Skip to content

User Interface#

The XRTwin user interface is designed to provide a comprehensive and intuitive workspace for creating and managing your virtual reality simulations. Let's explore the various components of the user interface.

Screenshot

1. Scene View#

The central area of the user interface is the Scene View, where all the 3D objects of your simulation are displayed. This is where you can interact with and visualize your virtual environment.

2. Hierarchy or Working Tree#

Located on the left panel, the Hierarchy or Working Tree provides a hierarchical list of all objects in the scene, along with their relationships (parenting). Each object type is represented by an icon, making it easy to identify different elements such as rigid bodies, models, and point clouds (see complete object list below). The Hierarchy allows you to modify the relationships between objects by reparenting them (by drag and dropping an hierarchy item). You can also filter objects by name or type for better organization and navigation.

Screenshot

Focus view shortcut

When selecting an object in the Scene View or Hierarchy, use the F key to center and focus the view on this object.

3. Property Panel#

The right panel of the user interface is the Property Panel. It provides contextual information about the selected objects such as their position, appearance, and physics properties. The Property Panel enables you to enable or disable an object Screenshot, change its name and add or modify the attributes of the selected objects to fine-tune their behavior.

4. Menu Bar#

The top section of the user interface features the Menu Bar, which includes several essential options:

Screenshot to go back to the Home screen (Project Launcher).

Screenshot to start and stop the simulation.

Editor mode VS Simulation mode

XRTwin offers two modes: Editor Mode and Simulation Mode. In Editor Mode, users have complete freedom to modify the scene, add objects, and adjust properties. When switching to Simulation Mode (Start Button), scene modification is disabled, and objects behave according to physics laws. Stopping the simulation resets object positions and returns to Editor Mode, allowing for further editing and refinement. See Simulation.

Screenshot Additionally, the Menu Bar contains a toolbar with various tools such as Snapping Tool, Measuring Tool, Statistics and Screenshot, enhancing your control and analysis capabilities.

5. Quick Access Bar#

Located above the Scene View on the left, the Quick Access Bar offers quick and convenient access to frequently used operations. This bar includes options to import objects and elements from the library, change the user type (Desktop or VR), and create primitive objects for quick prototyping and scene setup.

Screenshot

6. Manipulation bar#

Located above the Scene View on the right, this toolbar provides essential functionality for manipulating objects. The toolbar allows users to switch between translation, rotation, and scale modes.

Screenshot

7. Scene navigation#

Select navigation style preset#

Several navigation style Presets are available in XR Twin.

We recommend starting with XRTwin’s default navigation style Preset for the best experience.

If you’re accustomed to CAD design software, you might prefer to adjust your navigation preferences. XRTwin offers preset navigation styles tailored to popular CAD tools (see below).

You can set your preferred navigation preset at the application level, ensuring all new projects default to your chosen style.

Navigation_1

To select your global favorite navigation preset from the Project Launcher:

  1. From the left panel, select Settings to display the Settings panel.
  2. In the Navigation section, pull down the Preset dropdown list.
  3. Select the software whose navigation shortcuts you want to use: Sketchup, Catia, Solidworks, Inventor or Revit, or stick with the default XR Twin preset.
  4. Each preset displays its associated shortcuts (see XR Twin and Catia presets below).

Your choice will apply to all new projects.

Navigation_2

Shortcuts for XR Twin mode navigation preset

Navigation_3

Shortcuts for Catia mode navigation preset

To select per project your favorite navigation preset from an opened project:

  1. With your project opened in EDITION Mode,
  2. From the main menu, go to Project>Preferences... to open the Preferences window.
  3. Select the Navigation tab.
  4. Next to Preset, expand the drop-down menu and select your favorite navigation preset (same as above).
  5. Click Apply to save and close the window.

Your choice will only apply to the current project.

View gizmo#

Located above the Manipulation bar on the right, the view gizmo provides essential functionality for adjusting the camera view switching between predefined camera views such as top, side, and left providing a convenient way to view the scene from different perspectives or orthogonal projections.

Screenshot

8. Scene manipulation#

Move gizmo#

Located at the node reference point in the scene, the move gizmo allows to switch between translation, rotation and scale modes for the selected object.

Translation gizmo#

The translation gizmo represents the three axes of movement, as well as the three corresponding planes.
Gizmo3-1

  • Drag one of the three colored arrows (RGB) with the mouse to move the node in the desired direction (the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively).
  • At the base of the gizmo, you will find colored squares (RGB). Click with the mouse to drag the node onto the corresponding plane (XZ, ZY, XY, respectively).
  • The gizmo takes into account the current mode, Local or Global (see below).

Rotation gizmo#

The rotation gizmo represents the three possible rotations around the XYZ axes.
Gizmo3-2

  • Rotate one of the colored wheels (RGB) with the mouse to rotate the node around the desired axis (XYZ, respectively).
  • The gizmo takes into account the current mode, Local or Global (see below).

Scale gizmo#

The scale gizmo represents the three possible scaling options, according to the XYZ axes.
Gizmo3-3

  • Drag one of the colored cubes (RGB) with the mouse to stretch the node on the selected axis (XYZ, respectively).
  • At the base of the gizmo you will find a white cube. Click on it with the mouse and drag to perform a uniform scale change on all three axes simultaneously.
  • The gizmo takes into account the current mode, Local or Global (see below).

Local mode / Global mode#

If the node's TRANSFORM is in Local mode, then the gizmo orients itself according to the object's local coordinate system, which takes into account the orientation of its parents. However, if the node's TRANSFORM is in Global mode, then the gizmo orients itself according to the scene's global coordinate system, regardless of the orientation of its parents.
Gizmo3-4

Incremental moves#

Holding down the Shift key, you can perform incremental moves.

  • Incremental translations (default steps of 0.5 m).
  • Incremental rotations (default steps of 10°).
  • Incremental scalings (default steps of x0.5).



The XRTwin user interface is thoughtfully designed to minimize the time required to create incredible and realistic simulations. Experience the efficiency and speed of XRTwin as you bring your virtual reality visions to life in a fraction of the time it would traditionally take.