Element Visualization

You can visualize and highlight the elements of a mechanism in the work area to explore and display the relations between the different elements of the mechanism. The work area lets you view and manipulate the elements from your model in the tree and in the 3D area.

Cross-Highlight

When you create an element in a mechanism, it appears:

  • In the tree, under the node of the active mechanism.
  • In the 3D area, if a geometry is associated with the element.

To quickly visualize mechanism elements and their referenced objects, you can select or hover over a mechanism element in the tree or the 3D area to highlight it in both the tree and the 3D area.

For example, select or hover over a body, joint, or driver in the tree or the 3D area, to highlight the referenced objects in both in the tree and in the 3D area.

You can highlight the following referenced objects both in the tree and in the 3D area:

  • Internal elements: elements included in the mechanism.
  • External elements: products, mates or other elements associated with the mechanism.
Note: The breadcrumbs also display the name of the objects referenced by the selected element.

For example, select or hover over an automatic joint in the tree or in the 3D area to highlight:

  • The joint, its referenced mate, and its related markers in the tree and the 3D area.
  • The joint icon and related marker glyphs in the 3D area.
  • The joint in the breadcrumbs.

As another example, select or hover over a driver in the tree or in the 3D area to highlight:

  • The driver and its referenced joint in the tree and the 3D area.
  • The related function in the tree.
  • The driver icon and its related joint icon in the 3D area.
  • The driver and its related joint in the breadcrumbs.

Note: You can also select or hover over a product associated with the active mechanism (external element) to highlight the associated body in both the tree and the 3D area.