Arrows on curved lines...

[Thomas Ames]

Is there a way, using attributes, to put an arrow on the end of a graceful, curved line.

I've tried using the Polyline Tool(5) to get some graceful pointing lines, but I can't get an arrow to stick.

I can put an arrow at the end of a straight line, but this seems a bit limiting.

Is anyone else having better luck?

[Guest]

It's possible to put arrows on the ends of arcs, but not polylines. Use some caution if you put arrowheads on arcs, as some users have reported a bug with this feature in which the arrowhead is found to have switched to the other side of the arc after re-opening a file. I haven't seen this bug myself, so I can't say much about the circumstances in which this might happen.

[RLKHydro]

quote:

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Originally posted by Thomas Ames:

Is there a way, using attributes, to put an arrow on the end of a graceful, curved line.

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I don't like the way arcs look as well as polylines, so I usually just draw arrowheads on the ends of polylines using the polygon tool. also have tried drawing a very short line at the end of the polyline and then using the arrowhead tool on the attribute palette. Has anybody posted this to the wish list?? This seems like something VW should be able to handle.

Barb Nelson

RLK Hydro

[Thomas Ames]

Well, Arc Tool(3), Arc by Three Points seems to do the best (graceful) job.

I seem to recall Architectural Desktop R1 (autocad)doing a better job in this dept. But, with some practice this should be fine.

As for the flipping phenomena, I haven't had the occasion to use the function. Sounds a bit scary though.....

Caleb, thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

[Guest]

It's possible to put arrows on the ends of arcs, but not polylines. Use some caution if you put arrowheads on arcs, as some users have reported a bug with this feature in which the arrowhead is found to have switched to the other side of the arc after re-opening a file. I haven't seen this bug myself, so I can't say much about the circumstances in which this might happen.

[acepernich]

The arrowheads dont't flip when reopening the file, but rather whenever the drawing is refreshed. Here is when this bug occurs...

Draw an arc, give it an arrowhead, and draw any other object. Flip the other object (with Tool>Rotate>Flip Horizontal, for instance). Refresh the drawing (zoom in then out). The arrow head will NOT have changed.

Group the previously drawn objects. Enter the group (Edit Group). Now flip the other object as above. Refresh the drawing and you will see that the arrowhead on the arc has flipped.

Exit the group.

Now draw another object (object 2) next to the group, and group them all. You now have a group containing object 2 and the original group. Enter the new group and flip object 2. Refresh the drawing and you will find that the arrowhead on the arc has again flipped, even though the group containing it has not been edited. This is extremely annoying, as editing a group can cause these arrowhead changes without you're realizing it until later.

I deal with it by, whenever flipping gomething in a group, refreshing the drawing and checking the arrowheads. If any have flipped, I draw something, flip it, and delete it. This changes the arrowheads back.

WHAT A PAIN.

[acepernich]

I prefer the Arc by Tangent myself. You can start the arc horizontally from the note, then bend the arc down to the object. You can also do a double curved line by drawing a second arc tangentally (?) off the end of the first.

By the way, another way to work around the arrowhead flipping bug is to show an arrowhead at BOTH ends of the arc, and hide one behind the note (Solid fill behind text). Doesn't work for lines made of more than one arc, though.

[Thomas Ames]

Antone, thanks for your suggestion... the arc by tangent does a nicer job. Also, in two sections, it makes the nice curved line that can be terminated with an open looped end that can be used to encircle a cable or pipe, etc.

This is getting better.....