Let us learn how to rotate the image around. We are designing objects, which have three dimensions, so we will need to spin objects around to better grasp their features, as we build them. This capability is very naturally built in SolidWorks, and, surprisingly, it even allows us to benefit from it while we are in the process of finalizing some entity (2d or 3d).
So, for now, let us just work with the simple sketch we just made in the previous lesson.
To rotate the view, we go with the mouse pointer anywhere around the sketch, in the main window (without having anything turning orange — we don’t want to select anything), and we press the middle button (so we do not spin the wheel — that is zoom in and out and it goes very fast). We only press the button, keep it pressed, and move the mouse around gently. The ‘Front Plane’ with its sketch will spin around, and we can play with that for a bit. Once we are happy, we just release the mouse button.
Now let us press Ctrl and then again the middle button. This just translates the objects around, without rotating them. Finally, release everything, and spin the wheel, but just one or two clicks. Spinning it towards us zooms in, and the oppose way zooms out. Ok, let us leave everything “sideways”, somewhat like so:
Now, if you want to have more fun, you can try adding another sketch, maybe on the same plane (you can always cancel the action later on), and see that even while just drawing, or before even drawing, but while the sketch “dialogue” is open, rotation works. So the middle button, with or without Ctrl, allows us to “walk around” and “fly around” the obejct(s) we are building, to better view and decide what to do.