Zoom Feature

There are five zoom features available in SAP2000. These features allow zooming in or out on a view. Zooming in shows a closer view of the model and zooming out shows a more distant view of the model. All five zoom features are available both on the View menu and on the toolbar. The zoom features and their associated toolbar buttons are as follows:

Rubber Band Zoom, : Use the View menu > Rubber Band Zoom command or associated button to zoom in on the model by windowing. To use the feature, click the button or the command and depress and hold down the left mouse button. While keeping the left button depressed, drag the mouse to "rubber band" a window around the portion of the view that is of interest. A dashed line on the screen shows the extent of the rubber band window. When the left mouse button is released, the new "zoomed" view is displayed.

Tip: Use the F2 key to activate the Rubber Band Zoom.

Restore Full View, :  Use the View menu > Restore Full View command or associated button to re-display the entire structure in the window after any of the Zoom features have been used.

Tip: Use the F3 key to restore the full view.

Previous Zoom,   : Use the View menu > Previous Zoom command or associated button to switch to the previously zoomed view, and then back to the current zoomed view if so desired.  Only the active window is affected by this command. In addition, use this command to restore a view if the View menu > Pan command is used to adjust a view in the window. In that case, the View menu > Previous Zoom command returns the view to the view right before the View menu > Pan command was used.

Zoom In One Step,   :   Use the View menu > Zoom In One Step command or associated button to zoom in on a currently active window. The step of the zoom can be set using the Options menu > Preferences > Dimensions and Tolerances command. The Zoom Step is input as a percent of the actual and cannot be greater than 100%.

Zoom Out One Step,   : Use the View menu > Zoom Out One Step command or associated button to zoom out on a currently active window. The step of the zoom can be set using the Options menu > Preferences > Dimensions and Tolerances command. The Zoom Step is input as a percent of the actual and cannot be greater than 100%.

Note:  The mouse wheel can be used as a short cut to Zoom In and Zoom Out on a view in the active window. Rotate the wheel forward (away from you) to Zoom In and backward (toward you) to Zoom Out. Depress the Shift key and the middle mouse button while moving the mouse as another short cut to Zoom In and Zoom Out.