Navigating the 3D Space

When working in the Stage view, you can quickly navigate through a scene using the mouse buttons or 3D navigation tools.

By using your left, middle, and right mouse buttons, you can rotate around in the Stage view, dolly on the Z axis, and pan the X and Y axes. If you only have access to the left mouse button, such as when using a pen and tablet, you can still navigate easily in 3D space.

To increase efficiency while working with the tools in Storyboard Pro, you can temporarily swap one tool for another—see About Quick Swap Shortcut.

  1. In the Stage view, do any of the following:
  • Press Shift + Ctrl and left-click to rotate.
  • Press Spacebar and left-click to pan.
  • Press Spacebar+Alt and left-click to zoom out.
  • Press Spacebar+Ctrl and left-click to zoom in.
  1. In the Stage view, hold down Shift + Ctrl and do any of the following:
  • Left Mouse Button: Hold down the left mouse button and drag to rotate the view.
  • Middle Mouse Button: Hold down the middle mouse button and drag to pan along the X and Y axes.
  • Right Mouse Button: Hold down the right mouse button and drag to dolly on the Z-axis.
  • Scroll Wheel: Roll the scroll wheel to dolly on the Z-axis.
  1. From the Tools toolbar, click the 3D Navigation tool.
  1. Do any of the following:
  • Hold down the left mouse and drag to rotate the scene.
  • Hold down the middle mouse and drag to pan the scene.
  • Hold down the middle mouse button while pressing Spacebar and drag to dolly in the Z axis.
  • Roll the scroll wheel to dolly on the Z-axis.

You can get a first person perspective while navigating with the 3D Flying Navigation tool. By using your mouse buttons, mouse wheel, and arrow keys, you can move through 3D space interactively.

When the 3D Flying Navigation tool is active, the cursor (hand) is not visible. You can now navigate through a scene. When you move the mouse, the view rotates around the current view point (instead of around a fixed pivot).

You can move around in the scene by using the following:

• The mouse wheel controls the Z axis.
• The Up/Down keys control the Z axis.
• The Left/Right keys control the X axis.
• The Pg Up/Pg Dn keys the Y axis.

You can deactivate the tool by clicking anywhere on the interface.

NOTE When using the 3D Flying Navigation tool with a tablet, the cursor remains visible.
  1. In the Tools toolbar, select the 3D Flying Navigation tool.
  1. To activate the tool, click on the Stage view.

    2. The hand cursor disappears.

    • Move mouse to rotate the scene.
    • Roll the mouse wheel to move forwards or backwards. The more you roll the mouse wheel, the faster you navigate through the scene.
    • Press the arrow keys and PgUp/PgDn keys to move in all six directions. Press repeatedly to increase or decrease speed.
  1. To stop all motion, click anywhere on the interface.

The hand cursor reappears.