baronjutter Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 I'm using 2013 and trying to draw some curves, I'm not sure the exact terminology but something like a the top of a french curve or a compound curve. I'm drawing railway track plans and I want curves with gentle easements, not set radius curves. So like a curve that starts out gentle but gets sharper as it goes until it reaches a set desired radius. I've mess around with the spiral tool but can't figure out how to get the results I want. The oval tool seems perfect except I don't wan to draw a full oval. I've had some luck making an arc, converting it to a polygon then just stretching it out, but that's imprecise and most of my curves are not simple 90 degree affairs. Am I missing a tool or there just isn't really an option? I've had some luck just drawing many small arcs and decreasing the radius on each arc in sequence but that's a pain in the butt. Quote Link to comment
markdd Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 Try the Poyline tool. There are several different settings you can try. The Bezier or Spline options might be what you are looking for. Quote Link to comment
Kevin McAllister Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 Can you use the Oval tool, trim away the parts you don't need using the Trim Tool and then use the Compose command to connect your curves? Note that the Quarter Arc tool draws quarter sections of ovals when you aren't constraining it to an arc. Kevin Quote Link to comment
EAlexander Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 I agree with Mark - getting comfortable with the polyline tool is key for this kind of stuff. Quote Link to comment
Gadzooks Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 On 25/02/2018 at 10:50 PM, baronjutter said: I'm drawing railway track plans and I want curves with gentle easements, not set radius curves Interesting project. How does this work though? Would be interested to know more - but don't explain too much - my head, like Homer's, can only take so much before I lose something. I would have assumed (I know nothing!!) that if this work is for railways there would be some specific legislation or code that you have to design to (to to avoid derail?). And (further assuming!!) this would be tied to the rolling stock spec. So in the above scenario there might be a 'template' you could (or should) setup to give you some specific control points when using the polyline tool (which is I think the best option for you - as others have said) Sometimes its worth setting up this type of geometry even if the first instance takes a bit of your time, so you can use it over and over thereafter. But you seem to be saying that you will create 'by eye'. Kudos (or is this for a model railway) Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.