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rojharris  
#1 Posted : Monday, June 4, 2007 10:51:19 AM(UTC)
rojharris

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 5/28/2007(UTC)
Posts: 15

Hi All,

What seems to me like another dumb question, sorry:

I cannot get the stretch tool to stretch an object smaller. I can draw a cube and select one corner as the start point, another as the ref point and if I select an arbitrary target point further along the imaginary line then no problem, the cube scales. However if I make my target point back inwards from the reference point, viaCAD does nothing?? no scale? This seems wrong to me. surely it should work both ways?
I don't want to use the non-proportional scale tool as that's not interactive so doesn't do what I need.

Any ideas?
Roger
jlm  
#2 Posted : Monday, June 4, 2007 11:27:30 AM(UTC)
jlm

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You're not alone Roger!
I asked this dumb question too, some times ago in the old forum.
It can be improved:rolleyes: .
JL
rojharris  
#3 Posted : Monday, June 4, 2007 12:51:39 PM(UTC)
rojharris

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 5/28/2007(UTC)
Posts: 15

Thanks JL,

Yes it definitely needs improving. An interactive, non-uniform scaling tool is vital in any cad package. It seems to me to be one of the most basic features that should be incuded!

oh well. Hopefully it will be addressed in an update sooer rather than later.

cheers
Roger
jlm  
#4 Posted : Monday, June 4, 2007 2:39:33 PM(UTC)
jlm

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Roger,
But we have a nice scaling tool : it is next to the move (translate) tool.
It works very well, uniform or not, with any element, geometry or solid.
Regards,
JL
rojharris  
#5 Posted : Tuesday, June 5, 2007 2:20:43 AM(UTC)
rojharris

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 5/28/2007(UTC)
Posts: 15

Well my scaling tool doesn't work well at all??

If I want to scale uniformly then fine, no problem, but if I want to scale in one axis only the tool insists on numerical input, instead of letting me set a "anchor-reference-end" set of points with the mouse.

Numerical input on non-uniform scale is next to useless. I have no idea what percentage I will need to scale something? I need to do it with mouse clicks.

Unless I'm doing something wrong or mine is broken?
nabed  
#6 Posted : Tuesday, June 5, 2007 6:07:50 AM(UTC)
nabed

Rank: Member

Joined: 2/18/2007(UTC)
Posts: 98

workaround:

Do a mouse input uniform scale. Undo and change the scale tool to differential. Now the values for each scale dimension (x,y,z) stay like the scale value of the uniform scale You performed before.
Change the scale dimensions You don't want to scale to 1, hit enter and Your done.

I know it's a bit tedious, but I honestly don't know how differential scale values could be reasonably determined by mouse clicks.

Ciao, Norbert
rojharris  
#7 Posted : Tuesday, June 5, 2007 7:02:41 AM(UTC)
rojharris

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 5/28/2007(UTC)
Posts: 15

Thanks Norbert, that's a good idea.

The way I see it, differential scale values can be set just like the scale tool ought to work. i.e. you chose which axis you want to scale along and click for start, ref and finish ponts, job done.

Thanks for your workaround.
jlm  
#8 Posted : Tuesday, June 5, 2007 10:21:12 AM(UTC)
jlm

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rojharris wrote:

Numerical input on non-uniform scale is next to useless.

I always used numerical inputs with success, sometimes with guide geometry, sometimes directly (for differential shrink rates of materials for instance).
Tho, I admit it could be improved per your request, for other usages.
JL
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