Basic Controls – Software – Autometrix Help Center

Project View

Selecting Patterns

Select a pattern or copy by clicking inside its perimeter with the left mouse button. To select multiple patterns or copies, hold the Shift key while you continue selecting. Alternatively, you can Click and Drag a selection box (marquee) around a group of patterns to select all patterns with any portion inside the box. Selected patterns show a hollow box at their center.

If you have trouble selecting a pattern, it may not have a valid perimeter. Drag a marquee around the pattern to select it, then click the Pattern Editor button (F5) on the Patterns Tab. In the Editor, go to the Perimeter Tab to repair the perimeter.

Moving a Pattern or Copy

Click and hold the left mouse button inside a selected pattern or copy. It will move with the mouse.

To move multiple copies, click and hold the left mouse button inside one of the selected patterns or copies. All selected objects will move with the mouse.

Video showing how to move multiple patterns at once

Rotating a Pattern or Copy

Hold down the Alt key while moving the mouse from side to side. Rotating a pattern does not affect copies of that pattern in the Nest. You can also use the Rotation tools in the Layout section of the Pattern Tool Window.

When rotating multiple patterns, PatternSmith will rotate all selected patterns about their common center. To rotate multiple patterns around their individual centers, hold down Alt + Shift while moving the mouse.

Video showing how to rotate multiple patterns at once

Zooming In/Out

Use the Mouse Wheel to zoom in and out.

Zoom All

Press Ctrl + Spacebar to zoom in or out to see all the patterns together.

Pan

Press the Mouse Wheel or the Spacebar and drag to pan.

Nest View

All controls in the nest view are the same as the Project View controls. However, Zoom In/Out, Zoom All, and Pan will only work when you are using Free Zoom.

Moving With Arrow Keys

Use the Arrow Keys to move copies in the nest.

Video showing how to move a copy in the nest view with the arrow keys

Nesting

Manual Nesting a Pattern

To manually nest a copy of a pattern, hold down the left mouse button and drag the pattern from the Project View to the nest view.

Video showing how to manually nest a pattern

If you want to manually nest multiple patterns, select the patterns you want to nest, hold down the left mouse button and drag the patterns from the Project View to the nest view.

Video showing how to manually nest multiple patterns at once

Automatic Nesting

To automatically nest copies of patterns, select the patterns you want to nest and click Forge. From there, you will be able to set how long Forge runs. Simple patterns can nest efficiently in less than 15 seconds. More complected patterns can take up to 50 seconds. Longer times may be required when there is a large difference in the size of the patterns selected.

Undo/Redo

Undo and Redo are both available in the Quick Access Toolbar at the top left of any window. In addition, you can use Ctrl + Z to undo and Ctrl + Y to redo.

To view the Undo stack, click on Project History on the left hand side. That will bring up the Project History window. You can directly select the point at which you would like to go back to. This is available in the Pattern Editor as well.