logo
NOTICE:  This is the new PunchCAD forum. You should have received an email with your new password around August 27, 2014. If you did not, or would like it reset, simply use the Lost Password feature, and enter Answer as the security answer.
Welcome Guest! To enable all features please Login or Register.

Notification

Icon
Error

Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
BobbyC.  
#1 Posted : Monday, October 28, 2013 3:27:42 PM(UTC)
BobbyC.

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 10/25/2013(UTC)
Posts: 7

Hello All,

I am new to the software and am not an engineer (why I bought it :o).

I'm asking for some help to make a drawing for the attached metal roof curb frame. I've been doing these in Photoshop, which is working but I would like to be more to scale with them.

Can anyone give me some starting points or tips for the easiest way to do these? I spoke to someone very helpful at Punch and he explained how to make a 2x4 tube using the extruder but I'm having some trouble putting it all together.

Ideally I would like to make my tubes then copy, rotate, change length etc.. then put it all together, of course that may not be the best way so please feel free to tell me.

I'm not looking for someone to take me step by step (unless you want to), just need help to get me going in the right direction.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.
File Attachment(s):
Curb2.pdf (567kb) downloaded 7 time(s).

You cannot view/download attachments. Try to login or register.
Tim Olson  
#2 Posted : Monday, October 28, 2013 10:47:57 PM(UTC)
Tim Olson

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 2/2/2007(UTC)
Posts: 5,447
United States

Was thanked: 502 time(s) in 353 post(s)
Hi Bobby,

You may want to start out with laying out the 2D profile and posting that file. Through basic associativity and the extrude command you can get quite a few variations of your design just by moving the 2D profile.

Tim
Tim Olson
IMSI Design/Encore
BobbyC.  
#3 Posted : Tuesday, October 29, 2013 10:27:18 AM(UTC)
BobbyC.

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 10/25/2013(UTC)
Posts: 7

Thanks Tim,

I have drawn it out with single lines, I assume that's what you mean?

If I try to print it, it's just a blank page, I have attached the vc3 file.
File Attachment(s):
Frame1.vc3 (7kb) downloaded 7 time(s).

You cannot view/download attachments. Try to login or register.
BobbyC.  
#4 Posted : Tuesday, October 29, 2013 3:10:47 PM(UTC)
BobbyC.

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 10/25/2013(UTC)
Posts: 7

I have a couple more very basic questions.

If I draw a rectangle, then want to add a line inside of it, I can enter the length I want, but can't figure out how to tell it to put the line 15" from another line.

I assume it has to do with the X and Y axis but I just can't figure it out. Sorry, I know these are elementary questions.
Tim Olson  
#5 Posted : Tuesday, October 29, 2013 3:18:56 PM(UTC)
Tim Olson

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 2/2/2007(UTC)
Posts: 5,447
United States

Was thanked: 502 time(s) in 353 post(s)
I thought I would give ViaCAD 2D/3D 9 a test by creating a video.

Below is a video showing one option to create a 3D associative model from the 2D profile.

http://www.csi-concepts.com/Dem...s/associativeProfile.mp4



Tim
Tim Olson
IMSI Design/Encore
Tim Olson  
#6 Posted : Tuesday, October 29, 2013 3:31:08 PM(UTC)
Tim Olson

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 2/2/2007(UTC)
Posts: 5,447
United States

Was thanked: 502 time(s) in 353 post(s)
>>but can't figure out how to tell it to put the line 15" from another line.

Try the Parallel Line tool (fourth item in line tools). Create the parallel line, then type 15 in the data entry window.

Tim
Tim Olson
IMSI Design/Encore
BobbyC.  
#7 Posted : Tuesday, October 29, 2013 6:58:50 PM(UTC)
BobbyC.

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 10/25/2013(UTC)
Posts: 7

Wow, thanks Tim, just what I needed.

I actually was working with the parallel tool after I posted so I was on the right track on that part.

I have been in the software business, quite a few years back, in the DOS days, so I am familiar with the challenges of support and I have to say this is the best support experience I can ever recall. Very responsive, timely and helpful. Someone took some time on the phone with me the day before as well and was very helpful. You folks are doing it right.

I will be recommending you to others and will be upgrading to the pro version as soon as I have myself up to speed.

Best Regards,
Bobby Cunningham
BobbyC.  
#8 Posted : Wednesday, October 30, 2013 10:45:08 AM(UTC)
BobbyC.

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 10/25/2013(UTC)
Posts: 7

One more question.

When I use the Smart Label to show the 15.75 measure on the Return area, I hold shift as shown in the video, then click on the other end and nothing happens. I tried and tried for over an hour, doing exactly what is shown on the video, and it simply does not work, I used the exact same file I attached and even made a completely new one and it does not work. Clicking on a line works perfectly and even the horizontal dimension works, but the smart dimension just will not do anything for the measurement between the two lines.

Is there a setting I may need to make?
BobbyC.  
#9 Posted : Wednesday, February 5, 2014 1:54:36 PM(UTC)
BobbyC.

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 10/25/2013(UTC)
Posts: 7

Hello,

I still have not been able to figure out the issue with the Smart Dimension tool. On the measurement that Is 15.75" on the Return section. If I press shift on the left line, then hold shift and click on the right line, nothing happens as in the video. I'm doing it exactly as the video shows it.

I have been resorting to the Horizontal Dimension tool but of course, it will not update when I make changes to the layout. I would really like to be able to make that work. Is there a setting?
ZeroLengthCurve  
#10 Posted : Thursday, February 6, 2014 4:52:59 PM(UTC)
ZeroLengthCurve

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 5/15/2008(UTC)
Posts: 989

Thanks: 19 times
Was thanked: 37 time(s) in 25 post(s)
Tim,

THANKS for the vid! It gave me a sudden inspiration that proved quite workable for what I've been trying to achieve. I like it better than what I thought I was on to a few days ago. I'd forgotten about sweeping this way.

Now, my workload is somewhat, but appreciably, reduced.

Thanks!
jdi000  
#11 Posted : Friday, February 7, 2014 4:46:02 PM(UTC)
jdi000

Rank: Administration

Joined: 7/29/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,862
United States

Thanks: 1 times
Was thanked: 87 time(s) in 81 post(s)
Originally Posted by: BobbyC. Go to Quoted Post
Hello,

I still have not been able to figure out the issue with the Smart Dimension tool. On the measurement that Is 15.75" on the Return section. If I press shift on the left line, then hold shift and click on the right line, nothing happens as in the video. I'm doing it exactly as the video shows it.

I have been resorting to the Horizontal Dimension tool but of course, it will not update when I make changes to the layout. I would really like to be able to make that work. Is there a setting?



Hi Bobby

The outer rectangle in the attached file is a polygon so that's why the smart dimension tool is not working. If you convert the outer rectangle from a polygon to lines then the smart dimension tool should work as your looking for.

Regards
Jason
Windows 11, 10
ZeroLengthCurve  
#12 Posted : Friday, February 7, 2014 5:19:10 PM(UTC)
ZeroLengthCurve

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 5/15/2008(UTC)
Posts: 989

Thanks: 19 times
Was thanked: 37 time(s) in 25 post(s)
Dimensioning is one of those things I've virtually never pursed because I feel confounded and ignorant and forgetful about how to make dimensioning work for me.

I do not know what is in the dimensioning engine in Shark/VCP, but on the assumption it is not one of what I'm about to list below, I would say:

-- Gut the dims engine, eviscerating completely
-- Rewrite it to know the scale of the drawing
-- Give it an AI (artificial intelligence) to auto-size the arrows and text according to drawing extents and some general population of geometry
-- Make dimensions KNOW the planes, irrespective of user orientation when making dimensions
-- Make dims cursor-sensitive so that on mouse-over, the presence of the mouse with activation of a hot key or button will visually ballon the text to spare the user of billions of mouse miles of zooming (of course, in dense areas, filtering would be needed, or physical zooming would be)


When I'm in front view, Smart Dimension lets me draw the dimesion easily, but the text is readable only in plan view. The text needs a virtual gyro/leveler so that it's readable from any view, any angle. This would be useful on-screen and on-paper.

Honest, because I *CARE* about the future of Shark and VCP, I am frustrated by dimensions. I think I am avoiding dimensioning because I really do not look forward to anxiety attacks when thinking about the fact drawings MUST be accompanied by dimensions, and I do not want to have to resort to ACAD solely for dimensioning, nor export my VCP/Shark files to other formats just because of dimensioning.

To be fair to Shark, Tim and crew, and to readers, I will again, for the second day in months if not a year or more, try to get dims to work.

(In my case, I've got a 176m vessel in screen, down to just curves and a de-cluttered view. In front view, I am trying to dimension the two curves that control deck plate thickness. The dims start out with humongously large arrows, as my own pref never seems to stick. I have to change the prefs, but because I forgot I had two prefs, I was mucking about with the defaults. Switched to plan view, and had inconsistent results. Switched or side view, and did not get what I wanted, via Smart Dimension, Vertical, or Horizontal.

So, I tend to put in the layer names my intended thicknesses of objects. This is yeat another reason I must beg/cry out for the ability of layers' names to transport with copied/pasted geometry with an option to enable or disable it, or to auto-append conflicting names, or to match the source and target layer names and deliver the geometry appropriately to a layer.

The longer I can go without dimensioning, the better for me. I really want to belive that it is *ME* that is the problem, not Shark.)
Users browsing this topic
Guest (6)
Forum Jump  
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.