Tools Section

The primary area of the Tools section provides commands for enriching content.

The commands available in this section of the action bar depend on whether 2D or 3D content is open.

This page discusses:

Context Toolbar for Hiding and Showing Elements
Flyout for Sectioning Elements
Context Toolbar for Annotating Elements
Content-Specific Command


	Hide/Show Hides objects. Click the objects to hide. Use the context toolbar to show all objects, toggle between hidden and visible objects, and isolate objects. See Context Toolbar for Hiding and Showing Elements
	Explode Explodes assembly and sub-assemblies to reveal their inner parts. Drag the slider to control precisely the explode amplitude. You can select a sub-assembly to explode. You can also move parts. Note: Measures and section planes are temporarily hidden when exploding assemblies.
	Measure Measures objects or the distance between objects. Click two points on the model to measure the distance between them. You can only create one measure at a time. Notes: Measures are not persistent: when you create a measure, you cannot save it for an upcoming session. In the Interference, Markup, and Review experiences, and in the 3D Tolerancing & Annotation scenario, you can select several objects before clicking Measure to create chain measurements.
	Section See Flyout for Sectioning Elements
	Annotation Commands Displays a context toolbar that provides access to annotation commands. This context toolbar is located to the right of the work area. See Context Toolbar for Annotating Elements
	Annotation Tour Switches from one annotation viewpoint to another. To go though the annotation series, click the arrows to the left or to the right of the work area.

Context Toolbar for Hiding and Showing Elements


	Show All Restores the visibility of hidden parts.
	Swap visibility Toggles between hidden and visible objects.
	Isolate Hides all objects other than the one you select.

Flyout for Sectioning Elements


	Section Cuts through objects using a section plane, to see and access details inside the object, and to measure hidden items. In the context toolbar, choose options to customize the section (cut side, orientation, viewpoint, etc.). To rotate the plane, drag its edges. To resize the plane, drag its corners. To position the plane on a specific surface of the object, drag the blue central sphere towards that surface. To translate the plane, drag its surface, or use the slider if available. Note: You can only create one section plane at a time. Sections are not persistent: when you create a section, you cannot save it for an upcoming session.
	Hide or Show Section Plane Toggles the visibility of the section planes already created. Hiding the section plane allows you to view the cut elements more clearly and enables easier access.

Context Toolbar for Annotating Elements


	Annotation Commands Displays a context toolbar that provides access to annotation commands. This context toolbar is located to the right of the work area. Note: Annotations are not persistent: when you add some, you cannot save them for an upcoming session.
	Text Creates a textual annotation. Type the text as required. Choose another color in the context toolbar. Drag the text to position it precisely, or resize it using the dedicated handle. Notes: Textual annotations are not persistent: when you add some, you cannot save them for an upcoming session. To edit a textual annotation after its creation, make sure that the Annotation Commands context toolbar is displayed, and click the text.
	Erase Erases annotations. Drag the eraser across the annotations or texts to erase.
	Color Chooser Lets you choose the color of annotations or texts. Select a color and start annotating. Note: The Color Chooser is closed when you start annotating or when you click Back .
	Exit Validates the creation of the annotation, and exits the annotation command.

Content-Specific Command


	Preferences Lets you specify preferences for 3D Tolerancing & Annotation scenarios, and for the Interference, Markup, and Review experiences. Note: This command is available in the following cases: The 3D Tolerancing & Annotation scenario is started. An interference simulation or an interference simulation metric is loaded. A markup created in 3D Markup is loaded. A review created in Design Review or Design Synthesis is loaded.