Circles and squares

[debenriver]

Hi Eric

This has been raised in earlier posts but I thought I would bring it up again.

Do you think it would be a good idea to add a double-click to ovals and rectangles – specially those drawn from the centre? Then one could specify the radius etc before drawing the object.

As of now if you draw a circle from the centre, using Snap to locate it, you can only draw the approximate size/radius. Then when you Edit the size to what you want, it moves from the original locus you drew it from. So you have to re-locate it using Snap. Which is a lot of moves to achieve a simple aim.

Alternatively make circles and rectangles/squares drawn from the centre like arcs are currently – so that they retain the original locus when the size is adjusted to what you want.

But better – I think – would be to enable a double click so that the requisite parameters could be specified before the object was drawn – apply this to ovals/circles, rectangles/squares, arcs and lines. Then when you draw them (using Snap when you want to) you get your result in fewer steps.

Hubert suggested this (for circles at least) in an earlier post and Mike suggested that it be extended to the other appropriate objects. If it is possible I think it would be a worthwhile addition to the next version before you issue it

Cheers -- George

[Mikerosen]

I would go one step further: when you select the tool, and draw the object starting from the origin, it would be nice if the "size" defalted to the proper box in the edit frame, so you wouldn't have to TAB to the box you want. To my mind, the dimension is more important than the location of most objects. This would be true whether it was a length of a line, sides of a rectangle, diameter or radius of a circle, etc.

Also, once you start drawing an object, it should stay put at the origin when you enter the dimensions, and not move to another location. (Which is what George is saying, too, I think.)

Thanks for listening, Eric!

[debenriver]

You're absolutely right Mike! As usual.

What's the point of opening up a new dialogue when the Edit dialogue is already available to do the job. So why not use it to pre-define data rather than post-define it.

As an aside I think it would be good if the two circle Edit pallets showed Radius or Diameter as appropriate rather than dx and dy. The arc and ellipse pallet already do this.

And – yes – I would like an object to retain its origin when you edit it – like the arc and ellipse do currently.

And I'll also add my thanks to Eric for listening to us.

George

[Mikerosen]

For an example of a program that implements this very nicely, take a look at SketchUp. As soon as you start to use a tool, the appropriate size/dimensions/units box opens. Without having to click in the box, TAB, or anything, you just enter your numbers, and tap the Enter key. Done.

[Eric Pousse]

George,Mike,

Thank you very much for your suggestions.

What if the tools could work interactivly with the command-line?

For example, you choose the tool circle by center and automatically RealCADD displays "circle_by_center" as command in the comman-line pallet with the help circle_by_center xc yc r.
Then you do a click with the tool in the drawing and RealCADD displays the xc and yc clicked or you enter it manually.
Then you can enter the rayon in the command-line pallet and validate.

Some tools can work with dx and dy or length and angle, Mike seems prefer length and angle, perhaps it will be better to have the choice.

Is that a good idea?

The next version will not be released very soon

Cordialement.

[debenriver]

Hi Eric

I have to confess I have never used the command line and so I went and tried it – I don't understand how it works – I can't seem to make it do anything Can you explain a bit how it should work?

RealCADD is slightly unusual in how it deals with the size of objects. You have to draw the object first to the approximate size you want and then edit it afterwards to get it to the exact size you want. It's perhaps more usual to define the size before you draw it, or define the size on the fly as you draw.

This has never really bothered me personally and I have got so used to doing it that I don't even think about it. And it would be fine if the damn thing stayed where you drew it originally when you edit it – but it is really annoying that it doesn't

For instance – you want an arc 50mm radius emanating from the intersection of two lines. You select the arc tool and use Snap to start from the intersection of the two lines you want. You drag out to approximately 50mm and un-click. You then adjust the radius in the Edit panel to 50mm. The arc goes to 50mm radius and stays centered on the intersection – as it should – happiness and joy

Now do the same thing with a circle (or a square) drawn from the centre and when you adjust it – it damn well goes and moves, so you have to pick it up and re-snap it to the intersection (or whatever) – not good – no happiness and joy

SO – I think the first and most important thing is to make circles and squares drawn from the centre behave like arcs. Because that is a logical expectation.

After that – well in the general scheme of things I think it would probably be better if you could pre-define the size of objects rather than post-define them as we do now. The existing Edit pallet looks to be the obvious way to do this if it is not too difficult in terms of coding,

So – for example – you want to draw a 100mm radius circle – you click the circle by centre tool and the Edit pallet opens (if you have auto-retractable selected – otherwise it is already open). It is pre-focused on Radius – you don't have to click anything or tab anywhere – you simply type 100 on the keyboard – move the mouse to whatever Snap you want to draw the circle from – drag and release. Et voila – you have a 100mm radius circle centered on whatever point you wanted it entered on – no more moves at all. Substantial happiness and joy

I think that is what Mike was wanting – and it seems to me to be the smoothest way to do it if possible.

Second best would be to double-click the circle by centre tool and that brings up a dialog where you enter the radius etc – and the hit OK and then proceed as above. But that seems to be unnecessarily complicated to me – though perfectly workable.

As I said earlier, apart from the circle and squares not staying put, the current system is OK by me – but I think for general consumption and acceptance it would be better changed. Just my view anyway ...

Cheers -- George

[Eric Pousse]

Bonjour George,

The command line doesn't work with the Y axis inverted, it is perhaps why you have difficulty to use it.

I will fix that and work on your and Mike's request.
I do it with the command line because it is easier for me.
After if it is OK, I can move it and display it differently.

Thanks.

[debenriver]

Good Morning Eric

The command line doesn't work with the Y axis inverted, it is perhaps why you have difficulty to use it.

OK - that was indeed the problem

I had a bit of trouble to start with – I was drawing objects, text etc with it but I couldn't find them!

Then I realised they were enormous. I was a little confused about what units I was drawing in. With a drawing scale 1:1, units in mm, to draw a 20mm square starting at x = 20, y = 20, I have to enter .02 .02 .04 .04. Stays the same over scale – so at 1:10 I still enter .02, .02, .04, .04 to get my 20mm square. So we are drawing in metres.

I tried decimal inches and a square 0 0 1 1 produced a square 39.3701" Which is 1 metre. Have I got that right?

I assume the unit of the Command line is a metre? And it always works in metres, regardless of the units of the drawing? Have I got that right?

Cheers -- George