Learn/Shape Generator/Preview
Live preview
At a glance
- SVG preview above the parameter panel
- Mouse-wheel zoom to cursor and middle-mouse pan
- Fit button and automatic refit after parameter changes
- Red/green XY direction indicator; arc, circle, polyline, and bulge support
The preview pane sits directly above the parameter panel and renders the shape's actual output — the same generated DXF that will be imported when you hit Generate — so what you see is what lands in the workspace, not an approximation.
Regenerates as you type
Every parameter change re-runs the shape after a short pause (about a fifth of a second), so you can drag through values and watch the geometry respond without hammering the generator on each keystroke. After a change the view automatically refits to the new extents, and focus stays in the field you're editing while the preview updates behind it.
Getting around
- Mouse wheel zooms in and out, centered on the cursor — point at a detail and roll in.
- Middle-mouse drag pans.
- The Fit button in the top-right corner reframes the whole shape after you've zoomed into a corner.
- The red/green XY marker in the lower-left shows positive X and Y, useful for shapes where orientation matters — barcodes, wrench layouts, anything asymmetric.
- Drag the divider below the preview to trade preview height for parameter space; the height you choose is remembered.
True curves, honest failures
Arcs, circles, and bulge-encoded polyline segments render as real curves, so a bolt circle or
involute flank previews exactly as it will cut. When generation fails — bad input caught by the
shape, or an error in a .jshape you're editing — the
preview shows the error message in place of geometry, making iteration on your own shapes fast.