FR: Lock Camera Elevation and Z-Level by Modifier Key

In architectural visualization it’s a quite widespread convention to have vertical lines vertical. In SketchUp this can be achieved by switching to 2 point perspective. The camera elevation even stays at a horizontal after switching back to normal perspective. However, if you want to direct the camera slightly to the side you will also inevitably change the elevation and have to toggle two point perspective again to reset it.

I propose a modifier key to the Orbit and Look Around tools that locks the camera elevation to horizontal. This way you could rotate around objects or revolve the camera while keep their verticals vertical all the time. Pressing this key at any time when moving the mouse inside the tools would make the camera elevation “snap” to horizontal.

The same modifier key could be used in pan and zoom tool to lock the height/z-level of the camera. This would eliminate the need of the cumbersome Walk Tool when navigating inside building by introducing a simpler way to navigate with the eye height leveled.

I propose using Alt as modifier key since Ctrl is already used to suspend gravity in Orbit and Shift is used to pan in Orbit Tool.

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I like the general idea of being able to lock the camera height, and it seems like we’ve already discussed this FR before ?

Cannot use ALT by itself on Windows, as this is a system shortcut into the application menu.
It would also suppress ALT+TAB process switching, which is a big no-no!

But ALT can be used with CTRL, if CTRL is pressed first.

Alt already works as modifier key for Paint Bucket Tool without inhibit Alt+Tab from working. A multi-key modifier key on the other hand is something SketchUp doesn’t have. Maybe it would be possible to implement but I don’t think it’s wise from an UX standpoint to break this convention.

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