Designing Using A Track Pad

MachineBuilder
1

You recently left your mouse at home. Me too! Yes, this software preferes you to use a mouse but it isn’t impossible to use your track pad. There are just some keys you need to be familiar with, and a few settings we need to adjust for. Follow me on this track pad journey.

  1. Click on settings (this is a drop down in the burger menu on the top left hand side)
  2. Go to mouse settings
  3. Drop the zoom sensitivity as low as possible. In its default state it will zoom very quickly on the track pad.
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The next helpful place to go:

  1. In the Menu go to help (the button above settings)
  2. Click on keyboard shortcuts.
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  3. The 3D navigation tab is the most helpful one in this case but knowing all the tips and tricks found in this window will help you with desigining more efficiently.

This is where the fun starts:
R - this button pushes the view to the origin of the design. Very helpful if you’ve zoomed very far away.
F - this button zooms out so you fit the frame.
In addition to these buttons you always have access to the view cube. Click on any of the faces and it fills your view with a view directly on that face.

Actually using your track pad

Your track pad has left and right buttons
To pan: Click on the left button and drag a finger on the track pad in the direction you would like to go.
To rotate: Click on space bar and click on your track pad and move a second finger on the track pad. (There is one stationary finger on the track pad and one moving finger on the track pad)
Zoom: Two fingers on the track pad and slide up (zoom in) and down (zoom out)

Your track pad does not have left and right buttons
To pan: Click on the bottom left most corner of your track pad. Keeping that finger stationary you can now pan by dragging a second finger from side to side.
To rotate: Click on space bar and click on your track pad and move a second finger on the track pad. (There is one stationary finger on the track pad and one moving finger on the track pad)
Zoom: Two fingers on the track pad and slide up (zoom in) and down (zoom out)

You’ve got this

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As a track pad aficionado - I have been waiting a long time for this post. Thank you @amanda-faigal.

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