Changing Dashed Lines
-
Hello,
I've got some dashed lines that don't read as dashed lines when printed. I would like to change the scale of them (wider gaps between the lines) so they read better at a smaller scale. When I select the lines, they're broken up into many entities, so it seems the only way to make the change is to replace the dashed line with a new solid line and then replace the new solid line with a new dashed line with a different scaling factor! Is there another way or different plug-in that I could use for dashed lines? Thanks much. Dave -
@dave wood said:
Hello,
I've got some dashed lines that don't read as dashed lines when printed. I would like to change the scale of them (wider gaps between the lines) so they read better at a smaller scale. When I select the lines, they're broken up into many entities, so it seems the only way to make the change is to replace the dashed line with a new solid line and then replace the new solid line with a new dashed line with a different scaling factor! Is there another way or different plug-in that I could use for dashed lines? Thanks much. Dave2D Tools - Line Style - lets you select lines and replace them with a 'styled-line' dashed/dots/... all basic CAD styles etc - even your own pattern - varying widths and colors available too.
You can select one later and edit it from the context-menu...
-
Thanks, TIG, for the quick response. Happy New Year. I've got 2d Tools loaded in and was tinkering with it a little. I think this will be very help set of tools. I can't access the help page from the 2d Tools menu. I get a can't access web page notice. Trying to do custom style because I need wider gap between the dashes so they appear at smaller scale. If I draw a 2d line, select it and try to context click on it, I usually don't get the option to choose line styles. What is sequence of commands? Any I idea on the help option? Again, thanks much. Dave
-
@dave wood said:
Thanks, TIG, for the quick response. Happy New Year. I've got 2d Tools loaded in and was tinkering with it a little. I think this will be very help set of tools. I can't access the help page from the 2d Tools menu. I get a can't access web page notice. Trying to do custom style because I need wider gap between the dashes so they appear at smaller scale. If I draw a 2d line, select it and try to context click on it, I usually don't get the option to choose line styles. What is sequence of commands? Any I idea on the help option? Again, thanks much. Dave
This is [only] the second report of the Help html not working - I thought it was a Mac issue but now you are on Vista...
You can still open the Help file manually in the ../Plugins/2DTools/ folder and open2DtoolsHelp.htm- it should run OK from there - since it's all working OK for me I can't say how to fix it right-off.I have included a zip containing a working htm and image files folder. Unzip and the htm should run manually from wherever it is - it should be exactly the same as the file/foler+files already unzipped into your ../Plugins/2DTools/ folder... please see if it is...
You don't need to make 2D Lines for the Line Style to work - it works on any edges/lines/curves you might pick.
You need to activate the 2DTools toolbar from the Views menu to use that [easiest] or run the tools from the Draw>2DTools Menu.Incidentally, does the Help not open from the menu AND the toolbar ?
So... to Style a Line Pick the 2D Line Style Tool from the menu [or the toolbar] and follow the prompts in the VCB.
Right-click in open space to get the dialog(s) for the settings - width[default=50mm/2"] - range from v.thin to v.thick - mm or inch depend on Model's Units: dash-pattern[default=Continuous] - most standard CAD styles are available***: color[default=Black] - any 'standard' color, or an already loaded material...
***You can make a custom pattern quite easily - but you really need to read the Help page on this !
Thereafter these settings are remembered in that Model until they are changed again...
Simply pick a line and it will then be 'Styled' to the current settings [actually the original line is put onto a hidden layer and a group with a 'patterned face' is added in its place].
Keep picking or right-clicking to change settings as desired - to end choose another tool.
You don't get a right-click option to Style an ordinary line, only to Edit an already Styled Line - in that case you can change it's width, dash-pattern or color... If you pick several Styled Lines they are all changed as you set in the edit dialog...The tool works on 3D lines as well as 2D and the Styled Line's alignment varies depending on if the line is faceless -then it's centered on the original line facing 'up' in 2D - in 3D it faces ~ -ve Y; if the line edges a single face -then it's placed wholly on the 'front' of that face with the original line running along a long edge; if the line edges two faces that are coplanar -then it is placed centered on the original line on the first face's 'front'' if the line edges two faces - for example the arris of a cube then the styled line is placed on the face that is 'squarest' to the camera as if it were a single face as above - all of this is needed since the Style Line has a fixed width - say 25mm or 1"!
Hope the Help works for you manually - incidentally what is your web-browser etc ?
Can you open the Ruby Console [under Windows menu] and see what is reported when you try to open the Help from the Menu OR Toolbar...Please report back... Please ask if you need more help...
PutInto2DToolsFolder.zip -
Thanks, again, TIG,
I opened the 2D toolbar and couldn't get the help file from there, either. I can open the .htm file directly in the 2D Tools subdirectory. I get a message that the internet explorer can't display webpage. Windows can't diagnose the problem. What is the web browser? Good question, keep in mind you're working with a relative novice.-- The top of the window says SketchUcation Community Forums.- Internet Explorer provided by Dell. Below I've got a couple of Google search "panels" and a microsoft bing search "panel". I didn't have time to look into the commands, but a read some of the instructions. You started to lose me a little with some the info re: how the lines reside on edges, faces, etc. and how the width of the line is affected. I imagine it might be overly difficult to add some illustrations. See, you give the people all this, and all they do is ask for more! Thanks again very much. I'm looking forward to using some of these tools.
-
@dave wood said:
Thanks, again, TIG,
I opened the 2D toolbar and couldn't get the help file from there, either. I can open the .htm file directly in the 2D Tools subdirectory. I get a message that the internet explorer can't display webpage. Windows can't diagnose the problem. What is the web browser? Good question, keep in mind you're working with a relative novice.-- The top of the window says SketchUcation Community Forums.- Internet Explorer provided by Dell. Below I've got a couple of Google search "panels" and a microsoft bing search "panel". I didn't have time to look into the commands, but a read some of the instructions. You started to lose me a little with some the info re: how the lines reside on edges, faces, etc. and how the width of the line is affected. I imagine it might be overly difficult to add some illustrations. See, you give the people all this, and all they do is ask for more! Thanks again very much. I'm looking forward to using some of these tools.
Are you a Vista 'Administartor' ?
The Help htm works in IE and FireFox for me...
Strange ?
It's easiest to try the tools out in a scrap Model - learn by doing...
Advertisement