a few questions...

[Itchy]

Just a few question.

1. Im trying to create a steel portal frame, i got one of the Steel sections and traced over it to create a polygon, i then extruded that polygon along a path to create a portal frame. How can i make it so that in a Top/Plan view i only see the profile of the portal frame at the base, and not the whole frame?

2. When i go to apply Hatch 3 to a object, VW applys Hatch 1, so if i want to apply hatch 3, i need to apply Hatch 5. Im guessing this to be a bug?

3. When you snap onto a object your curser changes to a black dot and text shows up saying what it is that you have snaped onto. I just get the black dot and no text saying what it is that im snaped onto. Im assuming this is a setting that i have accidently turned off somewhere? any one no how i need to go about turning it back on?

[Ken]

1. Why extrude along path? Is it a curved moment frame? Even so, just assemble three pieces: two columns that you can see in top/plan as steel sections, third horizontal (or curved) piece you place up there and hide with classes or keep on separate layer (use a linked model, etc.). Think "roof plan" object.

2. Sounds like a bug. Hatches work as advertised for me.

3. Press the Y key to toggle screen hints.

[mike m oz]

Try creating your portal frame as a hybrid 2D/3D symbol.

- Create the 3D version.

- Draw 2D versions of the columns at each end over the top of your 3D element.

. (And a connecting dotted line if you want to show the line of the steel beam over in plan view).

- Select both the 3D and 2D parts and create a hybrid symbol.

This will give you both the correct 2D and 3D representations. As it is likely to be a repeated element this will also have the advantage that any changes will only have to be done in the one location.

[mar schrammeyer]

Ungroup the steel section and you have the polygon saves tracing

[mike m oz]

Some additional advice:

- To keep the rendering times reasonable keep the shape you are going to extrude simple - ie. right angle corners not curves. At the scale you will be viewing this you will not notice it whereas curved surfaces will blow your rendering times out of the water.

- The 2D only elements can still have the curves in them so that you get the correct plan view if you blow it up for a detail.