3D Visualization

Paramiq includes a 3D scene viewer that renders your product based on specification items. Each specification item can have 3D properties (shape, dimensions, color) that generate geometry automatically.

Scene Overview

• The 3D tab in the editor is a read-only preview tied to the current configuration.
• The calculation page uses a lighter interactive surface for inspection, camera focus, and context actions on selected instances.
• The 3D Scenes page is the advanced workspace for arranging multiple configurations into one assembly.

Geometry Types

• Box — width, height, and depth dimensions.
• Cylinder — radius and height.
• Model — load 3D models (GLB/GLTF/STL/OBJ) from the 3D Models page.

Visualization Rules

Each specification item can have a visualization rule that defines how it appears in 3D. In the rule editor you configure geometry type, dimensions, position, rotation (degrees), scale, and a material source.

3D Materials

The 3D Materials page (sidebar menu) lets you create, edit, and manage PBR materials with textures. Each material has color, metalness, roughness, and optional glass properties (transmission, opacity, IOR). You can upload 5 texture maps per material: Color (albedo), Normal, Roughness, Metalness, and Ambient Occlusion.

• 45 built-in material presets (metals, woods, glass, stone, plastic, fabric).
• Create custom materials with your own PBR properties and textures.
• Upload textures (JPG, PNG, WebP, max 10MB each) stored securely on the server.
• Set texture scale (meters per tile) to control tiling density.
• Custom categories — organize materials into your own groups.

Material Source

In the visualization rule editor, choose how each spec item gets its material:

• Default — define color and PBR properties inline.
• Library — pick from the built-in preset library or your custom 3D materials.
• Parameter — bind to a configuration parameter (e.g., $Color) for user selection at runtime.

Transform Controls

On interactive surfaces (calculation page and 3D scenes), select an instance to access the available transform tools:

• V — select tool in the 3D Scenes workspace.
• W — activate translate (move) gizmo.
• E — activate rotate gizmo.
• Escape — deselect the current instance.

Modal Translate (Blender-style)

Select a single instance, switch to the Translate tool (W), then press an axis key to enter modal translate — the object follows your cursor along the locked axis without needing to grab the gizmo arrow.

• X / Y / Z — lock to the world X, Y, or Z axis and start modal translate.
• Move the mouse — the object slides along the locked axis in real time.
• Enter or left click — commit the new position (undo entry recorded).
• Esc or right click — cancel and restore the initial position.
• Press the same axis key again — exit modal translate, no movement applied.
• Press a different axis key — switch axis (current Phase 1: restarts modal at the original position).

Camera Controls

• Left mouse drag — orbit the camera around the scene.
• Scroll wheel — zoom in/out.
• Arrow keys — orbit horizontally and vertically.
• + / - — zoom in/out via keyboard.
• Home — reset camera to fit all geometry.
• Pan is available on surfaces that expose advanced viewport controls.

Undo / Redo

On interactive surfaces, Ctrl+Z undoes and Ctrl+Shift+Z (or Ctrl+Y) redoes recent transform operations such as moving, rotating, deleting, and duplicating instances.

Nested Instances

When your specification includes nested configurations, their 3D geometry renders hierarchically. Each nested instance uses placement formulas ($index, $count) to calculate its position and rotation relative to the parent.