Refbox
Frames

3D Frames

Import, view, and inspect 3D and CAD models in Frames.

3D Frames let you orbit, pan, and zoom around 3D models while controlling projection, materials, mesh overlays, surface rendering, and lighting backgrounds.

Supported 3D Formats

Refbox imports standard 3D files and common boundary-representation CAD formats:

Standard 3D
OBJ (.obj), STL (.stl), glTF (.gltf, .glb), and FBX (.fbx).
CAD
STEP (.step, .stp), IGES (.iges, .igs), and BREP (.brep).

CAD models are tessellated for interactive viewing when imported. Refbox preserves the original model file for Save As.

3D Navigation

Orbit/Rotate
Drag with Wheel Drag Space Drag to rotate the camera using the orbit method selected in Settings.
Pan
Hold Shift Drag and drag to move the camera target.
Zoom
Use Wheel Z Drag to move closer to or farther from the model.
Reset View
Double-click or press ⌘ R to restore the default camera position.

3D Orbit Methods

Choose a global orbit style in Settings > Behavior > Frames > 3D Orbit Method:

Turntable
Orbit around a stable upright axis without stopping at the top or bottom. This setting controls manual camera dragging; it is separate from the automatic Turntable toggle in a Frame's context menu.
Pole Limited
Keep the model upright and limit vertical orbit at the poles. This is useful for product, character, and architectural models where a stable up direction matters.
Trackball
Rotate freely around all axes. Use this for unconstrained inspection from any orientation.

Changing the setting affects 3D camera interaction across Refbox.

Automatic Turntable

Enable Turntable in a 3D Frame's context menu to rotate the model continuously. Toggle it off to return to manual control.

The automatic Turntable toggle is different from the Turntable orbit method in Settings. One animates the model continuously; the other changes how manual orbit dragging behaves.

Wireframe Overlays

Enable Wireframe to overlay model edges on the shaded surface. When Wireframe is active, toggle Quads to switch between:

  • Triangles: Show the tessellated triangle edges used for rendering
  • Quads: Reconstruct and show four-sided surface edges where possible

Some formats do not store original quad topology. In those cases Refbox labels the result Approx, because the quad edges are estimated and may not exactly match the source model.

Surface and Camera Options

Double-Sided
Render both the front and back of model faces. This is enabled by default for new 3D Frames and helps thin or inconsistently oriented geometry remain visible. Turn it off to use backface culling.
Orthographic
Switch from perspective to an orthographic camera with no perspective convergence.
Default Material
Replace the model's own materials with a neutral solid material so you can focus on form.
Grayscale
Remove color from the rendered Frame.

Background Options

Choose a transparent, gray, or white background, or use one of the included HDRI environments: Noon Sky, Sunset Sky, or Autumn Hills.

HDRI backgrounds provide environmental lighting as well as a backdrop, which can make surface form and materials easier to read.

GPU Requirements

3D Frames require GPU acceleration. GPU availability is checked when Refbox launches. If no compatible GPU is available:

  • New 3D Assets cannot be imported
  • Existing 3D Frames show an error state
  • Refbox displays a notification explaining that the GPU could not be accessed
If 3D performance is poor, close programs using significant GPU memory and restart Refbox. Large CAD models may take longer to tessellate and use more memory than simple mesh files.

Context Menu Actions

Right-click a 3D Frame to access:

Opacity and Grayscale
Adjust the visibility and color of the Frame.
Turntable
Start or stop automatic rotation.
Orthographic
Switch between perspective and orthographic projection.
Double-Sided
Render both sides of every model face.
Default Material
Override the model's materials with a neutral material.
Wireframe and Quads
Show triangle edges or a quad-style edge overlay.
Background
Choose a transparent, solid, or HDRI background.
Color Picker
Sample a color from the live screen and copy it using the format selected in Settings.
Save As
Export the original 3D model file.
Lock, Reset, Frame Docs, and Close
Lock interactions, restore the camera and Frame, open these docs, or close the Frame.

Tips and Best Practices

Use Trackball for free inspection, or Pole Limited when you want a predictable upright model.
Compare triangle and quad wireframes to study how a model's render mesh relates to its apparent surface flow.
Turn off Double-Sided when you need to spot reversed normals or open surfaces.
Adjust opacity and lock the Frame to trace over a 3D model in another app.

Audio

Play and reference audio with waveform visualization.

PDF

Read, search, and navigate multi-page PDF documents in Frames.