https://youtu.be/qfr5gB_xGEg

The Clipping Block is an interactive tool and type of Block within LiquidEarth that facilitates the inspection of your 3D content. It enables users to generate a 2D plane that slices through the target Space and Content.

How it Works

Creating and Placing a Clipping Plane

To create a Clipping Block:

1. Select the space or content that you wish to apply it to and navigate to the inspector section on Blocks.
2. Activate the Clipping button to generate a 2D clipping plane within the selected content.
3. Next, there are different ways in which you can adjust the position and orientation of the plane in 3D:
   1. Line-Based Placement: Clipping planes can be positioned by drawing lines directly in 3D, offering an intuitive and precise placement method.
      1. How it works: Selecting *Place *****sets the pointer to placing mode for quick drawing of the clipping plane or slice in the main view.
         1. The first click fixes the plane's position along the Y-axis.
         2. The second click determines the plane's orientation along the Z-axis.
         • Alternatively, holding the pointer after the first click allows the orientation to be set upon release.
         • Pressing the ESC key exits placement mode without creating the plane.
   2. Manipulator (Transform Gizmo): Select, move, and manipulate this plane just as you would with any other 3D object within the application using the Manipulator.
   3. Numerical Transform Input: Type in numerical Transform values directly into the corresponding panel and fields.
      1. Please note that changing the scale only has effect on the displayed wireframe. It does not affect the extent of the clipping itself.

Clipping Plane Features

The Clipping Block several control for advanced utility:

• Edit: Activate to change the name of the Clipping Block.
• Enable Clipping: Activates the clipping function, allowing the plane to actively clip away content on one side of the place.
• Show: Displays a wireframe representation of the plane, helping users visualize the exact position and orientation of the Clipping Plane in relation to the content.
• Slice: Users can now create slices using double-sided clipping with adjustable width (only the data within the defined width remains visible).
• Thickness: With Slice enabled, set the distance between the two opposing clipping planes. The maximum distance is defined by the longest diagonal of the current space Bounding Box.
• Transform Adjustments: Adjust and reset the transform values for the clipping plane.
• Orthographic Plane View: Selecting the Go Ortho. button (at the top of the block panel) switches the camera to an orthographic perspective, aligned perpendicularly to the plane (looking directly onto it). This provides a distortion-free, 2D-like perspective for inspecting cross-sections. Panning as well as zooming lets you navigate along the section. Rotating the camera will leave the orthographic mode.

An example of a clipping block with the slice feature active.

A maximum number of eight clipping planes can be active within a space at the same time. Clipping planes act strictly subtractive, meaning multiple clipping planes will only leave portions of data visible that is on the positive side of all active clipping planes.