How to Edit Paper Space Viewports in BricsCAD

Quick answer: Editing a paper space viewport covers several distinct tasks: overriding layer properties just for that viewport, clipping it to a custom shape, rotating its content, and aligning it against another viewport or against model space using MVSETUP or ALIGNSPACE.

Setting Layer Properties Per Viewport

Layer visibility and other properties can be overridden for just the current viewport, without affecting how that layer looks anywhere else. Six VP (Viewport) properties are available: VP Freeze, VP Color, VP Linetype, VP Lineweight, VP Transparency, and VP Plot Style.

1. Double-click inside the paper space viewport.
2. Run EXPLAYERS. The Drawing Explorer’s Layers dialog opens.
3. Click the VP Freeze icon to toggle a layer’s display in this viewport only.
4. Click the VP Color icon and choose a colour in the Color dialog.
5. Click the VP Linetype column and choose a linetype from the dropdown.
6. Click the VP Lineweight column and choose a lineweight from the dropdown.
7. Click the VP Transparency column and choose a value from the dropdown.
8. Click the VP Plot Style column and choose a plot style in the Select Plot Style dialog. This option only applies to STB drawings.

If “Indicate layers in use” is set in the Drawing Explorer’s View menu, the icon in the Current column shows whether any VP property overrides exist for that layer. You can also freeze layers in a viewport just by clicking entities, using the Viewports/Vpfreeze option of LAYOFF or LAYFRZ.

Clipping a Viewport

VPCLIP (“viewport clipping”) clips a viewport in a layout to a custom boundary. Only circles and closed polylines can define that boundary. For an elliptical viewport, use the “Create polyline representations of an ellipse” option of the PELLIPSE system variable first, since a true ellipse can’t be used directly.

Removing a Clipping Boundary

Use the Delete option of VPCLIP.

Rotating a Viewport’s Display

Only possible if the viewport’s display isn’t locked.

The Align > Rotate option of MVSETUP sets the viewport content’s angle relative to the WCS’s X-axis. If VPROTATEASSOC is on, ROTATE and MANIPULATE can also rotate a viewport’s content by a specified angle directly, though this clips the viewport to a rectangle matching its original dimensions, use VPCLIP‘s Delete option afterward to remove that clipping if you don’t want it.

To undo a rotation, either set the angle back to 0 in MVSETUP‘s Align > Rotate option, or double-click inside the viewport, run PLAN, and press Enter twice to restore the WCS plan view.

Aligning Viewports with MVSETUP

1. Run MVSETUP.
2. Choose Align from the prompt menu. You’re asked to choose Angled, Horizontal alignment, Vertical alignment, Rotate view, or Undo.
3. For Horizontal alignment: pick a base point in the reference viewport, then pick a point in the viewport to be panned. That viewport’s display shifts vertically so the two points align horizontally.
4. For Vertical alignment: the same process, but the display shifts horizontally so the points align vertically instead.

Aligning Model and Paper Space Points with ALIGNSPACE

ALIGNSPACE adjusts a viewport’s angle, zoom factor, and pan position based on alignment points you specify in both model space and paper space.

Aligning with one point:

1. Run ALIGNSPACE. You’re prompted for the first alignment point in model space.
2. Click inside a layout viewport and pick a point. You’re prompted for a second model space point, or to skip it.
3. Right-click or press Enter to skip. You’re prompted for an alignment point in paper space.
4. Pick a point in the layout.
5. You’re prompted to activate the viewport to align; click inside it.
6. Right-click or press Enter to confirm. The viewport’s display shifts to make the two points coincide.

Aligning with two points:

1. Run ALIGNSPACE. You’re prompted for the first model space alignment point.
2. Click inside a layout viewport and pick a point. You’re prompted for a second model space point.
3. Pick a second point. You’re prompted for the first paper space alignment point.
4. Pick a point in the layout. You’re prompted for a second paper space point.
5. Pick a second point. You’re prompted to activate the viewport to align.
6. Click inside it.
7. Right-click or press Enter to confirm. The viewport’s display is moved, rotated, and/or scaled so both point pairs coincide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change a layer’s colour in just one viewport without affecting others? Yes, using that layer’s VP Color override, accessible after double-clicking into the viewport and running EXPLAYERS.

What shapes can I clip a viewport to? Circles and closed polylines only. For an elliptical viewport, first convert it to a polyline representation via the PELLIPSE system variable.

Why can’t I rotate my viewport’s display? Check whether its display is locked; rotation only works on unlocked viewports.

What’s the difference between aligning with MVSETUP and with ALIGNSPACE? MVSETUP‘s Align option lines up two viewports against each other directly. ALIGNSPACE instead aligns a viewport based on specific points you pick in both model space and paper space, and can rotate and scale as well as pan when using two point pairs.