Guest EricFoy Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 I dunno... It seems like I remember IronCAD letting me lay in a dimension that is parallel to a visible edge, setting up the alignment before selecting the dimension attachment points. Maybe I'm dreaming. Does anyone share my psychosis? Or, can you tell me an easy way to accomplish this? Note that I'm not talking about the orientation currently titled, "parallel," which should be called either "direct" or "shortest". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Bertilsson Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Hi Eric! There is a workaround. If you first make a point-point parallell dimension of a line in that angle that you want. Then you mark that dimension and right click and pick "Insert new", now you can pick the point you want. Then if wanted delete the first dimension. This is realy a workaround because you can not afterwards change the points for the dimension, it will then turn into a parallell dimension for the two new points. / Marcus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cary OConnor Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 Maybe I'm unclear on the issue, but here is what you can do....Pick two points and before you select the third time to place the dimension, hit the Tab Key or Right-Click to toggle between Horizontal, Vertical, and Parallel alignment of the dimension. Once you place the dimension, you need to right-click on the dimension to change the alignment. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EricFoy Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 (edited) Marcus: Thanks for the workaround. It actually works quite well. Cary: I have attached a pic. Note that to achieve the desired configuration (on the left), using Marcus' workaround, I had to create six dimensions and delete three. The problem is that the draughtsman often wishes to place a dimension that is taken along an axis that is not parallel to the straight line passing through the two dim attach points. This is why I have said that what IC calls "parallel," ought to be called "direct" or "shortest". IC needs a fourth alignment option which would give the ability to lock the measuing angle at something other than 0, 90, or point-to-point (as determined by the attach points). Here's how I'd like it: Right click the dim, choose Reorient. -pops up a list: (a) Direct ( Horizontal © Vertical (d) Parallel (e) Perpendicular (f) Angle Selecting (a) would do what "parallel" does now. Selecting ( or © would do what they do now. Selecting (d) or (e) would then prompt the user to select either a linear entity or two consecutive points on the drawing. If the first entity selected is a line or edge, you're done, else if the first entity selected is a point, then wait for another point. Selecting (f) would open a dialog box for angular input, with the dimension's current angle loaded as default. You would also want to implement a new dimension creation mode called "aligned", where it prompts you to select an edge or points first. You could make it so that left-click means parallel, and right-click means perpendicular - something like that. I have no idea whether IC's internal structure could fit into this paradigm, but it seems reasonable for a dimension entity to have an orientation angle attribute that could be adjusted through various means... Just my thoughts. Edited April 20, 2006 by EricFoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IronKevin Posted April 20, 2006 Share Posted April 20, 2006 These are nice options, looks like that "other" CAD software doesn't have these either. IK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Bertilsson Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Another issue but I couldent leave it unmenssioned. I see that you also maybe would like "chain-dimension" as an dimension option. In this case that would realy help. That is another ER for me that have been discussed erlier. / Marcus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cary OConnor Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Just for you Marcus...we have added the chain dimension in 9.0. Cary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Bertilsson Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Whooow! Sounds realy great. Can't wait to see it in action. This make me feel real interested of what more will come. Thank you for the good news. / Marcus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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