Line bridging tool, how does one eliminate the gaps?

[LarryO]

A mask seems to cover the original line but it extends both before and after the bridge segment and a cover weight of 1 doesn't mask the original line.

The original line should be connecting to the bridge segment on each end of the bridge should it not?

 

 

[Benson Shaw]

Some thoughts about this:

 

General -

1.  The tool is completely undocumented - No topics in HELP. No cursor or tool hints. No descriptions in the tool prefs palette.

2.  Engage the tool and draw a Bridge Line. Defaults to Cover Weight 30.  Ungroup it to see the 3 components:

            An 180° arc with line weight controlled by the Attributes Palette - this is the visible bridge  . . .  in front of  . . .

            A 160°arc with line weight 150, and pen color same as vectorworks background color - this "blanks out" the crossing at the line/object being bridged.

            A diameter line across the arc with line weight 30, color same as vwx background - This covers the bit of leader/source line under the bridge.

3.  If Manual Cover pref is enabled, the two "cover" objects' line weights adjust proportionally, with the straight segment adopting the Manual value.

 

The Gaps -

4.   Due to Vectorworks rounded line ends, the background diameter line covers a bit of area past its ends and outside the arc, causing those "gaps" on either side of the bridge object. If the Manual setting is large, even the rounded ends of the background arc could cause some of the gap area.

5.  The gaps will be accentuated by the vwx Zoom Line Thickness pref - toggle it to explore.

 

Possible bug -

6.   In my tests, the "Pick Up Class" works in design layers, but not in the SLVP Annotation space (eg other leader lines). Working in the Annotation space, the Bridge Line object always acquires the active class attribute.  Or, maybe I'm missing something.

 

-B