eye dropper, trim, connect/combine

[azizg]

The "eye dropper tool" is a potentialy very useful tool, however clicking on items 1 at a time is very time consuming. Could you give it the same selection options as the "2D selection tool". I.E. rectangular and lasso selection method. Thus allowing multiple objects to be altered at the same time. Would save a lot of time.

The "trim tool" would also benfit from being able to use the lasso selection method triming multiple lines at once.

The "connect/combine tool" is another item which could be greatly improved with the ability to use the lasso tool to first select the items to extend, and then selecting the line to use as a barrier when working in the "single object connect" mode. Probably wouldn't work so well in the "dual object connect/combine" modes.

[Jonathan Pickup]

some of these wish list items are already available if you know how to use them...

the eyedropper tool can apply it?s stuff to several objects, just select them first... if you are from AutoCAD you may not be familiar with the concept in VectorWorks that for some things to work you have to select the objects first

the connect/combine tool can do what you want, use the alt key to extend multiple (selected) objects to the boundary object.

These concepts are covered in my Essential manual with an exercise and a movie...

[azizg]

I see what you mean. It does work but........ it's just a bit clunky. You have to select each object first. In AutoCad when you are in the extend tool you click once to select the barrier and then you draw 1 line and every thing that it crosses is extended. That's only 3 clicks of the mouse to extend an almost infinate number of lines, very handy (and fast)

[Jonathan Pickup]

it may be that you are trying to use VectorWorks like AutoCAD. VectorWorks works differently to AutoCAD and by drawing VectorWorks stuff in the intended way you will find that overall VectorWorks is faster, even if a few tools seem a bit clunky.

Although I know how to extend these lines, I don?t do it very often, so I wonder what exactly you are doing that makes you need to use this tool a lot. If you are drawing lines on elevations then it?s easier to use hatches, if you are drawing floor joists then it?s easier to use the create joists from ploy command....

[Guest]

azizg-

We have a VW training CD intended for those converting from AutoCAD to VW. It's a great resource for rethinking the way you look at CAD when using VectorWorks.

More information can be found by contacting sales at 888-646-4223 or sales@nemetschek.net.

[Ken]

I've just reported this as a bug... then did a search in these discussions in case I was missing something, finding only this recent thread, so here's my "wish list item" :

Improve the Connect/Combine Tool

- Draw a rectangle

- Draw a line segment from outside the rectangle going into the rectangle

- try Single Object Connect mode to connect the line to the rectangle = FAIL!

- Draw a line from inside the rectangle going out of the rectangle

- if less than half of the line is inside the rectangle, why can't it connect to the inside of the rectangle, truncating the longer outside segment?

- if more than half is inside the rectangle, why can't it connect to the outside of the rectangle, truncating the longer inside segment?

Please note that arrowheads are shown in the graphic examples for discussion only. Often the start or end of a line is not visually apparent. Studying the OI for that solid dot is asking too much of the user, IMHO.

(and I'm not comparing to Autocad, FYI)

[mike m oz]

I just tried to do what Ken suggested in VW 12. I drew a rectangle with two horizontal lines crossing its boundaries. One to the left and one to the right. I ended up with some really bizzare results.

With the line crossing the left hand boundary I could not get it to connect as I would have expected:

- If I clicked on the portion outside the rectangle and tried to shorten it to the rectangle the outside portion dissapeared completely only leaving the portion inside the rectangle.

- If I clicked on the portion inside the rectangle and tried to shorten it to the rectangle the inside portion dissapeared completely only leaving the portion outside the rectangle.

This was the opposite of what I expected.

With the line crossing the right hand boundary I couldn't get that to connect as I would have expected either:

- When I clicked on the outside portion and tried to connect it to the rectangle boundary the line dissapeared alltogether and was replaced with a vertical line from the left hand edge of the original line connecting to the top edge of the rectangle.

- When I clicked on the inside portion and tried to connect it to the rectangle boundary nothing happened at all.

This was also not as I expected.

Arch.Ken - the Trim Tool (scissor icon) is a quicker and easier way to trim individual lines to rectangles and the like.

Edited July 18, 2006 by mike m oz