Hierarchy Panel
The Hierarchy tab in the Inspector shows all Build, Dig, and Wrap stacking relationships. Reorder children within a parent group, change operation modes, and unlink objects.
Hierarchy PanelThe Stacking Hierarchy panel is the Hierarchy tab inside the Inspector. It lists every parent object that has stacked children and shows exactly how each child combines with its parent using one of six modes: Add, Cut, Wrap, Highest, Lowest, or Replace. Use it to audit complex multi-shape 3D compositions, swap combine modes on the fly, reorder siblings, or break relationships that are no longer needed. Stack relationships are created first with the Stack tools in the 3D editor — the Hierarchy panel is where you manage them afterwards.
Changing the operation mode
Click the operation badge on a child row to cycle through the available modes: Build → Dig → Wrap → Build. The canvas updates immediately to reflect the new operation.
Reordering children
Select a stacked child by clicking its row. Use the Up and Down arrow buttons in the row, or press Alt+ArrowUp / Alt+ArrowDown, to move the child higher or lower in the stacking order within its parent group.
Unlinking a child
Click the Unlink button (chain icon) on a child row to remove its stacking relationship. The child is detached from the parent and becomes an independent 3D object.
Selecting from the hierarchy
Click any row in the Hierarchy panel to select that entity on the canvas. The editor selection updates to that entity, and you can then use the Inspector's other tabs to edit its properties.
Empty state
When no stacking relationships exist in the current project, the Hierarchy panel shows an empty-state prompt with a call to action to activate the Stack tool in 3D mode.
Unlink a child from its parent
Click the Unlink (chain) button on the right side of a child row to break its stacking relationship. The child detaches from the parent and becomes an independent 3D object at its current position. The parent's shape returns to its state without that child's contribution. This action can be undone with Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z.
Create your first stack from the empty state
When no stacking relationships exist, the panel shows the three operation icons and an Activate Stack Tool link. Click it to activate the Build stack tool in the left toolbar. Once you have stacked at least one shape onto a parent, the Hierarchy panel populates automatically with the new relationship.
Add merges the child's 3D volume into the parent. Cut carves the child's shape out of the parent. Wrap drapes the child over the parent's surface contour. Highest and Lowest pick the taller or shorter height value where shapes overlap. Replace overwrites the parent height with the child's value in the overlapping region.
Unlinking a child is not the same as deleting it. The child object remains in the project as an independent shape — it is simply no longer evaluated as part of its former parent's composition. If you want to remove the child entirely, delete it from the canvas after unlinking.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Alt+Up Arrow | Move selected stacked child up within its parent |
| Alt+Down Arrow | Move selected stacked child down within its parent |
Frequently Asked Questions
The Hierarchy tab is empty. Why?
No stacking relationships have been created yet. Click the Activate Stack Tool link in the empty-state panel, or pick a Stack tool from the left toolbar in the 3D editor, and combine shapes with Build, Dig, or Wrap. Once at least one relationship exists, it appears in the Hierarchy panel immediately.
What is the difference between Cut mode and deleting the child object?
Cut mode keeps the child as a live, editable subtraction — you can move it, resize it, or change its mode at any time and the parent updates accordingly. Deleting the child removes it from the project entirely. Unlinking without deleting detaches the child but leaves it as an independent object, so the parent loses the cutout.
Reordering a child doesn't seem to change anything in the 3D view.
Sibling order only matters when children overlap or their operations interact in sequence. If two children occupy separate areas of the parent without any overlap, swapping their order has no visual effect. Order becomes significant when, for example, one child adds volume in a region that a second child then cuts.
I can see the parent in the panel but not all its children. Is something hidden?
The panel filters out workspace-specific entities such as terrain breaklines, spot elevations, slope callouts, and survey records — these live in their own dedicated workspaces. Only stackable 3D entities (extruded shapes, solids, parametric forms) appear here.
Can I change the mode for multiple children at once?
Not currently. Each mode badge cycles independently when clicked. To change several children to the same mode, click each badge in turn until it reaches the desired mode. The 3D view updates live after each change so you can evaluate the result before moving on.