📄 General Documentation

PitForge 3D is a specialized precision tool for DCS World .edm models.

🖱️ Navigation Controls

The viewer uses middle-mouse navigation:

Rotation**: Click and drag the *Middle Mouse Button (Wheel). Zoom**: Scroll the *Mouse Wheel. Lateral Pan**: Hold *Shift + Middle Mouse Button and drag.

🖥️ UI Layout & Workspace

Sidebar Toggle**: Click the *hamburger menu (☰) at the top left to collapse the Node Tree sidebar.

• • Floating Windows: Tools like Measurements, Parts Analyzer, and Help open in floating windows that can be moved or closed.
• • Full Screen View: By collapsing the sidebar and closing/unpinning tools, you can maximize your 3D workspace for a clean, distraction-free environment.

🎯 Selection & Analysis

• • 3D Selection: Clicking on any part in the 3D window highlights it and automatically locates it in the Node Tree.

Multi-Selection**: Hold *Ctrl (or Cmd) while clicking pieces to select multiple items at once. Part Analyzer**: When pieces are selected, their unique *RenderNode IDs (RN) are automatically displayed in the ID field of the Part Analyzer tool for easy identification.

👁️ Node Tree Visibility

The Node Tree eye icons control model visibility:

• • Hierarchical Sync: Hiding a parent node will hide all its descendants (children).
• • Conditional Visibility: Showing a child node will ensure its parent hierarchy is also updated so the part is actually visible in the scene.

🎨 Textures (TEX & PNG)

1. 🌈 TEX (Surface Textures)

• • ON: Standard textures are loaded.

OFF**: The model enters *Multicolor mode. Each separate part is assigned a distinct color, making it easy to identify individual meshes and structural overlaps.

2. 🖼️ PNG (Local Texture Manager)

Web browsers cannot natively read DCS .dds files. The PNG button allows you to link a local folder on your computer to provide high-resolution textures.

Workflow:

1. Select Folder*: Click the **PNG** button to open the **Local Texture Manager**. Click *📂 Select Texture Folder and choose the folder containing your .png, .dds (DXT1/5), or .tga files.

2. Toggle Activation*: Use the *"Enable Local Textures" toggle in the window to switch between local textures and original server textures.

3. Active State*: When local textures are linked, authorized, and enabled, the **PNG** button in the header will glow *blue.

4. Re-authorization*: For security, browsers require you to click **🔑 Re-authorize Access** each time you refresh the page. If re-authorization is needed, the PNG button will show a *yellow warning glow.