2D Drafting & Annotation

Point Tool

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Draw | Point | Point Along Path

A new Point tool, Points along Path has been added to the Draw > Points menu.

By activating this tool, the user can set points along the path defined by(curves), followed by the properties “number of points” and “by distance”.

This tool is useful for measuring specific segments along a curve by creating a marker at the specified intervals.

Options include :

• By Distance
• By Number of Points
• From Path Start Point
• From Path End Point

The following entities can be used with the Points along Path tool :

• Line
• Polyline
• Regular/Irregular Polygon
• Arc
• Circle
• Bezier Curve

Example

1. The currently activated Point marker is used to etch the number of intervals along an entity. Right-click onto the Point tool in the Draw menu and activate the preferred marker and set the size. In this example, the Square marker is used and the size is set to 2mm.
2. Draw a line, polyline, arc or bezier curve, similar to the illustration below.

1. Select Draw > Point > Points Along Path.
2. Tab to the data fields and input a number of points as 5.
3. Activate the by number of points option.
4. Select the 2D entity in the editor.
5. The result is shown below.

Flow Chart Tools

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Options Include :

• Basic Shapes
• Attached Text
• Connector

Basic Shape

Tools | Flow Chart | Basic Shape

A new tool Basic Shape has been added to the Tools > Flow Chart menu.

This tool is used to draw all basic shapes used in a Flow Chart. Currently, there are 10 shapes available in the local menu, which can be inverted with an option available.

Examples of the basic shapes are shown below.

Flow Chart Basic Shapes

Example

1. Select Tools > Flow Chart > Basic Shapes.
2. Select the Basic Shape from the options shown below, inputting the Width and Height.
3. Position the shape in the editor.

TIP

To create a filled shape, select the basic shape, set the size, then right click in the editor and select Properties from the local menu. Set the Brush Pattern to solid.

Basic Shape Connector

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Tools | Flow Chart | Connector

The Connector Creation tool is a part of the Flow Chart in the Tools menu.

This tool is used to connect different shapes.

Options Include :

• Straight
• Perpendicular 90
• Parallel
• Perpendicular 270
• Flip
• Smart
• Link

TIP

If the Smart option is enabled, the type of connector (the direction of the arrows) is determined by the connected segment.

If the Link option is enabled, then a link is created between the connector and the connected object.

Link between Object and Connector

A connector can create a link to a closed polyline. If the connected object is moved or updated, the connector follows the object.

Double-sided Arrow Connector

Two points define connectors, and each point can have arrows. This can be changed/specified in the Selection Information Palette properties of the connector.

The connector will be curved if the “Curved” property is checked from the Selection Information Palette options.

Attached Text

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Tools | Flow Chart | Attached Text

A new tool Attached Text has been added to the Tools > Flow Charts menu. This adds the ability to attach text to any object.

The text is attached to the object so that the center of the text is the same as the center of the object. Whenever the object changes, the position of the text also changes.

Before moving shape

Text moves along with the shape, as does the linked connector.

After moving shape

Selector Properties

Selector ‘Mark Size’

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Selector Properties | General | Mark Size

A new option Mark Size has been added to the General page in the Selector Properties dialog.

This option adjusts the handles and axis markers of the 2D or 3D Selector Shell.

This allows the user to personalize how the selector shell features are displayed when selecting an object.

In the illustration below left, the default mark size for the selector shell features is shown.

In the illustration below right, the default mark size is increased to 6.

Selector handles shown in 2D and 3D

Example

1. Select the 2D or 3D Selector Properties option in the status bar at the base of the editor.
2. Select General > Mark Size.
3. Check the Calculate Automatically (4 pixels) to set the Custom Size.
4. Uncheck the Calculate Automatically option and input a new value in the Custom Size field.

Selector 2D – New Axis Options

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Selector Properties | Selector 2D

A Y-Axis has been added to the 2D selector shell handle. This allows the rotation of a selected 2D object using the reference point as the rotation pivot.

In the illustration below, the illustration on the right was rotated using the Y-handle.

Rotating a 2D object using the Y-Axis handle. Selector Properties set to 2D.

Axis Labels

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Selector Properties | Selector 2D

A new option Show Axis Labels has been added to the Selector 2D page in the Selector Properties dialog.

When enabled, it displays the XY axis labels in accordance with the World Coordinate System.

In the illustration below, the object is selected in an Isometric view, aligning the axis label to correspond to the WCS.

Show Axis Y

A new 2D Selector Property option Show Axis Y has been added to the in the Selector Properties options.

When disabled, the Selector Shell displays the handles and the X-axis handle (below left)

When enabled, the Selector Shell displays the handles, and the X and Y axis (below right)

Example

1. Select the 2D or 3D Selector Properties option in the status bar at the base of the editor.
2. Select the Selector 2D page.
3. Activate Show Axis Y.

Letters for X-Y axes

Labels for the X-Y axis handles in the 2D Selector Properties options remain aligned orthographically and in alignment with the current view and workplane.

X-Y Axis labels remain aligned during rotation. Axis labels are non-zoomable.

Select by Type

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Edit | Select by… | Entity Type

The Select by Type tool has the ability to select by object sub-types.

In the example below, 2 sub-types of dimensions are selected.

Edit | Select by… | Entity Type

Curve Blend tool

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Modify | Blend Curves

The Blend Curves tool can blend polylines and curves. Options include :

• G2 continuous. This option builds Bezier segment by 2 points, 2 directions, and 2 curvatures.
• Minimized radius of curvature. This option constructs a Bezier segment whose maximum radius of curvature is minimal.

Objects to which the Blend Curve tool applies are :

• Polylines
• Arcs
• Curves

Example

G2 Continuous

1. In the example below left, 2 separate curves are drawn as polyline arc segments.
2. Select Modify > Blend Curve.
3. Select the G2 option
4. Select the 2 points between ❶ and ❷
5. The result is shown below right.

Minimized Radius of Curvature

1. In the example below left, 2 separate curves are drawn as polyline arc segments.
2. Select Modify > Blend Curve.
3. Select the Minimized Radius of Curvature option.
4. The Curvature Radii remains at 1mm
5. Select the 2 points between ❶ and ❷
6. The result is shown below right.

Bezier Edit tool

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The Bezier edit tool now includes visualization of radii of curvature as a set of segments and editing tangent nodes (green) while maintaining tangent direction.

Additionally, preserves tangent direction has been included as a new local menu item of the Bezier edit tool which allows the editing of a Bezier curve without changing the direction of the tangent at the point.

show curvatures

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The Curve tool has a new show curvatures option.

When this property is enabled, it displays curvatures as a set of segments.

Example

1. Select Draw > Curve and use any curve option to draw a shape in the editor. In this example, a Bezier curve is used. Right click and select Finish to create the end point of the curve.
2. Select the Edit tool, select the curve, then expand the Curve options in the Selection Info palette.
3. Activate the Show Curvatures option.

Drafting Palette

Highlight View Line associated with the ‘Aligned Section View’

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Tools | Drafting Palette | Aligned Sectional View

When views have been created using the Drafting Palette, the Aligned Sectional View option can be used to determine what the section is cutting through. This is displayed in the viewing pane of the Drafting Palette.

Naming of Aligned Sectional Views according to the View Line name

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Drafting Palette’s aligned sectional views have been updated. The naming of Aligned Sectional Views according to the View Line name has been added to the Drafting Palette. The View Line name is reflected in the name of Aligned Sectional View. The name of the View Line is displayed with Aligned Sectional View so that the View Line is associated with the Aligned Sectional View.