Palette. You can move it to any position on the interface screen by clicking on the title bar and then dragging it. If the Palette is not displayed by default, you can invoke it by choosing Windows > Palette from the menu bar. Alternatively, you can choose the Palette button from the Menu Shortcuts tab of the Control Panel to invoke the Palette. The Palette contains tools for creating, editing, and manipulating objects. These tools are displayed on expanding the Palette. The Palette can be expanded by choosing the tabs in it. Partial view of the expanded Palette is shown in Figure 1-8.

      Control Panel

      By default, the Control Panel is displayed on the right of the interface screen, refer to Figure 1-3. If it is not already displayed, you can invoke it by choosing Windows > Control Panel from the menu bar. This panel has different modes that control modeling, visualization, and painting. This panel can be used as a combination of the Shelves window, tools, and display controls to provide a focussed workflow. It also contains some learning tools and menu shortcuts that are used to invoke respective tools quickly. You can also customize the Control Panel by inserting tools or the whole tab from the Palette and the Shelves window so that you can select the tools from the Control Panel.

      Shelves Window

      By default, the Shelves window, as shown in Figure 1-9, is located at the bottom of the interface screen. You can move this window to any position by clicking and then dragging. You can change the position of the Shelves window in the interface screen. To do so, choose Preferences > Interface from the menu bar; a cascading menu will be displayed. Click on the box on the right of the Palette/Shelves Layout option in the flyout; the Palette/Shelves Layout dialog box will be displayed. Next, select the required radio button from the Shelf Position area of the dialog box to specify the new position for the Shelves window. This window is also used to change the position of the Palette. If the Shelves window is not displayed, you can invoke it by choosing Windows > Shelves from the menu bar.

      alias2016_ch01_sc006.pcx

      Figure 1-7 The Palette

      alias2016_ch01_sc007.pcx

      Figure 1-8 Partial view of the expanded Palette

      alias2016_ch01_sc008.pcx

      Figure 1-9 The Shelves window

      Status Bar

      The status bar is displayed at the bottom of the interface window. The status bar displays the status of the current or active tool. Also, it displays the function of the tool.

      History View

      The History View window shows the stepwise procedure of creating a model or a feature, as shown in Figure 1-10. The History View window can be invoked by choosing Windows > Information > History View from the menu bar. You can view the objects and the operations used in creating the model by viewing this window.

      C01SC110.PCX

      Figure 1-10 The History View window

      Alias Design Windows/Layouts

      When you start Alias Design for the first time, the Perspective window/layout is displayed on the interface screen, refer to Figure 1-2. The size, position, and number of windows can be changed according to your need. If you have resized your windows and are using more than one window then the window in which you are currently working is called active window and it is highlighted in a white border. You can activate a window by clicking on its title bar.

      Types of Windows

      There are three types of windows in Alias Design: Orthographic, Perspective, and Paint. These windows are discussed next.

      Orthographic Window

      As the name suggests, the orthographic window shows two-dimensional view of the object in six different views. These views are top, front, right, bottom, back, and left. You can zoom and pan the orthographic views.

      Perspective Window

      In this window, you can see the 3D view of a model. You can zoom, rotate, and pan a model in the perspective view. You can control the perspective view in better way by using the ViewCube. The ViewCube will be discussed later in this chapter.

      Paint Window

      This window is used for viewing canvases and overlays. This window allows you to easily focus on the task of sketching without being distracted by the 3D modeling world. This window is not visible when you create a new file. You can make it visible by choosing Layouts > Paint from the menu bar or by pressing the F3 key. You can close the Paint window by choosing the Close box given on the top left corner of the window.

      Navigating the Windows

      You can control the camera views in Alias Design to get the best possible view. The three options to do so are track (pan), dolly (zoom), and tumble (rotate). The SHIFT and ALT keys with the mouse buttons play important roles in performing these tasks. These options are discussed next.

      Track (Pan)

      The track (pan) option is used to move the scene or view for better visibility. Tracking is done by pressing the SHIFT and ALT keys and then dragging the middle mouse button to track up, down, left, and right.

      Dolly (Zoom)

      The dolly (zoom) option is used to increase or decrease the size of the scene. You can dolly a scene or view by pressing the SHIFT and ALT keys and then dragging the right mouse button. Dragging the right mouse button upward zooms in the scene or view, whereas dragging the button downward zooms out the scene or view.

      Tumble (Rotate)

      The tumble (rotate) option is used to rotate or tilt the scene or view to get better orientation of the model. Tumbling is done only in the Perspective window. It is done by pressing the SHIFT and ALT keys and then dragging the left mouse button.

      Controlling the Window Display

      In Alias Design, you can rearrange, resize, move, and close windows. You can also control the display of windows as well as their numbers. These operations are discussed next.

      Arranging Windows

      By default, perspective window will be displayed on starting a new file in Alias Design. These windows occupy equal space on the interface screen. But, you can change the number, position, and display of the windows by using the options in the Layouts menu. Choose Layout from the menu bar; the Layouts menu will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-11. This menu shows various options to select a window or windows. You can also use hotkeys to toggle between different windows. Hotkeys will be discussed later in this chapter.

      C01SC013.PCX

      Figure 1-11 The Layouts menu

      Resizing a Window

      You can change the size of a window by using the resize arrows located at each corner of the window, as shown in Figure 1-12. To resize a window, drag the resize arrow diagonally upward or downward by using the left mouse button. The size of the window increases or decreases depending upon the direction of movement of the cursor and the window selected for resizing. You can click on the Maximize box given at top right corner of each window to resize the window to its maximum. After clicking on this box, the active window fills the entire space of the interface screen. This allows you to work in a single window. You can move, close, and resize the windows by using the controls located on the borders of the windows. The controls of the windows are Close box, Title bar, Maximize box, Show, ViewCube, and Resize corners. The Close box control is used to close a window. The Title bar displays the name of the window such as Top, Front, Right, Bottom, Back, Left, and Persp. The Title bar also displays the controls such as Rotate, Zoom in/out, and Track. The Maximize box control is used to display the window in the entire interface screen. The Resize corners control is used to increase or decrease the size of the window depending upon the direction used for dragging. The ViewCube is used to control the view of the object in the Perspective window and is discussed later in this chapter. Figure 1-12 shows the Perspective window with the controls mentioned above.

      Note

      The grid display has been turned off and the background color of the window has been changed to white for clear visibility of the controls. You can toggle the grid display on or off by choosing WindowDisplay > Toggles > Grid from the menu bar. The background color of the window is changed by using the User Colors dialog box. To invoke this dialog box, choose Preferences > Interface > User Colors from the menu bar. The options in the User Colors dialog box will be discussed later in this chapter.

      C01SC111.PCX

      Figure 1-12 The Perspective window showing different controls

      Moving a Window

      You can move a window anywhere on the interface screen. To move a window, click on the title bar of the window and then drag it to the desired position. The window will be snapped to the new location. When you do so with other windows, the windows get stacked one above the other. The stacking of windows is called overlapping. To activate a window from the stack, click on it; the required window will be displayed on of the interface screen. You can reset these unorganized windows to the default layout by choosing Layouts from the menu bar and then choosing the required option from it.

      Note

      If you choose Layouts > All Windows from the menu bar, a cascading menu will be displayed. The options in the cascading menu enable you to view the windows arranged in different patterns such as all windows, All (Front/Persp), All (Top/Persp), All (Right/Persp), All (SketchPad), and so on.

      Creating a User-defined Layout

      You can create a user-defined layout in Alias Design. In a user-defined layout, you can arrange different windows and resize them as per your requirement. You can save a user-defined layout and retrieve it. To create a user-defined layout, you need to close all the windows/layouts from the interface by clicking on the Close boxes of the respective windows. Next, choose a window from the Layouts menu; the chosen window will be displayed. Next, click on the Maximize box to reduce the size of the window. You can also drag corners to resize the window. Click and drag the title bar of the window to place it at the required position, as shown in Figure 1-13.

      Similarly, invoke other layouts and then rearrange and reposition them according to your requirement; a user-defined layout is displayed, as shown in Figure 1-14. After creating the layout, you need to save it. To do so, choose Layouts > User Windows > Save Current Layout from the menu bar; the Save As dialog box will be displayed. Browse to the required location folder and then enter the name in the File name edit box. Next, choose the Save button; the user-defined layout will be saved at the specified location. You can use this layout to create your models and designs. To retrieve a saved layout, choose Layouts > User Windows > Retrieve Layout from the menu bar; the Open dialog box will be displayed. Browse to the folder where the required layout is saved. Next, select the layout and then choose the Open button from the dialog box; the selected layout will be retrieved

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      Figure 1-13 The Front window after resizing and repositioning

      .

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      Figure 1-14 A user-defined layout

      Using marking menus

      Marking menus enable you to invoke different tools. They contain fewer tools than the Shelves window and the Palette but they help you invoke the tools faster. Marking menus do not appear by themselves. To display these menus, press the SHIFT and CTRL keys and click. It is recommended not to use marking menus unless you are an advanced user of Alias Design and continue to use the tools from the Palette or the Shelves window. The mouse buttons work in coordination with the SHIFT and CTRL keys.

      By default, the tools in the Marking menus are grouped into three categories based on the mouse button used for invoking them. The marking menus displayed by using the left mouse button are used as selection tools whereas the marking menus displayed by using the middle mouse button are used as translation tools. Similarly, the marking menus displayed by using the right mouse button are used as display control tools. The selection procedure for different marking menus is discussed next.

      Press and hold the SHIFT and CTRL keys and then press the left mouse button; the tools used for the selection of entities will be displayed radially along the cursor, as shown in Figure 1-15. Press and hold the SHIFT and CTRL keys and then press the middle mouse button; the tools used for translation will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-16. Similarly, use the right mouse button with the SHIFT and CTRL keys pressed to view the tools that are used for displaying entities, as shown in Figures 1-17. To invoke a tool from any of these marking menus, drag the cursor on the required tool; a dark thick line will be displayed and the tool will be highlighted in blue. Figure 1-18 shows the Curves tool being invoked by using the marking menus.

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      Figure 1-15 Marking menus displayed on pressing the left mouse button

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      Figure 1-16 Marking menus displayed on pressing the middle mouse button

      You can edit the marking menus to rearrange the tools contained in them. To do so, choose the option from the marking menus that are displayed using the left mouse button; the Default Marking Menus editor will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-19. The tools in this editor are grouped under three tabs: Selection, Translation, and Display. To view tools grouped under a tab, choose the respective tab from the Default Marking Menus editor. You can rearrange tools within the three tabs of the Default Marking Menus editor. To do so, drag the required tool from one of these tabs with the middle mouse button and then drop it in another tab. You can also invoke the Default Marking Menus editor by choosing Preferences > Interface > Marking Menus from the menu bar.

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      Figure 1-17 Marking menus displayed on pressing the right mouse button

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      Figure 1-18 Invoking the Curves tool by using the Marking menu

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      Figure 1-19 The Default Marking Menus editor

      Viewing Panel

      In Alias Design, the Viewing Panel is not available by default.

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      Figure 1-20 The default Viewing Panel

      Therefore, you need to set the preference for displaying it. To do so, choose the Preferences option from the menu bar; a flyout will be displayed. Choose the box icon on the right of the General Preferences option in the flyout; the General Preferences dialog box will be displayed. From this dialog box, choose the Viewing tab and then choose the View Panel option in the View control drop-down. The Viewing Panel only appears in the Perspective window. This panel allows you to switch from the perspective view to a user-defined or a default view of the model. To display this panel, activate the Perspective window and then press the SHIFT and ALT keys. The Viewing Panel is displayed as long as you keep the SHIFT and ALT keys pressed. Figure 1-20 shows the default Viewing Panel. To expand this panel, click on the Open/Close variants section icon; the variants section will be displayed. Figure 1-21 shows different options in the Viewing Panel which are discussed next.

      Preset View

      The Preset view area contains arrows that are used to display front, back, top, bottom, and side views of the model. The four diagonal arrows in this area represent three-quarter view of the model. To display a view, click on the corresponding arrow in this area. The top or bottom view is displayed by choosing the top or bottom view icon located at the center of this option.

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      Figure 1-21 The expanded Viewing Panel

      Look At

      Click on this icon to orient and center the object in such a way that it fits best in the view window. The view obtained by clicking on the Look at icon involves automatic application of zooming, tracking, or rotation of the canvas.

      Plane view

      Choose this button to use the construction plane as the ground (view) plane. On doing so, the views will behave like orthographic views. The preset views will track and dolly like orthographic views.

      Perspective

      This check box is selected by default and is used to display the preset views as the perspective views. The preset views will track and dolly like the perspective views.

      Variants

      The Variants area is used to create a user-defined view and save it in the Viewing Panel. To do so, modify the current view by using various display controls such as dolly, track, tumble, and so on. Next, click on the New option in the Variants area; a variant will be created and saved in the variant section. You can create any number of user-defined views and then save them. You can delete, add, toggle between the existing variants by clicking on the Edit option. When you click on the Edit option, the Variant Lister window will be displayed, as shown in Figure 1-22. The Variant Lister window is discussed next.

      Variant Lister

      The Variant Lister window is used for creating and presenting multiple variants of a scene. Using this window, you can create, edit and store different variations of views, shading, layer, object, grids and so on. You can invoke the Variant Lister window by choosing Windows > Variant Lister from the menu bar. The Variant Lister window is shown in Figure 1-22.

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      Figure 1-22 The Variant Lister window

      In Alias Design 2016, the Bookmarks window is replaced with the Variant Lister window. You can access scenes in all the variants with a single click on their corresponding thumbnail. You can group and resize the thumbnail of all the variants listed in the Variant Lister window. The options in this window are discussed next.

      New Group

      This button is

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