Mastering Pan View In Autocad With Your Touchpad

how to pan view in autocad with touchpad

If you're using AutoCAD on a Windows laptop, you may be wondering how to pan the view using the touchpad. While some users have reported difficulties in configuring the touchpad settings to enable panning with two fingers, it seems that this feature was added in AutoCAD 2021. So, if you're using an older version, you might need to consider updating your software.

cycookery

Configuring Windows touchpad to pan with two fingers

Configuring the Windows touchpad to pan with two fingers is a feature that many users have been seeking. While some users have reported that their Windows laptop does this fine, others have faced challenges in replicating the same gesture from their Mac devices.

To enable this feature, you can try the following steps:

  • Right-click on the Start menu and select "Settings."
  • Navigate to "Bluetooth & Devices" or "Devices."
  • Choose "Touch" or "Touchpad."
  • Ensure that three- and four-finger touch gestures are switched on.
  • Expand the touch gestures by selecting them.
  • Customize the gesture actions using the drop-down menus in each section.

It's important to note that these settings are specifically for precision touchpads, and your device may not support all the gestures. Additionally, some applications might not work with three- and four-finger touch gestures enabled.

For AutoCAD users, there have been reports of two-finger touchpad gestures resulting in zooming instead of panning. While there doesn't seem to be a definitive solution, some users have suggested using third-party apps to customize the touchpad behavior or adjusting settings within AutoCAD itself.

cycookery

Zooming in and out with a touchpad

Using Gestures on the Touchpad:

  • Zoom In: Slide your thumb and index finger apart on the touchpad.
  • Zoom Out: Pinch your thumb and index finger together on the touchpad.

Using the Mouse Cursor and Wheel:

While this method does not exclusively use the touchpad, it can be used in conjunction with it. The mouse cursor and wheel provide precise control over zooming and panning:

  • Zoom In and Out: Point the cursor to the desired location and turn the mouse wheel forward or backward to zoom in or out.
  • Pan: Press and drag the mouse wheel while pressing it down. This activates the Pan command, and you can move the view in the desired direction.

Using Keyboard Commands:

If you prefer keyboard shortcuts, you can use the 'Z' key on your keyboard, which is the alias for the Zoom command:

  • Zoom Extents: Press 'Z', followed by 'Enter', then type 'E' and press 'Enter' again. This will zoom to fit all objects in your drawing on the screen.
  • Zoom All: Press 'Z', followed by 'Enter', then type 'A' and press 'Enter' again.

It is worth noting that some users have reported issues with touchpad functionality in AutoCAD, where the zoom function may cease to work intermittently. This issue seems to be related to specific touchpad models and drivers. If you encounter such problems, consider using an external mouse as a temporary solution.

cycookery

Panning with a mouse

To pan with a mouse in AutoCAD, you can use the middle mouse button. Press and drag the wheel to pan the view. However, this can damage the mouse over time, especially gaming mice. Alternatively, you can use the M button to pan, or zoom to pan, which is faster once you get used to it.

You can also use a program like X-mouse to set custom mouse bindings for panning.

cycookery

Panning on a Mac

It is worth noting that some users have reported issues with their trackpads on MacBook Pros. One user reported that their trackpad would repeatedly invoke the Help function when their finger was close to the touchpad, interrupting their work. Another user experienced issues with their trackpad after upgrading their operating system, which affected their ability to use specific gestures.

While these issues may arise, panning with a Mac trackpad is generally a straightforward process, allowing you to navigate your drawings with ease.

cycookery

Panning in AutoCAD for PC

If you are using a touchpad, you can use gestures to pan and zoom. To zoom in, slide your thumb and index finger apart. To zoom out, pinch your thumb and index finger together. To pan, swipe with two fingers in the direction you want to move the view.

Note that this feature was only added in AutoCAD 2021. If you are using an earlier version, you may not be able to pan with touchpad gestures.

You can cancel the touchpad mode by using the Touch option on the ribbon in the Select Mode panel.

Frequently asked questions

Swipe with two fingers in the direction that you want to pan the view.

To zoom in, slide your thumb and index finger apart. To zoom out, pinch your thumb and index finger together.

Yes, this feature was added in AutoCAD 2021.

Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a clear answer to this question online.

While it is possible to use gestures on a touchpad to pan and zoom in AutoCAD, it is unclear whether this feature is supported on touchscreen devices.

Written by
Reviewed by

Explore related products

Share this post
Print
Did this article help you?

Leave a comment