Taking snapshots of 3D models

You can use model snapshots to record the current camera position of a 3D model or IFC group model in the IFC Model pane. Having taken a model snapshot, you can select it at a later date in order to recreate the recorded view of the 3D model or IFC group model instantly. Each model snapshot has a thumbnail image associated with it, which makes it easier to select the snapshot that you want.

You can use model snapshot categories to group together related model snapshots. For example, you could create different model snapshot categories to group together model snapshots according to the elevation of the building that they display. Categorising snapshots in this way makes it easier to find the snapshot you are looking for.

Creating model snapshot categories

To create a model snapshot category:

Launch Library Explorer and open the Model Snapshot Category library. All existing model snapshot categories appear in the right pane of Library Explorer.
Right-click a blank area of the right pane of Library Explorer and select New Model Snapshot Category from the menu that appears. A new model snapshot category appears, with the cursor flashing in the Name column.
Enter a name for the model snapshot category and press ENTER.

Taking snapshots

To take a snapshot of a 3D model or IFC group model:

Arrange the display of the 3D model or IFC group model in the IFC Model pane as required. If you apply one or more cutting planes to the 3D model or IFC group model to view the interior, the cutting planes will appear in the snapshot.
On the 4D tab, in the 3D Viewer group, click the Snapshots dropdown and select Save Snapshot. The Save Snapshot dialog appears. Alternatively, right-click the IFC Model pane and select Save Snapshot from the menu that appears.
Enter a name and description to identify the snapshot and select a category in which to arrange the snapshot if required, then click OK. A snapshot of the current view of the 3D model or IFC group model in the IFC Model pane is taken and saved in the Model Snapshot library in Library Explorer.

Switching the display to that of a previously-taken snapshot

To switch the display of a 3D model or IFC group model in the IFC Model pane to that of a previously-taken snapshot, on the 4D tab, in the 3D Viewer group, click the Snapshots dropdown and select the snapshot to which you want to switch. The snapshots may be listed in different categories.

As each snapshot includes any cutting planes that were displayed when the snapshot was taken, if you switch the display to that of a previously-taken snapshot, any cutting planes that are currently displayed are turned off and replaced by any cutting planes that were displayed when the snapshot was taken.

Editing the properties of a snapshot

Once you have taken a snapshot, you can edit its properties. You may want to do this to edit its name and description, to place it into a different category, or to update the snapshot to use the current camera position.

To edit the properties of a snapshot:

On the 4D tab, in the 3D Viewer group, click the Snapshots dropdown.
Right-click the snapshot that you want to edit and select Properties from the menu that appears. The Model Snapshot Properties dialog appears.
Edit the name and description and the category in which the snapshot is arranged as required.
If you want to update the display of the 3D model or IFC group model in the IFC Model pane to use the camera position saved in the snapshot, click Show Snapshot.
If you want to update the snapshot to use the current camera position of the IFC Model pane, rather than the position that is currently saved in the snapshot, click Update Snapshot.
Click Close.

Snapshots and IFC group models

If the IFC Model pane is currently displaying an IFC group model, any snapshots that you take relate to the IFC group model and are visible in the Snapshots dropdown only when the IFC group model is displayed.

If the IFC Model pane is currently displaying an IFC group model and you have taken snapshots of one or more of the individual 3D models in the IFC group model, the Snapshots dropdown displays the snapshots that have been taken of all of the individual 3D models, as well as any snapshots that have been taken of the IFC group model itself.