**Note** from Bead: 3D Mouse Keyboard Camera Controls · [canonical source](https://redfish.acequia.io/guerin/.agents/b28561b2-f9e6-4a2a-88f3-edb06fb262e9/2026-06-17/notes/04-cad-dcc-game-engines.md) · session 2026-06-17 · discussion: Talk: 3D Mouse Keyboard Camera Controls
How the three paradigms (orbit / examine, fly / walk, object-edit; see note 00) are named and bound in the desktop tools. The cross-industry synonym tables live in note 00; this note holds per-tool detail and source URLs.
## 1. AutoCAD **Orbit, three distinct commands** (also options 1/2/3 in the orbit right-click menu): - **Constrained Orbit** `3DORBIT` / `3DO` / `ORBIT`: default; locks world-Z upright. - **Free Orbit** `3DFORBIT`: arcball (circle + 4 quadrant circles), unconstrained rotation. - **Continuous Orbit** `3DCORBIT`: click-drag-release and the model keeps spinning (inertial). **Pan / Zoom:** `PAN` / `P` (realtime); `ZOOM` / `Z` with options All/Center/Dynamic/Extents/Previous/Scale/ Window/Object/realtime. **Default mouse (system var `MBUTTONPAN`=1):** wheel scroll = zoom (cursor-centered); wheel-button drag = realtime pan; double-click wheel = Zoom Extents; **Shift + wheel-button drag = 3D orbit**. **ViewCube** (`NAVVCUBE`): persistent upper-right widget, 26 parts (6 faces, 12 edges = half views, 8 corners = 3/4 iso views) + a compass ring. Click snaps to a named view; drag reorients freely. **Navigation Bar** (`NAVBAR`): hosts ViewCube, SteeringWheels, Pan, Zoom, Orbit, ShowMotion. **SteeringWheels** (`NAVSWHEEL`): cursor-tracking menu of wedges. Full Navigation Wheel = Zoom, Orbit, Pan, Rewind, Center, Walk, Look, Up/Down. (Look = swivel in place; Up/Down = slide along model Z.) **Walk / Fly:** `3DWALK` (constrained to the XY ground plane, maintains eye height) and `3DFLY` (free 3D). Both: WASD + arrow keys move, mouse drag = look, **F toggles Walk <-> Fly**. Position Locator window + Walk/ Fly Settings dialog. Sources: [3D Orbit shortcut menu](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2023/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-3677ED1F-112A-45E5-A7BD-59EFDE849A34.htm), [ZOOM](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2026/ENU/AutoCAD-LT-MAC/files/GUID-66E7DB72-B2A7-4166-9970-9E19CC06F739.htm), [ViewCube](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2023/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-E6D3896C-AF39-4F5C-A57C-CACE2A1117F9.htm), [Navigation Bar](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2023/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-17225A0F-7A50-41B9-8404-7D415518DEFB.htm), [Full Navigation Wheels](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2019/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-B31AC4B5-7CB6-4E07-B8CB-EC9A4268B1A5.htm), [3DWALK](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2023/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-6AFE55B7-C031-40C7-AB11-A2EE566A65F9.htm), [Walking and Flying](https://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-D434EDED-EA4A-44C8-9CCA-9EC0CF41A18D).
## 2. Autodesk shared conventions (Fusion 360, Inventor, Revit, Navisworks) **ViewCube and SteeringWheels are genuinely shared cross-product Autodesk widgets** (registered ViewCube / SteeringWheels), same 26-part-cube and 8-wedge-wheel semantics across AutoCAD, Inventor, Revit, Navisworks, 3ds Max, Maya (legacy viewport), Civil 3D. - **Fusion 360:** default MMB drag = Pan, scroll = Zoom, **Shift+MMB = Orbit** ("Fusion" preset; switchable to Alias / Inventor / SolidWorks schemes in Preferences). Constrained + Free Orbit; Look At. - **Inventor:** MMB = Pan, scroll = Zoom, Shift+MMB = Orbit. ViewCube + SteeringWheels; Free Orbit / Look At. - **Revit:** MMB = Pan, scroll = Zoom, Shift+MMB = Orbit (about model center). ViewCube; SteeringWheels including the **Tour Building** wheels (Walk, Look, Up/Down). - **Navisworks** (richest explicit mode set, on its Navigation Bar): Orbit / Free Orbit / Constrained Orbit, **Look Around** (swivel in place), **Walk** (fixed eye height + collision / gravity), **Fly** (free), Zoom / Zoom Window. Legacy inspection-orbit term = **Examine** (classic mode list: Walk/Look/Zoom/Pan/Orbit/ Examine/Fly/Turntable). Sources: [Fusion Pan/Zoom/Orbit prefs](https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/blog/quick-tip-pan-zoom-orbit-preferences/), [Revit Navigating Views](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2026/ENU/Revit-DocumentPresent/files/GUID-A3F4A7B5-225F-46D2-99D3-4C9771282DCA.htm), [Navisworks Navigation Bar](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2017/ENU/Navisworks-Manage/files/GUID-B74CB2E3-EF2E-4170-8387-9B08A2D1EDBA.htm), [Navisworks Walk/Fly](https://help.autodesk.com/view/NAVFREE/2023/ENU/?guid=GUID-963D180B-1D41-4930-83B6-E448092DA8D7).
## 3. SolidWorks MMB-centric: - **Rotate View (orbit)** = MMB drag (about model centroid, or about a picked entity if one is selected). - **Pan** = Ctrl + MMB drag. - **Zoom** = Shift + MMB drag, or scroll wheel. - **Rotate about a vertex / edge / face** = MMB-click the entity to set the rotation center, then drag. **Reference Triad** (lower-left view-orientation widget, not a transform gizmo): click X/Y/Z to snap to that view (click again flips 180); Shift+click rotates 90; Alt+click rotates by a set angle. Distinct from the **Triad** manipulator that appears on components during Move / Rotate (paradigm c). Magnifying Glass = `G`. **Key divergence:** SolidWorks orbits on a bare MMB drag, where Maya / 3ds Max / C4D reserve bare MMB for pan and require Alt to orbit. The classic muscle-memory clash. Sources: [Middle Mouse Button Functions](https://help.solidworks.com/2025/english/solidworks/sldworks/r_Middle_Mouse_Button.htm), [Reference Triad](https://help.solidworks.com/2025/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/r_reference_triad.htm), [Triad](https://help.solidworks.com/2022/english/SolidWorks/sldworks/c_triad.htm).
## 4. Blender The manual cleanly separates view navigation, object transforms, and the Tab mode toggle. **Viewport navigation (default keymap), manual's exact terms: Orbit, Pan, Zoom, Dolly, Roll.** - Orbit = MMB drag. Pan = Shift+MMB. Zoom = scroll / Ctrl+MMB drag. Dolly = Shift+Ctrl+MMB (moves the point of interest, distinct from Zoom). Roll = modal. - Numpad views: 1 Front, 3 Right, 7 Top; Ctrl+ variants = Back/Left/Bottom; 5 toggles ortho / perspective; 0 = camera view; `.` = Frame Selected; 4/6/8/2 step-orbit. Corner navigation gizmo (axis balls) clicks to snap, drags to orbit. - **Walk / Fly Navigation:** Shift+` (backtick), or View > Navigation. Which you get is set in Preferences > Navigation. Both use mouse-look + WASD + E/Q (up/down) + Shift (faster) / Alt (slower); speed via wheel / Numpad +/-; confirm LMB, cancel Esc/RMB. Walk: Tab toggles gravity, V = jump (grounded / FPS). Fly: free flight, no gravity. - **Emulate 3 Button Mouse** preference: Alt+LMB orbits (for mice with no MMB). **Object transforms (move OBJECTS, not the camera), modal operators:** G = Grab/Move (Blender's unusual "Grab" term), R = Rotate, S = Scale; then X/Y/Z to constrain to axis (twice = local). On-screen Move / Rotate / Scale gizmos from the Toolbar (T). **Object Mode <-> Edit Mode (Tab):** Object Mode positions / rotates / scales whole objects (moves origin); Edit Mode edits vertices / edges / faces (reshapes mesh, origin unchanged). Same G/R/S keys, different target. **Industry Compatible keymap** (Blender 2.8+, to match Maya): Orbit = Alt+LMB, Pan = Alt+Shift+LMB, Zoom = Alt+Ctrl+LMB; selection = LMB; transforms become gizmo tools on Q/W/E/R = Select/Move/Rotate/Scale (mirrors Maya). Tab still toggles Edit Mode. Sources: [Navigation](https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/editors/3dview/navigate/navigation.html), [Fly/Walk Navigation](https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/editors/3dview/navigate/walk_fly.html), [Industry Compatible Keymap](https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/interface/keymap/industry_compatible.html), [Object Modes](https://docs.blender.org/manual/en/latest/editors/3dview/modes.html).
## 5. Maya, the Alt-based scheme that became the industry standard **Camera navigation (View > Camera Tools), cinematography-derived names, all on Alt/Option + mouse:** - **Tumble Tool** = Alt + LMB drag, orbit (azimuth / elevation). (= "Orbit" elsewhere.) - **Track Tool** = Alt + MMB drag, pan. (= "Pan" elsewhere.) - **Dolly Tool** = Alt + RMB drag (or Alt+LMB+MMB), move camera in / out = zoom; also scroll wheel. Box-dolly = Ctrl+Alt+LMB marquee. - **Roll Tool** = tilt around the view axis. **Zoom Tool** = change lens focal length (true optical zoom; Maya deliberately separates Dolly (move camera) from Zoom (lens), as in film). - `f` = Frame Selected, `a` = Frame All. Alt+Z / Alt+Y reset view, Home = default view. - **Walk Tool** (Alt+X, first-person game-style) and **Fly Tool** under Camera Tools. ViewCube = Maya's view compass (legacy viewport only in current versions). **Manipulators (object transforms, NOT camera):** Maya calls the widgets manipulators. Q = Select, W = Move, E = Rotate, R = Scale, T = Show Manipulator, Ctrl+T = Universal Manipulator. **Adoption:** native in Mudbox and MotionBuilder; a selectable option in 3ds Max, Blender (Industry Compatible), Unreal, Unity, Substance Painter/Designer, Source 2. Alt-LMB-tumble / Alt-MMB-track / Alt-RMB-dolly is the de-facto cross-app standard. Sources: [Tumble/track/dolly/roll/zoom](https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2025/ENU/?guid=GUID-941480C1-9BDA-4DB3-8EA8-113A0D6FAF1F), [Camera Tools menu](https://help.autodesk.com/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Maya/files/GUID-DDE25A30-0D59-4F92-8150-98DD12EF39DE.htm), [Walk Tool](https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2022/ENU/?guid=GUID-5E475324-D531-41D3-B4CB-D84F8BF5E3AF), [Maya Shortcuts](https://www.autodesk.com/shortcuts/maya).
## 6. 3ds Max and Cinema 4D **3ds Max:** - Zoom = scroll wheel; Pan = MMB drag; **Orbit = Alt+MMB drag** (default "3ds Max mode"; "Maya mode" changes the scheme). Orbit flyout (modern name for Arc Rotate): Orbit (view center), Orbit Selected (selection center), Orbit Sub-Object, Orbit Point of Interest (cursor). - ViewCube + SteeringWheels (shared Autodesk widgets); **Walk Through mode** (WASD / arrow + mouse-look). - Transform Gizmo (objects): W = Select and Move, E = Select and Rotate, R = Select and Scale; X toggles gizmo visibility. **Cinema 4D:** camera navigation on three viewport icons / keys: 1 + LMB drag = Move/Pan, 2 + LMB drag = Dolly/Zoom (Ctrl = dolly-zoom), 3 + LMB drag = Rotate/Orbit. Alt preset: Alt+LMB = orbit, Alt+MMB = pan, Alt+RMB = zoom. Object transforms use different keys to avoid collision: E = Move, R = Rotate, T = Scale. Sources: [3ds Max Zoom/Pan/Orbit](https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/getting-started/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2022/ENU/3DSMax-Basics/files/GUID-D65DE5FD-F859-4F66-9E14-F9A5C1016411-htm.html), [3ds Max Orbit modes](https://help.autodesk.com/view/3DSMAX/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-6DA741AB-9941-4957-903A-4B998C1C65E7), [3ds Max Transform Gizmos](https://help.autodesk.com/view/3DSMAX/2025/ENU/?guid=GUID-D97C423B-1AD4-46EA-892B-3A807823892C), [C4D Camera Navigation](https://help.maxon.net/c4d/2026/en-us/Content/html/PREFSNAVIGATION-PREF_NAVIGATION_MAIN_GROUP.html).
## 7. Game engines: Unity and Unreal **Unity Scene view:** - **Flythrough mode** (officially named): hold RMB, then WASD + Q/E (down/up), Shift = faster, mouse = look. (In Ortho mode RMB orbits; in 2D, RMB pans.) - **Orbit** = Alt+LMB (Maya-like). **Pan** = MMB drag, or View/Hand tool (Q), or Alt+Ctrl+LMB. **Zoom** = scroll / Alt+RMB. - F = Frame Selected; Shift+F = Lock View to Selected (follow a moving object). Corner Orientation overlay ("Scene Gizmo") snaps to axes / toggles iso <-> persp. - Transform tools (objects): Q = Hand/pan, W = Move, E = Rotate, R = Scale, T = Rect Transform, Y = combined Transform. **Unreal Engine editor viewport:** - **WASD fly** (no single official proper noun; documented as "fly around the level," commonly "game-style navigation"): hold RMB + WASD fly, E/Q up/down, mouse looks; RMB + scroll = change fly speed. Mouse-only: LMB drag = move fwd/back + turn; RMB drag = look; LMB+RMB (or MMB) drag = strafe; scroll = dolly. - **Maya-like Alt scheme** (all three documented): Alt+LMB = Orbit/tumble, Alt+RMB = Dolly/zoom, Alt+MMB = Track/pan. - F = Focus selected actor. G = Game View (hide editor-only gizmos / icons). - Transform gizmo (actors): W = Move/Translate, E = Rotate, R = Scale, Spacebar = cycle modes. Sources: [Unity Scene View navigation](https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/SceneViewNavigation.html), [Unreal Viewport Controls](https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/viewport-controls-in-unreal-engine), [Unreal Interface and Navigation](https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/unreal-engine/unreal-engine-interface-and-navigation).
## 8. SketchUp SketchUp frames everything around the camera. Navigation tools vs camera (walkthrough) tools: - **Orbit tool (O):** orbit around the model. Default: hold MMB (scroll-wheel button) to orbit anytime. Double-click recenters; Ctrl/Option+drag = roll. - **Pan tool (H):** default Shift + MMB (or, with Orbit active, hold Shift). - **Zoom tool (Z):** scroll wheel zooms; drag = zoom; Shift+drag = Field of View. Zoom Window; Zoom Extents = Shift+Z. - **Position Camera tool:** place camera at an eye point / height (default 5'6" standing eye height, editable), aimed at a target. - **Look Around tool:** pivot the camera in place "like turning your head," at a fixed eye height (the swivel cousin of orbit). - **Walk tool:** first-person walk at eye height; click-drag to walk (farther from crosshair = faster); follows inclines / stairs; collision detection on by default. Sources: [Viewing a Model](https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/viewing-model), [Walking through a Model](https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/walking-through-model), [Using Your Mouse](https://help.sketchup.com/en/sketchup/using-your-mouse).
## 9. 3Dconnexion SpaceMouse, the dedicated 6-DOF navigation device The de-facto standard 3D-navigation input device: a puck with a patented 6-DOF pressure-sensitive controller cap. You push / pull / twist / tilt the cap to pan, zoom, and rotate simultaneously (translation along X/Y/Z plus rotation about all three axes at once), true 6-DOF, not one constrained motion at a time. The paradigm is two-handed: the SpaceMouse in the non-dominant hand positions the object / camera while the dominant hand uses a normal mouse to select / create / edit (paradigm c), which is why it pairs so cleanly with the camera-vs-object input split. Models: Compact / Wireless / Pro (Wireless) / Enterprise (the latter two add function-key banks and an LCD showing per-app command icons). Driven by 3DxWare 10 (assignable commands, radial menus, macros). Officially supported across CAD / DCC: AutoCAD, Inventor, 3ds Max, Maya, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, Creo, NX, Solid Edge, SketchUp, Blender, Onshape, Fusion 360, Rhino, Houdini. Sources: [SpaceMouse line](https://3dconnexion.com/us/spacemouse/), [Two-handed workflow kits](https://3dconnexion.com/us/kits/), [Supported Applications](https://3dconnexion.com/uk/software/).
## Sourcing caveat Several official docs (docs.blender.org, autodesk.com/shortcuts, some 3Dconnexion PDFs) returned HTTP 403/503 on direct fetch during research; those terms / bindings were captured from indexed snippets of the same official pages and cross-verified against multiple reputable secondary sources. The bindings reflect current defaults but should be re-checked against the live doc before depending on an exact key.
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