Part 5: The Digital Twin Viewer

Part 5: The Digital Twin Viewer

The Digital Twin Viewer

The Digital Twin Viewer in the frontline.io app provides a streamlined workspace designed for efficient interaction and visualization of the Digital Twin model. Its interface is designed to minimize visual clutter, creating a focused environment for exploring, inspecting, and managing your Digital Twin.

To open a Digital Twin in the Viewer, select its thumbnail in the Project Workspace. The Viewer will automatically launch and load the selected Twin.

   


The Main Menu

The Main Menu, located on the left-hand side, is your main control panel for the scene. This can be set to automatically expand when hovered over and collapse when not in use, maximizing available workspace.

Within the menu are several default interaction options, the Parts Catalog, Procedures, Bookmarks, X-Ray, and Extract. Additional menu functions can be added and configured through the Digital Twin Editor or by using the 3D Studio SDK, allowing for customized interactions specific to your project.


Parts Catalog

The Parts Catalog lists all components within the Digital Twin. Within the Viewer, users can perform a range of actions on individual components directly from the catalog, such as focusing the view or toggling visibility using the icons to the right of each object’s name.

Additional options are available through the right-click context menu, such as 'Isolate', allowing you to hide all components other then your selection, allowing you to focus on key components of the Digital Twin.

For multi-selection, use Shift + Left Click to select a range of components, or Ctrl + Left Click to add or remove individual components for precise control. 



Procedures

The Procedures option in the Digital Twin Viewer menu allows a seamless transition from viewing the Digital Twin to accessing its associated procedures. Selecting the Procedures button in the side menu opens a drop-down list within the scene, where all available procedures linked to the Digital Twin can be accessed and loaded directly.


Bookmarks

Bookmarks allow you to save specific view states of the Digital Twin, enabling quick transitions between predefined configurations of component positions and visibility.

To create a new bookmark, first set up the scene in the desired state. Then, open the Bookmarks folder from the menu and select + New Bookmark. Assign a name to the bookmark to save the current configuration.

To load an existing bookmark, open the Bookmarks folder and select the desired entry from the list.

Bookmarks can also be shared with other users in the workspace. To make a bookmark public, select the three dots beside it and choose Make Public.


Xray

The X-Ray feature enables or disables X-Ray vision across the entire Digital Twin. If X-Ray has been previously applied to individual components through the Parts Catalog, the X-Ray button in the menu will appear highlighted. Selecting it again will disable all active X-Ray views and return the model to its standard visual state.

Extract

The Extract tool allows you to temporarily separate or “pull apart” components for inspection or demonstration without altering their transformation properties. Any extraction changes can be reverted at any time by resetting the model or the selected component through the right-click context menu.

Additional Features: Slicer, Operations, and Hot Spots

Additional features can be enabled within the Digital Twin Viewer by advanced content creators in our editing solutions. Some examples of these include:

Slicer
The Slicer tool can be enabled in the Digital Twin Editor by Advanced Content Creators under the General tab. When active, it allows users to create cutaway views by slicing through the model, providing visibility into the Digital Twin’s internal structures and components.

Operations
Operations serve as a centralized hub for all custom buttons created in 3D Studio. This structure keeps the main interface clear and organized while providing direct access to personalized functions within the Digital Twin Viewer.

Hotspots

Hotspots provide visual reference points for training and instructional content. These are defined within the 3D Studio and can be displayed or cycled through within the Digital Twin scene.

  • Show Annotations – Displays hotspot numbers on the model.

  • Always Show Description – Displays hotspot names alongside their numbers.

  • Cycle Hotspots – Automatically cycles through all hotspots in sequence, with adjustable timing intervals.


The Scene Gizmo

At the bottom of the screen is the Scene Gizmo, an axis-based navigation aid. Click any arm of the gizmo to align the view to a primary axis (X, Y, or Z), or click the label below it to switch between Perspective and Orthographic view modes.
Perspective View






Orthographic View



Along the left side of the gizmo are the Select, Move, and Rotate tool icons, which allow for precise manipulation of individual components within the Digital Twin.






































The Settings Menu

Located in the bottom-left corner, this menu provides quick access to several key functions.

  • Edit Digital Twin — Opens the selected model in the Digital Twin Editor.

  • Reset Scene — Restores the Digital Twin to its default view state.

  • Activate VR — Launches the scene in Virtual Reality mode.

  • Help — Opens a popup containing a list of keyboard and mouse shortcuts for selection, navigation, and tool usage.




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