Stretching with an offset + stretching on all sides
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you could of course simply use fredoscale. his scaling and stretching tools have all the functions you seek and a few more.
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=17948&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=fredoscale -
@tig said:
agememnus
I haven't read the whole thread but you say you can't Scale to a set size...I wanted to add a certain height/width/length, instead of setting it to a particular size that I knew in advance.
xrok1, I'll keep looking at fredoscale but I find I have to constantly remove it because it disables grouping, rotating and flipping for some objects.
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You must usually have some idea of the dimension you require 'in advance' ?
If so, then enter it in the NNNunits format; if not then you must want it to match up to something already in the model - so use Jean L's ideas of snapping the scaling to some existing geometry [with inferences etc] or perhaps to some guide-geometry that you could have drawn beforehand to suit... if it's neither of the above then how are you to make it any meaningful 'size' ?... then can only scale it dragging a handle 'by eye' ?? -
@tig said:
You must usually have some idea of the dimension you require 'in advance' ?
Well, usually but not always.
@unknownuser said:
if it's neither of the above then how are you to make it any meaningful 'size' ?... then can only scale it dragging a handle 'by eye' ??
I'll try to rephrase... this tool would work like so: whatever the size is, add X meters to it. Even if I knew the original size, I would have to add! Just adding one mesh is not so bad, but if I have several meshes that I want to resize by some amount it gets more tedious.
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Use the Tapemeasure tool to make a guide-point offset along the axis from the things to be 'enlarged' by the required amount - say 500mm - copy it to several things that you want to Scale.
Make other guide-points at other offsets as needed...
Scale each of the things using these guide-markers to snap to.
Every 'thing' has been scaled by that fixed amount.
Delete all guides on completion [Edit mass delete tool]...
In this example you could have selected all of the top faces [hold Ctrl to add to selection] and simply 'Move' them up in the Z by 500mm [constrain in axis by holding Shift]... BUT on more complex shapes Scaling will give different results... -
Oh, of course! Thanks.
Would be interesting, though, if you could just do something like +5m in the Scale tool and it would do the same thing.
BTW, while we're on the subject, I am having trouble inserting a value when I "scale on all sides" (CTRL+scale): typing a number doesn't work.. what's going on there?
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You are falling it the Scaling Pythagoras Trap !
When you scale from the center on a diagonal and type in a scale value it scales the XYZ sides to match, but when you type in a dimension it sets the size of the diagonal, not the XYZ sides size.
So for example if you have a 1m cube and use Scale+Ctrl and type in 500mm the cube scales about its center so that the diagonal is now 500mm long - if you wanted the sides to be 500mm long you should have typed 0.5...
You need to do a bit of pre-planning and work out the ratio first NewSize/OldSize = scale_factor - here 500mm/1000mm=0.5.
Entering a dimension is pretty impractical in this type of scaling unless you do want the diagonal to become a set length...
Alternatively use the uniform Scale + Ctrl with a side handle and the modifier 'Shift' key and type 500mm to make all edges 500mm, scaling from the center ???
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For this reason I do not even use the diagonal scaling (well, unless I want to do some quick and dirty operation). The side grips are much more easy to work with - just use the mod keys to scale uniformly and such.
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@tig said:
You are falling it the Scaling Pythagoras Trap !
When you scale from the center on a diagonal and type in a scale value it scales the XYZ sides to match, but when you type in a dimension it sets the size of the diagonal, not the XYZ sides size.
So for example if you have a 1m cube and use Scale+Ctrl and type in 500mm the cube scales about its center so that the diagonal is now 500mm long - if you wanted the sides to be 500mm long you should have typed 0.5...
You need to do a bit of pre-planning and work out the ratio first NewSize/OldSize = scale_factor - here 500mm/1000mm=0.5.
Entering a dimension is pretty impractical in this type of scaling unless you do want the diagonal to become a set length...
Alternatively use the uniform Scale + Ctrl with a side handle and the modifier 'Shift' key and type 500mm to make all edges 500mm, scaling from the center ???
Yes yes, I usually use a scaling factor when I do this, so it's not a problem...My problem is that I CAN'T type a number when I press and hold CTRL (or CTRL+SHIFT)!
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@agamemnus said:
...My problem is that I CAN'T type a number when I press and hold CTRL (or CTRL+SHIFT)!
Don't then. Start the operation with these mod keys - then release them, type your value and hit Enter without ever touching them again. SU is smart enough to remember what you are up to!
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I can type it in - perhaps I release ctrl/shift as I do it and then re-press ?
I'm on PC what's yours ? -
do your second click (or release mouse button, depending which way you work) to end the scaling, then type your values and SU will adjust accordingly even though you ended the operation. its like drawing a line; then entering length, doesn't matter that its already done SU will resize it.
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Now is that a question Rocky or a statement?
Please, note that my English is really bad and it's 22:30 here already (and I did not sleep last night)
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its a fact, jack.
try it -
Then it seems to be the same as what I wrote above.
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right, sorry, but you don't mention clicking the mouse which is the key action. try it exactly the way you explain it and it doesn't work because your releasing ctrl+shift without finishing the scale.
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I never "click again" with the scale tool just release it. Also when not using these keys. And it works for me this way (too)
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@xrok1 said:
do your second click (or release mouse button, depending which way you work)to end the scaling, then type your values and SU will adjust accordingly even though you ended the operation. its like drawing a line; then entering length, doesn't matter that its already done SU will resize it.
i guess you use the click(hold) drag release method. i use the click, move, click again method.
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No, click-move-click here, too. Especially with the PushPull tool I could never get used to click-drag-release. But with the scale tool (now I just realise) when this setting is on, both method works just fine. Try it; click, drag and release. Then enter the value.
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this is why you can do it either way.
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