Drawing Assistance

These tools provide assistance and add structure and management to your drawing.

Layers

Layers are used so that objects drawn on that layer can be switched on or off. This controls the layer’s visibility. Similarly, the accessibility of objects can be controlled by locking or unlocking the layer.

The use of layers within a drawing is a CAD standard of most computer assisted drawing programs and strict layer control is encouraged throughout this Training Guide.

Using the layering facility within a drawing allows objects drawn on a particular layer to be controlled by name, color and linetype.

Layers can thus be switched off (invisible) or locked (visible – but not able to modify) and selection of objects can be achieved by using the layer name and / or color to identify that layer. This is done using Edit | Select by…..Layer.

Named layers can be standardized at the beginning of a job and these layers can be stored in a template to avoid creating similar layers in subsequent new drawings.

Any layers contained in symbols, blocks or other drawing entities which are inserted into the current drawing will be incorporated into the existing layer structure.

New layers are created using the Design Director, shown below.

Objects are drawn onto the current layer, shown by the check symbol below.

Objects will be drawn on the current layer, shown by check symbol above

Layers can only be deleted when there are no objects in the workspace currently residing on that layer.

Objects on a locked layer, shown by the padlock symbol are displayed in the workspace but cannot be accessed for modification purposes.

When a layer is switched off, shown below, objects on this layer are not displayed in the workspace. Care should be taken when moving objects associated to this layer.

Showing a layer switched off; all objects on this layer will not be visible in the editor

The Design Director

Tools | Palettes | Design Director

New layers are created using the Design Director, shown below.

Objects are drawn onto the current layer, shown by the check symbol, shown in the illustration below.

Color and pen styles can be assigned to layers. Click onto the color or linestyle block and set the appropriate properties.

Layers can be grouped into specific categories using Layer Filters. Some Layer Filters are shown in the illustration below.

The use of the Design Director is used throughout this Training Guide.

 

The Design Director showing layer filters for layer ‘Assembly’

Worked Example

To create a new layer, right click inside the Design Director and select New Layer.

Name the layer, then apply the appropriate Color and Line Style.

In the illustration below, the layer Sketch is the newly created layer.

Newly created ‘Sketch’ layer

Layer Filters

Layers can be grouped into inter-related categories using Layer Filters.

This is usually done to provide quicker access to layers relating to a specific area in a drawing, such as an architectural layout.

Layers can be added to and removed from filtered layer categories at any stage without deleting the layers or their resident objects from the drawing.

Layer Filters can be grouped according to a ‘wildcard’ selection, which groups layers according to specific criteria, such as GroundFloor.

All layers, including Filtered Layers, are created, modified and stored in the Design Director.

Creating a Layer Filter

New Layers can be created in the Design Director, then added to any of the grouped Layer Filter Sets.

 

Worked Example

In this example, two layers named Sleeve and Damper, shown below will be selected and filtered into a category called HVAC.

Display the Design Director in the Editor using Tools | Palettes | Design Director. The palette will automatically dock at the right edge of the editor. Open the Design Director.

Select the Sleeve layer, then hold down the CTRL keyboard key and select the Damper layer.

On the Design Director task bar shown below, select the New Layers Filter tool.

Creating a new layer filter

Input the New Layer Filter name, similar to the illustration below, then click ok. At this stage, there is no specific filter parameter required. Click OK.

The selected layers are now grouped in a Layer Filter category, shown below.

Damper & Sleeve filtered under ‘HVAC’

In the example, below, this exercise was repeated so that all the layers were grouped into specific layer categories.

By expanding the layers, the filtered layer set is shown below.

Creating a New Filtered Layer

New layers can be created, then dragged into the top-level layer to add new layers to an existing filtered set. In the example below, a new layer Garages was created, then dragged into the top-level layer FloorPlan, shown below.

New layer ‘Garages’ created, then dragged into top-level layer ‘FloorPlan’

Deleting a Named Layer Set

Named Filtered Layer Sets can be deleted at any stage in the Design Director without deleting the grouped layers or the objects resident on that layer in the workspace.

A named Filtered Layer Set can be deleted at any stage from the Design Director by selecting the Filter Name Set and using the Delete Layers Filter option, shown below.

The layers which are filtered under the named layer set will remain in the Design Director, shown below.

Wildcard Selection

Specific Layer Filters can be created using a wildcard for layers which contain a unique ‘keyword’ such as ‘GroundFloor’

When layer names contain a keyword relating to a specific area, wildcards can be used to filter these layers into specific categories.

In the example below, layers have been named according to their position in relation to the house, eg: GroundFloor. These layers can be grouped together and a specific keyword can be used to categorize these layers.

When future layers are named following this protocol, they will automatically be filtered in this category using the wildcard ‘GroundFloor’

A wildcard named GroundFloor* has been created in the filter parameters shown below.

This will automatically filter any layer with the prefix GroundFloor, shown below.

Draw by Layer Plus

Default & Ribbon : Options | Advanced Preferences | Apply General Property Changes to All Tools Presets

This drawing aid allows layer properties such as name, color, linetype, linetype scale etc to be preset at the commencement of a drawing sequence and retains such layer properties when switching to other drawing tools such as circles, arc, polygons etc.

This significantly reduces the amount of time taken to maintain structured layer control within a drawing as the layer properties remain static until another layer is selected at the start of a new drawing sequence.

This condition is a Program setting done by activating Options | Advanced Preferences | Apply General Property Changes to All Tools Presets.

 

Worked Example

Start a new drawing using the preferred template.

Apply the following setting from the Options | Advanced Preferences dialog box below.

Using the Design Director create a new layer, shown below. Call the layer Profile and apply a new color and linestyle to this layer, similar to the illustration below.

Select any line tool, such as Rectangle, then activate the newly created layer ‘Profile’ in the Design Director by checking the box immediately to the right of the layer name, shown below.

Draw a few lines or a profile shape, then select a different draw tool, such as a circle or arc.

As can be seen from the illustration below, the layer properties were retained when moving from the Rectangle to the Circle tool.

Take Note

Layer control is now managed by the user and all preset layer conditions will be used for all future drawing objects of the current drawing sequence. Dimensions, Text and Hatching will also be drawn on the current layer, so take care to change to the appropriate layer when inserting objects which require different layer properties.

Isolate/Hide Objects

Ribbon : Edit | Object Options | Isolate/Hide Objects

Default Menu : Edit | Isolate Objects

This display tool allows objects which are drawn as specific parts to be temporarily isolated or hidden from view.

This is effective when producing a design composed of several composite parts or complex shapes.

When selecting the IsolateObjects option, only the selected object or group of objects is displayed in the editor, with all remaining objects being temporarily hidden. The End Isolation tool restores the display of all entities in the drawing.

When selecting theHide Objects option, the selected object or group of objects is temporarily hidden in the editor, with all remaining objects displayed.

The Isolate/Hide Objects tool functions for both 2D profiles and 3D parts, and single or multiple objects can be selected to be Isolated or Hidden. Objects drawn on multiple layers can also be selected, provided such layers are not locked in the Design Director.

The objects which are isolated in the editor appear in the Part Tree in the Selection Info palette and changes to the design can be done in context. When isolated features are modified in the Part Tree, the associated parts are displayed in context in the editor until the modification is complete.

When the End Isolation tool is selected, all previously isolated (displayed) or hidden objects are restored to the editor, irrespective of the current view.

The Isolate/Hide Objects tool functions independently from layer control methods used in the Design Director.

Objects can be selected using the Isolate/Hide Objects function in any view or display mode.

In the example below, the lens will be isolated from the associated parts. Select the lens, shown below.

Selecting the lens for isolation in the editor

By selecting Edit | Isolate Objects, only the lens part remains in the editor, shown below.

Selected ‘lens’ part only viewed in the editor

The view can be changed and when End Isolation is activated, the hidden parts are restored in alignment with the current view, shown below.

Isolated object, above left and hidden objects restored and aligned to the current view after ‘End Isolation’, above right

Part Tree Modification

Selection Info Palette

Ribbon : Tools | Palettes | Selection Info

Default Menu : Tools | Palettes | Selection Info

The Selection Info Palette is used to view and modify the dimensional properties of any object.Several objects can be selected and their individual properties modified.When a part or multiple parts are selected in the editor, a Part Tree is created in the Selection Info palette.This allows individual components to be modified within the part, updating the final design immediately or within a specified delay interval.The ‘Edit in Place’ option allows contextual modifications to be done directly on the part, with the changes being immediately updated in both the model and the Part Tree.Click here for more information on Part Tree Modification

Parts which are isolated in the editor when using the Isolate/Hide function described above can be modified using the Part Tree.

In the example below, the selected part has been selected.

By selecting Isolate Objects, this part only is displayed in the editor, shown below.

The Part Tree is used to modify the width of the fillet, shown highlighted below.

By selecting the part to modify, its associated part is shown in context in the editor, shown outlined in green above. Change the width value of the blend to 5, shown below.

Changing the width value of the blend

As soon as the Selection Info palette is closed, the isolated part is displayed in the editor, shown below.

Modified part shown in isolation in the editor

This part is displayed in isolation in the editor until the End Isolation function is selected.

All objects displayed in the editor after selecting End Isolation

Conversely, objects can be hidden from display in the editor using the Hide Objects option.

Select the part in the editor, then go to Edit | Object Options and select Hide Objects. In the example below, the mid section part is selected, then the Hide Objects function is selected. The result is shown below right.

Selecting the mid section part, then hiding this part using Hide Objects

All objects are displayed in the editor when the End Isolation option is used.

All parts shown after ‘End Isolation’

 Grid

Ribbon : Options | Drawing Styles | Grid

Default : Options | Grid

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A regular series of vertical and horizontal lines can be displayed in the workspace by creating a Grid.

The Grid snap mode works by attaching the cursor onto each grid intersection.

The Grid snap mode will function even when the grid is not displayed.

The light blue lines of the grid are crossed at regular intervals by heavier blue lines.

The darker blue lines are known as the Grid Divisions.

Grid divisions can be halved or doubled in size using the Halve or Double Grid option.

Intervals between Grid Lines and Grid Divisions are created as follows :

Right click onto the Show/Hide Grid tool, shown above.

Input the required grid intervals into the X and Y Spacing fields.

Click OK when finished.

Divisions between the grid intervals are created as follows:

Right click onto the Show/Hide Grid tool, shown above.

From the explorer page on the left side of the dialog box, select Advanced Grid.

Input the required grid divisions into the X and Y Division fields.

Take Note

Grid spacing values on the X and Y axes will be presented in the same format as the units of measurement, selected in the Space Units page of the Options menu.

The display of the grid in the workspace can be increased or decreased by using the Zoom in (plus key) and Zoom out (minus key)

see also

An isoplane grid can be displayed by inputting the radial angle as well as an Isoplane Grid, shown below. The polar and isoplane grid is response to the current view in the drawing.

Isoplane Grid

Snap Modes

Ribbon : Modes | Snaps

Default | Modes | Snaps

Snap Tab at base of workspace, or Right click | Local Snap

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Specific points of geometry are targeted on an object using Snap Modes

Object snap modes are found in the snap modes toolbar, shown above, or by using the local menu, obtained using the right click mouse button and selecting Local Snap.

Show Magnetic Point is useful when targeting specific points of geometry.

When the Show Magnetic Point snap is active, the targeted snap mode is illustrated by a magenta colored ‘attraction’ point, shown below.

Targeting the center of a circle.

Center snap mode shown next to cursor.

Auxiliary lines shown by pointer.

Running Snap Modes

A running snap mode is a snap mode which remains active until deactivated by the user. This is done by clicking onto the Snap tab at the base of the workspace shown below.

Several snap modes can be activated without conflict by defining the level of priority, shown below. In this example, the Vertex, Center, Intersection and Quadrant snaps are activated, with the Quadrant snap taking lesser priority than the others, shown by the pointer.

Several snap modes activated, with Quadrant snap given lower priority

Single Entry Keyboard Equivalents (SEKE’S)

The following keyboard shortcuts, referred throughout this Training Guide as SEKE’s (single entry keyboard equivalents) are used as single instance (non-fixed) express keyboard keys to target a specific point of geometry on an object, such as vertex, center etc.

When using the SEKE’s, the left mouse click, generally used to define a position in model space is not required.

For example, when defining the center of a circle or arc, simply position the cursor or input device on the edge of the arc or circle and type in the keyboard letter ‘c’. The cursor will snap instantly to the center point of the circle without further mouse assistance.

take Note

The Snap tab at the base of the workspace can be active or non-active; the keyboard shortcuts do not set a running snap, they simply create a single-instance activation of the required snap mode.

The table below provides a list of the single entry keyboard shortcuts.

Key	Snap Mode	Function
C	Center	Snaps to the center of an arc or circle, including construction entities
I	Intersection	Snaps to the crossing or intersecting point of entities, including construction
J	Project	Snaps to a projected 90° perpendicular aspect
M	Middle	Snaps to the midway point of a line or arc
N	Nearest	Snaps to the closest node or pixel on an entity, including construction entities
Q	Quadrant	Snaps to the polar points (apex) of an arc or circle, including construction circles
V	Vertex	Snaps to the vertex (endpoints) of lines and arcs
S	No Snap	Draws to a position indicated by the cursor without left click mouse definition
E	Center of Extents	Snaps to the centrifugal point of 2D and 3D objects
G	Grid	Snaps to a user defined grid intersection
H	Opposite	Draws a line intersected by another to the equal distance from the start point

Highlight Hit Graphic

By activating this feature in the Drawing Aids box, the snap mode highlights the line (2D) or edge (3D) which is targeted for snap attachment.

In the example below left, the line shown by the arrow is highlighted as the targeted object using the Intersection snap. In the example below right, the targeted object is highlighted using the vertex snap.

Highlighting the snap target line or edge