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(continued...) The former are global settings stored in the system registry and apply to all documents whereas the latter only apply to the current document.
Extensive use is made of the middle mouse button to dynamically rotate, pan and zoom the view using Ctrl and Shift combinations, excellent for manipulating the model mid command.
Graphics performance has been enhanced with dynamic transparency capabilities to reduce image quality during rotations to aid responsiveness and a Fast Hidden Line Removal (HLR) mode.
The most radical change in modelling capability is the expansion of surface handling tools, all available from one of six new toolbars and controlled through the PropertyManager.
To distinguish from simple base surface features that could be created previously, a modified or enhanced surface is called a surface body.
With the extend surface tool the extent of a surface can be dragged dynamically.
A dimension also appears dynamically alongside the drag direction cursor.
The behaviour of the extension can be set to be either a continuation of the existing surface curvature or linear, tangential to the surface at the extended edge.
By selecting a face rather than an edge, all edges of a surface can be extended by the same dimension.
As an alternative to a free drag, end conditions can be a specified distance, an existing model point or a surface including a construction plane.