Mouse and view control

NX names the mouse buttons MB1 (left), MB2 (middle, or the wheel pressed) and MB3 (right). NX-Style gives them NX’s meaning in every 3D view.

Mouse	Does
MB1 click	Select. `Ctrl`+MB1 adds to or removes from the selection. When the nearest thing is refused by the filter, the click selects through to the nearest allowed one behind it.
Rest the pointer, then MB1 click	QuickPick: over overlapping objects the cursor shows three dots; the click opens a list of everything under it, to pick one (Selecting). Holding MB1 still opens it too.
MB2 drag	Rotate the view about its centre.
Press and hold MB2 on the model, then drag	Rotate about the point under the cursor. The cursor becomes a cross when the point is set.
`Shift`+MB2 drag, or MB2+MB3 drag	Pan.
`Ctrl`+MB2 drag, or MB1+MB2 drag	Zoom (dragging up zooms in). MB1 and MB2 may be pressed in either order.
Wheel	Zoom towards the cursor.
MB2 click	OK in the open feature dialog. On a drawing sheet it presses OK in the open drawing dialog too.
MB2 click while a sketch tool is active	Ends the tool (the line, rectangle, circle …), as in NX.
MB3 click	The context menu.
Hold MB3	The radial menu: Fit, Snap View, Trimetric, Isometric and display modes over empty space; the object’s own commands over a part.

Mouse

Does

MB1 click

Select. Ctrl+MB1 adds to or removes from the selection. When the nearest thing is refused by the filter, the click selects through to the nearest allowed one behind it.

Rest the pointer, then MB1 click

QuickPick: over overlapping objects the cursor shows three dots; the click opens a list of everything under it, to pick one (Selecting). Holding MB1 still opens it too.

MB2 drag

Rotate the view about its centre.

Press and hold MB2 on the model, then drag

Rotate about the point under the cursor. The cursor becomes a cross when the point is set.

Shift+MB2 drag, or MB2+MB3 drag

Pan.

Ctrl+MB2 drag, or MB1+MB2 drag

Zoom (dragging up zooms in). MB1 and MB2 may be pressed in either order.

Wheel

Zoom towards the cursor.

MB2 click

OK in the open feature dialog. On a drawing sheet it presses OK in the open drawing dialog too.

MB2 click while a sketch tool is active

Ends the tool (the line, rectangle, circle …), as in NX.

MB3 click

The context menu.

Hold MB3

The radial menu: Fit, Snap View, Trimetric, Isometric and display modes over empty space; the object’s own commands over a part.

Figure 1. The radial menu over empty space

View keys

Key	View
`Home`	Trimetric
`End`	Isometric
`Ctrl`+`Alt`+`F` / `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`T` / `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`R` / `Ctrl`+`Alt`+`L`	Front / Top / Right / Left
`F8`	Snap to the closest standard view
`Shift`+`F8`	Look straight at the sketch being edited
`Ctrl`+`F`	Fit everything in the window
`F6`	Zoom to a rectangle you drag
`F7`	Rotate mode: MB1 drag rotates until `Esc`, MB2 or MB3
`F5`	Redraw the view

Key

View

Home

Trimetric

End

Isometric

Ctrl+Alt+F / Ctrl+Alt+T / Ctrl+Alt+R / Ctrl+Alt+L

Front / Top / Right / Left

F8

Snap to the closest standard view

Shift+F8

Look straight at the sketch being edited

Ctrl+F

Fit everything in the window

F6

Zoom to a rectangle you drag

F7

Rotate mode: MB1 drag rotates until Esc, MB2 or MB3

F5

Redraw the view

The full list is on Keyboard shortcuts.

Changing the feel

The settings adjust the mouse:

rotate_degrees_per_pixel — how fast MB2 drag turns the view;
zoom_at_cursor, invert_wheel_zoom, zoom_drag_up_zooms_in — zoom direction and centre;
mb2_hold_sets_rotation_point_ms, mb3_hold_radial_menu_ms — how long a hold takes (0 switches the radial menu off);
quickpick_hold_ms — how long the pointer rests (or MB1 is held) before QuickPick (0 switches QuickPick and select-through off);
mb2_click_is_ok — whether an MB2 click accepts the dialog;
navigation — "native" uses FreeCAD 1.1’s own Siemens NX navigation style instead of NX-Style’s.