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Rotate Top/Plan View


Haich

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VW desperately needs the ability to define (& Save & Recall!) an alternate cooridinate system- both offset &/or rotated. VW already has the ability to redefine the origin, but there is no way to save multiple offsets. This really should be a value that can optionally be saved in a SHEET. Also, being able to rotate & work on the 2d View (TOP/PLAN) seems to be one of the most basic needs of any CAD program. Again, this should be a variable that can be stored with a SHEET for quick recall. In AutoCad terms: UCS- user coordinate systems.

Also, PLEASE implement the ability to save MULTIPLE SETS of "printing parameters"- i.e. Plot Size, Plot Origin, Scaling Factor et cetera. I should never have to define the same "plot" twice. In theory, this too could be values optionally saved in a SHEET. In AutoCad terms: Layouts.

Thanks,

-haich

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To create an offset coordinate system, there is already a solution. Use the VS scripts SetOrigin(x,y:REAL), GridLines(gridDistance:REAL) and PenGrid(gridDistance:REAL) with proper values and insert them into saved sheets. It's as simple as that. They can just be one-liners.

For the rotated grid, however, at least in 9.0.0 there seems to be nothing new -- no solution currently. I cannot find a VS call to set the grid rotation angle -- hoping for something like GridRotate(gridAngle:REAL) -- to make a time-saving toggle script. So yes, I agree there's room for improvement. Perhaps it already exists but with a different name?

I think the bigger problem for a rotated grid is the lack of tools after the grid is rotated. The 2D move command totally lacks functions in the rotated direction. This is an old wish item and totally lame. Rectangles do not remain rectangles. Rotated objects do not have rotated stretch handles. Text do not automatically snap to the rotated grid. Etc, etc.

As for printing parameters, I have not found any major limitations. Extensive use of sheets and organizing the drawings in the VW way addresses most of the limitations. I do not agree that VW should be more like Autocad or Wintel. I'm glad Page Setup (on the Mac) with its scaling and orientation settings get saved with each document.

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I've never thought to use the Set Grid for

that purpose- neat. It would be nice if the Obj. Info pallette would show the "I" & "J" dimensions of objects drawn in the rotated grid. A third coordinate plane button maybe (cartesian, cartesian relative to grid angle, and polar)? Currently, it's a hassle to create, say, a 2"x12" rectangle rotated 30? quickly. It's a futher hassle to now make it 3" wide. instead of 2". Modifying these dimensions in the OI pallette would be swell...

------------------

Chad

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quote:

Originally posted by Archken:

For the rotated grid, however, at least in 9.0.0 there seems to be nothing new -- no solution currently. I cannot find a VS call to set the grid rotation angle -- hoping for something like GridRotate(gridAngle:REAL) --

Try Get/SetPrefReal with a constant of varGridAngle = 73

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jodawi:

YES! Setprefreal(73,angle) is the one! Now with appropriate values and inserted into saved sheets to toggle back and forth, Haich and I and others can almost have an alternate coordinate system -- offset, resized or rotated. Thank you!

Matthew Giampapa:

NO! Phooey. Yukkk yukkk yukkk. The rectangle tool, while seeming to draw in the rotated grid direction, becomes utterly useless after it's drawn. It's not even a rectangle (have you actually tried it, Matthew?) -- it's a polygon. It does not stretch in the rotated IJ direction. There are no stretch handles to constrain it. It's totally phoney. I repeat my third paragraph:

quote:

I think the bigger problem for a rotated grid is the lack of tools after the grid is rotated. The 2D move command totally lacks functions in the rotated direction. This is an old wish item and totally lame. Rectangles do not remain rectangles. Rotated objects do not have rotated stretch handles. Text do not automatically snap to the rotated grid. Etc, etc.

I always appreciate the dialogue and all your replies.

-hoping for bug-free improvements

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quote:

Originally posted by Chad:

I've never thought to use the Set Grid for

that purpose- neat. It would be nice if the Obj. Info pallette would show the "I" & "J" dimensions of objects drawn in the rotated grid. A third coordinate plane button maybe (cartesian, cartesian relative to grid angle, and polar)? Currently, it's a hassle to create, say, a 2"x12" rectangle rotated 30? quickly. It's a futher hassle to now make it 3" wide. instead of 2". Modifying these dimensions in the OI pallette would be swell...

Seems simple enough. I tried composing the proper combo of one-liner scripts for a 2"x12" grid 30 degrees rotated. I come to an instant halt, not having enough knowledge of VS (or VS in 9).

It seems the VS Function Reference is missing some items in the appendix. Perhaps it's just the early v9.0.0 that I'm looking at. How do I set snap grid symmetry off? How do I input different values for X and Y? How do I set show grid on/off in VS? If these are available, then 2"x12" grid 30d and back is easy. Rotated tools would still be weak, but at least we'd have the pretty grids to switch to and back.

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It's particularly frustrating not to have alternate coordinate systems in 2D when VW has long been capable of changing coordinate systems in 3D using Working Planes, which allow all tools, move commands, nudge, etc.,to work in alternate, named coordinate systems rotated and translated in 3D space!

NNA: How about adapting all that code to the 2D side?

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Booleans:

varShowPageBreaks = 34,

varShowGrid = 35,

varPrintGrid = 36,

varSnapToGrid = 37,

varSnapToObject = 38,

I don't think the grid spacing can be changed via VS right now. The SDK can change it with GS_SetGridUnits().

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quote:

Originally posted by P Retondo:

It's particularly frustrating not to have alternate coordinate systems in 2D when VW has long been capable of changing coordinate systems in 3D using Working Planes, which allow all tools, move commands, nudge, etc.,to work in alternate, named coordinate systems rotated and translated in 3D space!...

Yes! Excellent suggestion. I would definitely second this wish -- especially for a rotated coordinate plane in 2D. Many times I find walls (or entire wings of a floor plan) that need to swing out 45 degrees or some odd angle to parallel a property line. Switching back and forth to a rotated "working plane" with all 2D/3D tools and commands still working the same way would be a tremendous time saver.

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Yes, that is a nice idea, but just so you know. In the current version you can use the "Set Grid" command in the Page menu to give the 2D reference grid an angle. While this does not change the coordinate system, tools like the rectangle tool, which draw in orientation with the grid, are affected.

Matthew Giampapa

Technical Support

quote:

Originally posted by Archken:

Yes! Excellent suggestion. I would definitely second this wish -- especially for a
rotated
coordinate plane in 2D. Many times I find walls (or entire wings of a floor plan) that need to swing out 45 degrees or some odd angle to parallel a property line. Switching back and forth to a rotated "working plane" with all 2D/3D tools and commands still working the same way would be a tremendous time saver.

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Bruce -

Here are a couple of scripts I use to change the grid angle. "Grid Angle Change" is expecting you to click on 2 points to define a new angle, making it very easy to, for example, match the grid angle to that of a given drawing element. "Grid Angle Default" simply returns the angle back to 0. Both scrips are unencrypted so you can noodle with them as you wish.

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