=== Setting Environment Colors ===
[[Image:backcolor_tn.png|thumb|500px|Changing the background color of EM.Cube's project workspace.]][[Image:gridsettings.png|thumb|280px|The Guides tab of the Preferences Dialog.]] The background color of the main window can be changed through '''Menu > Edit > Preferences...''' or using the keyboard shortcut "Ctrl+H". Select the '''Colors''' tab of the Preferences Dialog and click the button labeled "Color" next to '''Background'''. A color selection window pops up. We suggest staying with the default light-gray color since it contrasts best with the default color maps of data visualization. Another global color in [[EM.Cube]] is the "Selection Color". When you select an object, its color turns to the selection color. When you mouse-over an object, it becomes transparent with a shade of the selection color. You can snap to characteristic points of objects (e.g. vertices, edge midpoints, face centers, etc.). These snap points appear in the complementary color of the selection color. By default, [[EM.Cube]]'s selection color is bright yellow. You can also change the selection color from the '''Colors''' tab of the Preferences Dialog. <table><tr><td>[[Image:backcolor_tn.png|thumb|left|600px|Changing the background color of EM.Cube's project workspace.]]</td></tr></table>
=== The Grid ===
[[EM.Cube]]'s grid is used as a guide for drawing objects. By default, when you start [[EM.Cube]], the grid is on and the '''Snap to Grid''' mode is enabled. As you move the mouse in the project workspace, a small white square follows the mouse cursor snapping to the nearest grid node. [[EM.Cube]]'s grid can be turned on or off through the '''Preferences Dialog'''. <table><tr><td>[[Image:gridsettings.png|thumb|left|480px|The Guides tab of the Preferences Dialog.]] </td></tr></table> Select the '''Guides''' tab of this dialog and place a check mark in the box labeled '''Show Grid Lines'''. From this dialog you can also set the color of grid lines. You can show or hide the axis lines in the project workspace. When '''Snap to Grid''' is enabled, a text reading like '''Grid Snap: 5''' appears on the '''Status Bar'''. This shows the current grid cell size. You can turn the '''Snap to Grid''' mode on and off from the status bar by double-clicking on this text to toggle its state. You can also do the same using the keyboard shortcut '''G'''.
[[EM.Cube]] displays grid adaptive by default. As you zoom in or zoom out the view (e.g. using the mouse scroll wheel), the size of the grid cells changes automatically. When you zoom out, the actual grid cell size increases. When you zoom in, it becomes smaller accordingly proportional to the total view size. It seems like you always have the same numbers of grid cells to work with regardless of the total size of the visible workspace. As you zoom in or out, you can see the grid cell size changing in the Status Bar. You can alternatively opt for a fixed grid. To change the grid from '''Adaptive''' to '''Fixed''', select''' Menu > View > Grid Properties...'''. In the Grid Properties Dialog, select the desired radio button. If you select the '''Fixed Grid''' option, you have to define the grid cell size in all three X, Y and Z directions. Thus, you can have a non-uniform grid. You also need to define the extents of the grid. You do this be setting the lower left (Min Coordinates) and upper right corners (Max Coordinates) of the "View Box". These are set as the Min X, Y, Z and Max X, Y, Z values.
<td>
[[Image:gridprop.png|thumb|left|480px|The Grid Properties dialog.]]</td>
</td>
</tr>
</table>