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Identifying a location in 3d space


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I was working on a project today that had curved surfaces (nurbs surfaces) and in plan view they are off set but not in a regular pattern and are then raised 6" above the lower surface.

My question is how is it best to try to identify a point in 3d space?

I used a 2d loci at the edges and the created a line the rotated it to the z axis 90 degrees and then tried to use front, back, right, and left to place a 3d loci to make the spot where the surface and the line intersect.

The 3d loci wouldn't snap to the intersection of the nurbs surface and the 2d line! I'm I missing something or is Vectorworks not really a 3d design tool?

Any thoughts on how I should try to deal with this as I was hoping to duplicate the 3d loci and move it 6"in the z direction before creating a new nurbs curves.

I don't know if these wire frames help to show an example:

Top plan view.

Iso

Dennis

___________________

VW 2015 Designer w/Renderworks SP4 | Since Minicad 6 | Mac OS 10.10 | Retina Display Macbook Pro 8GB Ram |

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Pat,

The Extract and Analysis tool works only if I convert my rotated 2d line that is in the Z direction only to a nurbs curve. Then when I highlight the the curved surface first, next the nurbs curve/line and a 3d loci is placed where they intersect.

Thanks for your advice.

Dennis

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  • 2 months later...

Just noticed that if you hit "G" key you get a reference point to measure from but if you now hit escape the floating bar stays next to your mouse that corresponds to the bar in the bottom of the screen giving you "X,Y,Z" co-ordinates, so mouse over a point it will lock onto that point giving you the point in space.

HTH

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Plus,

in Selection "X" Mode,

you can Press "TAB" to open/extend the complete Cursor Bar,

which will show absolute coordinates.

You can go on hovering/(snapping) to all vertex points of interest

and read their coordinates.

If you have the needed Layer active, you will also see Delta Z height

from Layer Base :)

Edited by zoomer
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