What is best way to use IronCad for instructional manuals?

[HDEAR]

Hi all,

In  a recent post, I asked if it was possible to get a perspective view in CAXA, but it seems I can only do that in ICD. The reason I needed it was that I am preparing instructional manuals for a range of our products. The illustration effect I want to get is similar to what you'd get a a mechanic's manual and I have attached something close to what I would like to achieve ( by another company ). 

After a lot of stuffing about, I have come up with something reasonable and close to what I want by doing this;

1. Orient view how I want it in ICS, open up  in ICD - View From scene -->Perspective ( blank sheet )
2. Wire frame ( no other option )
3. Scale the sheet size down to just enclose the object
4. File.-->Export.-->DXF
5. Open up this DXF in CAXA
6. Print from CAXA to PDF
7. Open up word

Open the dxf file in Word -Takes about a minute of thinking about it and then it appears. The result is pretty good and the lines don't look grainy until  you magnify them about 350%. Result attached. I'd actually like to get this into Publisher where it's a more suitable programme to make manuals, but I can tolerate Word if that's all that's possible.
In case you're wondering, doing screen snips with any of the common snipping tools doesn't come up all that flash.

My question ( finally ) is "Is there a better way to do all this?

Sketch Drawing trial.docx

Edited December 4, 2021 by HDEAR

[Cary OConnor]

It depends if you need vector artwork or not (which I think in the case of the ICD it is not vector in the perspective view). So you could export an image like PNG or TIFF from the ICS. Set the background to which and use Wireframe with Antialiasing. Turn on Silhouette edges. You can also take a look at the realistic settings like Silhouette edge options to make it more pronounced. Then you import that into word, adobe photoshop/illustrator, gimp or some other editor to build out the documentation. 

 

 

[HDEAR]

Thanks Cary,

Sorry for late response, as I just got back from a trip away from the office.

I'll give that a shot in the morning, but looks good from here

Harley

 

[HDEAR]

Update!

Hi Cary - whilst the result looks good on screen, once converted to png, jpg or tiff, the image loses its sharpness. It seems importing into Word or Publisher is where it sharpness is lost.

So, currently, the best result is that long winded one I mentioned in my previous post.

Harley

Edited December 9, 2021 by HDEAR

[Cary OConnor]

Did you use Bold Edges in the scene and the export using the WYSIWYG option (then under options make sure to select 24bit and transparent background).

[HDEAR]

Mmm... don't know - I'll try that.

[HDEAR]

Hi Cary,

I tried the settings you mentioned.

Here are the two results as seen in Publisher ( and Word )

First the TIF

Second DXF-PDF

Edited December 9, 2021 by HDEAR

[Cary OConnor]

Hmm.. Could you send the file and I can take a look at it?

[Cary OConnor]

Also what are your file export size settings? 

 

That will have an impact if your are scaling the image up in Word or something. The image you posted has some sort of issue that we need to figure out as it should look closer to the ones I posted.

Cary

[HDEAR]

Hi Cary, I'll send you the ICS with the scene setting as I understood they were meant to be.

Regards the Export, DPI was at at 600, and WYSIWYG ticked.

Harley

[SSIMMONS]

I just use .ICD and the snip tool (but the pickpik version because of the additional options). Maybe doesn't sound too professional, but it works as well or better than any other way ive seen. There are always exceptions of course. I'm not sure if I set the view to precise in the video and you can change line weight etc, but you get the point I'm sure.

 

-Spencer

[Cary OConnor]

18 hours ago, HDEAR said:

Hi Cary, I'll send you the ICS with the scene setting as I understood they were meant to be.

Regards the Export, DPI was at at 600, and WYSIWYG ticked.

Harley

Thanks and I received the files. I see similar issues you had. Basically the bleed through on thin parts has an issue which in the ICD we provide a setting to adjust that (not in the scene since you would need to readjust that everytime you rotate). The other issue I noticed is that the bold edges don't appear to work on the silhouette edges. I'll have support file that and an ER to possibly expose the camera setting for the bleeding, then it would yield better results for a model like yours in the 3D. 

[IronKevin]

ER 115148 filed.

[HDEAR]

Thanks Cary and Kevin.

[dleczynski]

here is create by ironcad. if you wan't how i sent priv. I use ICD is better than caxa for this instructions
https://domelmeble.pl/upload/manual/NERO-16.pdf

[HDEAR]

Thanks Dzarius,

Those look great. For my application, I can't use ICD or CAXA to produce the final leaflets, I use Publisher or Illustrator. Therefore I need the line drawing images only, and I require them in perspective, not Isometric.

After some enhancing line thickness in CAXA, I have worked out that my original method ( explained in the first post ) works best and I have had some super clear line drawings from that. Yes it's a cumbersome way to do it, but in the end the result looks 'arty' and that's all that matters.

Harley

[Bernd Meißner]

On 1/7/2022 at 11:44 PM, HDEAR said:

Those look great. For my application, I can't use ICD or CAXA to produce the final leaflets, I use Publisher or Illustrator. Therefore I need the line drawing images only, and I require them in perspective, not Isometric.

After some enhancing line thickness in CAXA, I have worked out that my original method ( explained in the first post ) works best and I have had some super clear line drawings from that. Yes it's a cumbersome way to do it, but in the end the result looks 'arty' and that's all that matters.

Harley,

I'm using a totally different approach which looks much easier than your procedure described above. I'm creating drawings using ICD (not CAXA) and export them as PDF files. These can be opened in Illustrator and come in as vector graphics. By using functions like the "Live Paint Bucket Tool" it's easy to colorize the vector graphics in illustrator:

 

The steps in detail:

1. Set the desired perspective view in IronCAD (and save the camera settings for later use).
2. Create new drawing without placing any standard view (empty drawing), just click the red "X".
3. Place a new General View on this sheet and, for the view direction, click "From Scene".
4. In the Drawing Settings, disable "Use Zero Width Lines", which will give you thick and thin paths in your illustration.
5. Export the drawing to PDF (image resolution settings don't matter, there is no pixel content), and select "Force True Representation".
6. Open and edit the PDF in Illustrator (see image above)

That's it.

Bernd