# F09 — Viewport Menu Bar

> SkinLayer Studio **1.3.x Standalone** UI reference.  
> Practice: EP00–EP12 · Features: **F01–F17** (order 50+).

> 3D Viewport **top mode bar** — work mode · camera · display · shading · lighting.  
> Overall placement: [UI layout](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-layout-overview?lang=en) **#6 · #7**.

---

## At a glance

![Viewport mode bar](viewport_mode_bar_overview.png)

| Zone | UI | Role |
|------|-----|------|
| Left | **Select Bone / Paint / Vertex** | Viewport work modes |
| Overlay | Mesh name · Verts · Bones · Layer · Selected | Current status summary |
| Right | **Persp ▾ · Display ▾ · Textured ▾ · Unlit ▾** | Camera · display · shader · lighting |
| Far right | **Sel: N** · ViewCube | Selection count · orientation |

Weight colors (heatmap) are also adjusted in Tools → **Scene**.  
→ [Tools panel — Scene](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-tools?lang=en)

---

## Work modes

| Button | Hotkey | Description |
|--------|--------|-------------|
| **Select Bone** | Q | Select bones in viewport · manipulate with gizmo (W/E/R). Paint/vertex tools OFF |
| **Paint** | P | Brush-paint weights (or Mask) — pick a bone in Influences first |
| **Vertex** | V | Vertex select — **□ Box / ⊙ Lasso** tools appear on the mode bar |

For painting, the usual combo is **Paint** + an Influences bone (or `[Mask]`).

---

## Persp ▾ — camera / Frame Fit

![Persp menu](viewport_persp_menu.png)

| Item | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Persp** | Perspective view |
| **Front / Back / Left / Right / Top** | Orthographic views |
| **Frame Fit (F)** | Frame camera to selection (or scene) — hotkey **F** |

You can also change orientation with the ViewCube (**Front**, etc.).

---

## Display ▾ — display options

![Display menu](viewport_display_menu.png)

| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Filtered Bone Only** | Show only bones **visible (filtered) in Influences** in the viewport |
| **Vertex Normals** | Show vertex normals |
| **Show Edge** | Mesh edge (wire) overlay |
| **Show Vertex** | Show vertex points |
| **X-Ray Bones** | Show bones through the mesh |
| **Show Grid** | Ground grid |
| **Show Axis Gizmo** | Axis gizmo |

Checked = ON. For weight checks, **X-Ray Bones** · **Show Edge** are often enabled.

---

## Textured ▾ — shading modes

![Shading menu](viewport_shader_menu.png)

| Mode | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Wireframe** | Wire only |
| **Gray Shaded** | Gray shading (check form) |
| **Textured** | Show textures (when texture bindings exist on slots) |

The button label switches to the current mode (`Textured ▾`, etc.).

---

## Unlit ▾ — lighting

![Lighting menu](viewport_lighting_menu.png)

| Mode | Description |
|------|-------------|
| **Lit** | Lambert lighting ON — depth |
| **Unlit** | Lighting OFF — **heatmap · texture colors as-is** (recommended default while painting) |

If shading hides weight colors, use **Unlit**.

---

## Overlay info (example)

`Dummy_Body` · `Verts: 4065` · `Bones: 87` · `Layer: Base` · `Selected: 0`

Shows active mesh · vertex/bone counts · active layer · selection count at a glance.

---

## Recommended while skinning

```
Paint mode + Unlit + (as needed) X-Ray Bones / Show Edge
→ Pick bone in Influences → brush paint
→ F for Frame Fit, Persp/Front to check angles
→ Filtered Bone Only to see Used bones only (tied to Influences filter)
```

---

## Related docs

| Doc | Contents |
|-----|----------|
| [UI layout guide](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-layout-overview?lang=en) | Viewport #6 · #7 |
| [Influences details](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-influences?lang=en) | Paint target bones · Used |
| [Tools panel — Set Weights / Scene](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-tools?lang=en) | Brush · heatmap colors |
| [Texture Manager](/guide/skin-layer-studio/ui-texture-manager?lang=en) | Texture paths · Collect |

---

*Images: `viewport_mode_bar_overview.png` · `viewport_persp_menu.png` · `viewport_display_menu.png` · `viewport_shader_menu.png` · `viewport_lighting_menu.png`*  
*Written: 2026-07-26*