Creates and modifies visual style definitions in the Drawing Explorer.
Accessing the Command
command bar: visualstyles
menu bar: Tools | Drawing Explorer | Visual Styles
ribbon: Home | Settings | Drawing Explorer | Visual Styles
: VisualStyles
Displays the Visual Styles section of the Drawing Explorer dialog box:
Toolbar Options
Some options do not appear when certain settings are turned off.
Option |
Description |
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Creates a new visual style. |
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Deletes the selected visual style, except for predefined visual styles such as 2dWireframe, 3D Hidden, 3dWireframe, Conceptual, Realistic, and so on. |
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Applies the selected visual style to the current viewport. |
Edit visual style |
Displays the settings of the selected visual styles. To edit a setting: click the settings field, then type a new value or select an option in the drop down list. |
Edit Visual Styles Options
Option |
Description |
Face Settings |
Specifies the look of faces of 3D models: Face Style - selects an overall color scheme for the visual style:
Lighting Quality - specifies the quality of curved faces:
Color -
Material Display - determines whether materials are displayed; materials are applied with the MaterialAssign command:
When Material Display is not off, then highlights and opacity are ignored, as materials provides their own values for them. |
Opacity |
Specifies the level of transparency of faces: On/off - toggles opacity on and off Opacity - specifies the level of transparency (Not available when materials are on):
Transparency depth - specifies how far transparency reaches in terms of the number of overlapping entities |
Lighting |
Determines whether shadows are displayed. Shadow display - choose one:
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Edge Settings |
Specifies the style of edge to display:
Show - (choose one:)
Color - specifies the color for all edges Width - specifies the width of edge lines Number of lines - specifies the number of isolines drawn on curved surfaces, from 0 to 2047 Always on top - determines if all isolines are displayed, or only those that are "on top" (hidden isolines being hidden) |
Silhouette Edges |
Determines how fat outlines are around models: Show - toggles the display of silhouette edges Width - width of the silhouette edges in the range of 1 to 25 pixels; applies to all entities in the viewport equally |
Occluded Edges |
Specifies how to handle occluded (hidden) edges and facets; this setting allows you to display hidden lines in a different color and linetype from visible lines: Show - toggles the visibility of occluded edges and facets:
Color - specifies the color for visible obscured edges and facets; Linetype - specifies the line type for visible obscured edges and facets; the program does not use the usual linetype patterns, but a separate set:
All of these settings do not apply to isolines. |
Line Extensions |
Extends edges beyond their boundaries; also known as "overhang": On/Off - turn line extensions on or off Line extensions - specify the distance the lines extend beyond boundaries, such as face edges |
Custom Pen |
Determines the use of a custom line drawing style: On/Off - turns it on and off Custom pen - specifies the style of line drawing |
Background Settings |
Toggles the display of a background in the viewport: Backgrounds - turn on or off Backgrounds consist of either a solid color, a gradient of two or three colors, or a raster image, and are set by the Background command. |
The ANTIALIASSCREEN system variable controls the amount of anti-aliasing (edge smoothing) applied during on-screen rendered mode display. The default value is 1, maximum value is 5. High anti-alias values incur a high calculation cost.
Mechanical Drafting and Mechanical Drafting Section visual styles are used by the BmGenDraft and BmGenSection commands
Related Commands
AniPath - records the animation of a camera moving along a path or panning in a 3D model and saves it to a movie file.
Render - generates a photorealistic rendering using materials and lights.
Shademode - sets the shading style for 3D drawings.
-VisualStyles - manages visual style definitions at the command line
VsCurrent - sets the visual style at the command line.
Explorer - Opens the Drawing Explorer dialog box.