LookFrom Control

Quick answer: The LookFrom control is a visual tool, shown by default in the top-right corner of the drawing area, for jumping between preset view orientations like Top, Front, or Isometric instead of typing view commands. BricsCAD has two versions of it, controlled by the USENEWLOOKFROM system variable, and they behave differently enough that it’s worth knowing which one you’re using.

Using the New LookFrom Control (Default)

It’s inactive until you hover over it. From there:

• Click a face for a standard orthogonal view: Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Front, or Back.
• Click a corner for an angled, isometric-style view.
• Click and drag the compass ring to rotate the view freely instead of snapping to a preset.

You can also drag the whole control to reposition it, or select your drawing’s saved home view directly from it.

Using the Old LookFrom Control

If USENEWLOOKFROM is off, you get the older version instead, built around triangle shapes rather than clickable faces and corners. Click a triangle for one of nine standard viewpoints (Top, Left, Right, Front, Back, and four diagonal Top-Back/Top-Front combinations); hold Ctrl while clicking to reach the corresponding Down viewpoints instead.

The old control also has two distinct working modes, set from its right-click menu:

Isometric mode (for 3D work): hover over a view orientation and a small chair icon in the centre previews the rotation before you commit. Hold Ctrl to look bottom-up. Click to confirm.

Twist mode (for 2D drafting): rotates the current view around the screen’s Z-axis instead of changing viewpoint. Move to the left half of the control for counterclockwise rotation, the right half for clockwise, in fixed steps of 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90°, 120°, 135°, or 180°. Click to rotate, click again without moving the mouse to repeat the same rotation, or click the centre to reset to an unrotated view.

Right-Click Menu Options

Both versions share most of the same right-click options:

• UCS: switch coordinate systems, restore World, or open the UCS Manager.
• View: create or manage named views, toggle perspective mode. The new control also lets you set and jump to a “home” view directly from here.
• Visual Style: open the Visual Styles Manager, or choose whether the control references the World or current coordinate system.
• Location: reposition the control.
• Dismiss: hides the control. Bring it back by editing the NAVVCUBEDISPLAY system variable.

Adjusting Settings

Right-click the control and choose LookFrom Settings…, or run the LOOKFROM command and pick the Settings option.

Three system variables specifically control the animated transitions when you switch views:

• VTENABLE: turns view-transition animation on or off, for zooming/panning and rotation separately.
• VTDURATION: how long the animation lasts, in milliseconds.
• VTFPS: the minimum frame rate needed for animation to play at all (7 by default). If your computer can’t redraw fast enough to hit that rate, BricsCAD skips the animation rather than showing a stuttering one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I’m using the new or old LookFrom control? It’s set by the USENEWLOOKFROM system variable. The new one uses faces and corners you click directly; the old one uses triangle shapes around the edge.

What’s the difference between Isometric mode and Twist mode on the old control? Isometric mode changes your viewpoint, which side of the model you’re looking from. Twist mode rotates the current view around the screen’s Z-axis without changing viewpoint, mainly useful for 2D work.

I accidentally dismissed the LookFrom control. How do I get it back? Edit the NAVVCUBEDISPLAY system variable.

Why doesn’t my view transition animate smoothly? If your computer can’t redraw fast enough to meet the minimum frame rate set by VTFPS (7 by default), BricsCAD skips the animation entirely rather than show a stuttering one.