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3D Cursor Tools: Draw Axis, Draw Grid, Align, Transform, Viewpoints, List

by APEC·Workflow

Images © APEC. Used for product review; image policy.

Why we like it

Earns its place for gathering a spread of 3D cursor operations, drawing, aligning, view orientation, and a stored-cursor list, into one C3D panel and pie menu.

What is 3D Cursor Tools: Draw Axis, Draw Grid, Align, Transform, Viewpoints, List?

3D Cursor Tools: Draw Axis, Draw Grid, Align, Transform, Viewpoints, List is a Blender add-on by APEC that groups a range of operations for the 3D cursor. Its interface lives in the Tab Panel under a C3D tab, which can be renamed in the add-on preferences, and a C3D Tools Pie gathers the tools into a single pie menu.

Drawing tools render the cursor axis and a cursor-aligned grid directly in the viewport, with the grid's division size tied to the scene's Unit System and Length. Alignment tools align the 3D cursor to a selection, affecting location, rotation, or both, and work in object mode across multiple objects using the origin. Tweak 3D Cursor Angles rotates the axis so the X or Y runs parallel to a selected edge or vertices, while the Align View menu orients the viewport by cursor axis and can auto-hide Blender's global grid.

A 3D Cursor List stores cursor positions and rotations for later loading, creating empties, or drawing stored axes, and items can be renamed. The 1.0.1 update added Custom Decimals for grid sizing and a Create Mesh for Snap option. It's distributed under the GPL license and supports Blender 3.6 through 5.1.

Who is 3D Cursor Tools: Draw Axis, Draw Grid, Align, Transform, Viewpoints, List best for?

3D Cursor Tools: Draw Axis, Draw Grid, Align, Transform, Viewpoints, List is best for blender users who rely on the 3D cursor for alignment, view orientation, and mirror-setup tasks.

How much does 3D Cursor Tools: Draw Axis, Draw Grid, Align, Transform, Viewpoints, List cost?

3D Cursor Tools: Draw Axis, Draw Grid, Align, Transform, Viewpoints, List is completely free to download and use.

Key features

  • Draw 3D Cursor Axis and a cursor-aligned Draw Grid in the viewport, with the grid's division size tied to the scene's Unit System and Length
  • Align Cursor by selection with options affecting location, rotation, or all, plus post-align tweaking; works in object mode across multiple objects using the origin
  • Tweak 3D Cursor Angles to realign the X or Y axis parallel to a selected edge, two vertices, or a vertex and the cursor center
  • Align View menu to orient the 3D view by cursor axis (Top, Front, Back, Left, Right, Bottom), with Perspective reset and Rotate View to any angle
  • 3D Cursor List to store cursor location and rotation, load stored entries, create an empty placed and rotated by a stored cursor, and rename items
  • C3D Tools Pie gathering the tools, alongside Reset 3D Cursor and a simplified Transform 3D Cursor
  • Create Mesh for Snap and Custom Decimals grid options added in the 1.0.1 update

Tags

#3D cursor#alignment#grid#viewport tools#pie menu#Blender add-on#snapping

Frequently asked questions

Which Blender versions does 3D Cursor Tools support?

3D Cursor Tools supports Blender versions 3.6 through 5.1, covering a wide span from the older 3.x releases up to the 5.x series. It is distributed under the GPL license, matching Blender's own licensing. If you run a build outside that range, check the developer's page before installing to confirm compatibility. Within the supported span, the add-on's panels, menus, and C3D Tools Pie are available for working with the 3D cursor across the drawing, alignment, and view options.

Where do the 3D Cursor Tools appear in Blender's interface?

3D Cursor Tools places its interface in the Tab Panel under a tab named C3D, and you can rename that tab to anything you like in the add-on preferences. From there you reach the axis and grid drawing tools, cursor alignment, the transform and reset options, and the Align View menu. There is also a C3D Tools Pie that gathers all of the tools into one pie menu, and the 3D Cursor List sits alongside these for storing and loading cursor positions.

Can the Draw Axis or Draw Grid checkboxes be enabled at startup or bound to a shortcut?

3D Cursor Tools cannot enable the Draw Axis or Draw Grid checkboxes by default in your startup file, which is a consequence of how Blender's modal operators work. For the same reason, enabling or disabling those checkboxes can't be assigned to a keyboard shortcut, and neither can the Active Item and All Items options in the 3D Cursor List. You will need to toggle these manually in the C3D panel each time you want axis or grid drawing active.

What does the Draw Grid size depend on, and what did the 1.0.1 update add?

3D Cursor Tools draws a grid whose division size depends on the scene's Unit System and Length settings, staying consistent for Millimeters and Centimeters as well as Inches and Thou. The 1.0.1 update added a Custom Decimals option so you can define your own grid size, plus a Create Mesh for Snap option that builds a hidden, unselectable grid mesh matching the drawn lines for snapping. That mesh and its collection are removed automatically when Draw Grid or the snap option is turned off.

Is 3D Cursor Tools free?

3D Cursor Tools is listed as free in this catalog. For current licensing and any purchase terms, check the developer's page, since these details can change over time. The add-on itself is distributed under the GPL license. It carries a small number of user ratings on its source page, both giving it a top score, though that reflects only a handful of reviews rather than a broad sample, so weigh it accordingly when deciding.

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