> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.clabassistant.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.clabassistant.com/manage-a-project/preview-tools.md). # Preview Tools The preview lets you inspect your pattern, compare pieces, and work with measurements. Available tools depend on your active subscription and the current project state. ## Navigate and arrange pieces Use the mouse wheel or zoom buttons to change magnification. Hold **Space** and drag to pan. * Press **A** to fit the pattern in view and exit the zoom tool if it is active. * Press **Z** to activate the zoom tool. Click a piece to zoom to it; each further click on the same piece adds a zoom-in step. Click a different piece to zoom to that piece. Hold **Alt** to show the zoom-out cursor, then click to zoom out one step. Drag a rectangle to zoom an area; a successful area zoom exits the tool when you release the mouse. While drawing the rectangle, hold **Space** and drag to reposition it without changing its size. Measurement lines are non-interactive while the zoom tool is active and return to their previous behavior when you exit. Press **Z** again or **Escape** to exit the zoom tool without leaving the current preview mode. * Drag pieces to arrange them for inspection. * Use the piece context menu to access available transformations, including horizontal and vertical flips. * Use **Align…** to make a line between two points horizontal, or press **R** to rotate a piece clockwise in 90° steps. * Press **Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + X** to arrange pieces without overlaps while keeping their current orientation. * Press **Alt + X** to restore all pieces to their original positions and orientations. The hint bar at the bottom of the preview shows the next action for the active tool. ## Choose the scene orientation In [User Preferences](/getting-started/main-menu.md#user-preferences), open **Scene orientation** and choose **Standard** or **90° clockwise** separately for **Editor** and **Grading**. This changes the view of the whole layout, including its measurement lines. It does not change pattern dimensions or saved grading rules. To rotate individual pieces instead, use **R** or **Align…** as described below. ## Select and rotate pieces Hold **Shift** and click a piece to add it to the selection. Repeat on a selected piece to remove it. Once at least one piece is selected, press **Ctrl/Cmd + A** to select all visible pieces. Click empty preview space or press **Esc** to clear the piece selection, including in Grading mode. **Esc** keeps Grading active. If a tool is active, **Esc** exits that tool first. Press **R** to rotate the selected pieces clockwise by 90°. Each piece rotates around its own center, calculated from its overall bounding rectangle. If no pieces are selected, **R** rotates the piece under the pointer. Four presses return a piece to its previous orientation. These controls also work in Grading mode. **Shift + click** on the body of a piece selects the piece; **Shift + click** on a grading point continues to select grading points. ## Align a piece horizontally 1. Right-click the piece and choose **Align…**. 2. Click the first point. 3. Hover a different valid point. A yellow line and its two endpoints show the proposed alignment. 4. Click the second point to align the line horizontally, with the second point to the right of the first. Alternatively, after activating **Align…**, hover a contour segment or a visible internal-line segment. The segment turns yellow. Click it to align the piece using that segment's endpoints. The piece rotates around the same center used by **R**. The yellow guide disappears when you confirm the alignment. Press **Esc** to cancel. Align also works in Grading mode and on reflected pieces. ## Arrange pieces without overlaps Press **Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + X** to arrange all visible pieces with space between them. The command changes their placement while preserving their rotations and flips. In Grading mode, the arrangement accounts for the geometry of the sizes currently displayed, including visible internal and construction lines. If you change the displayed sizes or geometry and need more room, run the command again. ## Reset piece placement * Hover a piece and press **Ctrl/Cmd + X**, or right-click it and choose **Reset piece position**, to restore that piece's original position and orientation. * Press **Alt + X**, or right-click empty space and choose **Reset piece positions**, to restore all pieces. These resets also work in Grading mode. Grading rules edited after a rotation remain consistent with the restored orientation. ## Right-click menus Right-click an empty area of the preview to access **Zoom all** and **Reset piece positions**. The menu also provides **Grading mode** when available; its availability depends on your subscription and the current project state. In Grading mode, use **Exit grading mode** to leave it. Right-click directly on a piece to access its available actions. Right-clicking empty space opens the general preview menu, even if a piece was previously hovered or selected. While measuring or walking pieces, the menu includes the corresponding **Exit** action. Available keyboard shortcuts appear beside the menu commands. In Grading mode, right-click a grading point to access its [grading actions](/size-grading/grading-rules.md#copy-and-paste-grading-rules). ## Choose what to display Use the preview controls to show or hide measurement lines and labels, display full pieces, and access the available point labels. In **Preview Options**, choose whether to show the block pattern, construction lines, internal lines, construction points, notches, and grainlines. When you hide notches, their base points remain visible only if they are turn points or construction points you have chosen to show. Editing mode always shows all points. These controls help you focus on the geometry or information you need while reviewing the pattern. ## Measure in the preview Measurement tools are included for all workspaces. 1. Select **Measure** in the preview toolbar. 2. Select the points or segments you want to measure, following the hint bar. 3. Read the result in the measurement panel. Hold **Shift** while selecting points to add extra points. Use **Tab** or **Shift + Tab** to cycle nearby snap points. The measurement panel supports adding and subtracting measurements and applying a multiplication or division factor. When a sizes table is available for a measurement entry, choose **Show sizes table** to compare its values across sizes. The table includes length, X/Y differences, and available comparisons. Use **Toggle add/subtract table** when offered to review combined measurements by size. Press **X** to reset the current measurement points, or **Esc** to exit the tool. ## Walk pieces Use **Walk pieces** from the piece context menu to compare pieces along their contours. Follow the preview hints to select and move along the relevant geometry. Use **Esc** to exit the tool. ## Download the preview Select **Download preview SVG** to save the preview as an SVG file. For CAD pattern downloads, use [Generate Pattern](/getting-started/generate-pattern.md). ## Keyboard shortcuts Press **Ctrl + Alt + 7** on Windows or **Cmd + Option + 7** on macOS to open the keyboard shortcuts reference. It groups shortcuts by tool and explains when each action is available. For grading tools, see [Grading Rules](/size-grading/grading-rules.md). ## Edit pattern points Use **Enable editing** to adjust the available **Turn points** and **Curvature points** on an editable pattern. See [Edit Pattern Points](/manage-a-project/manual-editing.md) for selection, movement, and reset instructions. ## Compare with a reference When available, **Preview comparison** lets you overlay a captured preview, another saved project, or an imported DXF. See [Compare Pattern Previews](/manage-a-project/preview-comparison.md) for project selection, units, alignment, visibility, and temporary-reference behavior.