Full Version: V5 Wish List

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Thank you Michael,

>The file menu is a popup that uses the recent file list, so you can look at FileMenu.htm for an example of this.
<

Great, I'll see if I can conjure up a popup from that example.
If successful, I'll post the results here to share.

Such a recent file list popup will be useful for import.

Additionally, I would be nice to have the option of importing only visible objects from a source file.
Any hints on doing that, or about how to remove hidden objects added by an import?

Separately, I'll try to get the current file-path by using the Save command as an example.

Mindset

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Sorry if it will be an unrealistic wish.

I would like to have the ability to put there some global variables which would be put together into one chart where I could change f.e. change hole size globally. This should work globally for every element and allow change parameter of that element (in some cases it is length in some cases radius or overall dimensions). This variable could be assigned same as name and colour (assigned name could be the binder of those properties). This could be limited to dimensions of a whole solids if the internal lines and circles would be too hard.



I would like also to have a dynamic copy of a whole solid body (instance), dynamic array (array of instances) and dynamic mirror (mirrored and copied instance).

This should be done in a minimalistic way with easiness of use (like rest of GUI). It could be done also very limited to work only on most used cases.

That is my dream about MoI 5 :)

Image Attachments:
global_variables.jpg 

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Hi Mindset,

re:
> Additionally, I would be nice to have the option of importing only visible objects from a source file.
> Any hints on doing that, or about how to remove hidden objects added by an import?

For removing hidden objects that were just imported earlier in the same command, try this (warning untested code):

var objs = moi.geometryDatabase.getObjects();
for ( var i = 0; i < objs.length; ++i )
{
    var obj = objs.item(i);
    if ( obj.hidden && obj.databaseRevision > moi.command.lastCommandRevisionEnd )
    {
        moi.geometryDatabase.removeObject( obj );
    }
}

> Separately, I'll try to get the current file-path by using the Save command as an example.

You can use moi.geometryDatabase.currentFileName to get the full path of the current file , and if you want to copy it to the clipboard pass it to moi.copyTextToClipboard();

- Michael

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Hi mdesign,

re:
> I would like to have the ability to put there some global variables which would be put together
> into one chart where I could change f.e. change hole size globally.

There are other programs called "parametric CAD" that are very focused on this type of work. If this is an important feature for you, i would strongly recommend using one of those programs for this work rather than MoI.

SolidWorks would be a good one to check out, I think they have a way to link a parametric variable to Excel.

The focus on MoI is on making things quick and fluid to draw. It's not focused on this kind of process control that you need.

- Michael

---

Hi mDesign,

A hobbyist level CAD option might be Alibre Atom3D.
It has the parametric feature, so you might want to check it out.

Just FYI,
Mindset

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Hi Michael,

I might have missed your reply to this request, but just to be sure you didn't miss it... :)

http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=10114.223

Thanks!

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Hi mdesign, maybe you could use Node-editor for some of the effects you are looking for. :-)

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Hi Metin,

re:
> I might have missed your reply to this request, but just to be sure you didn't miss it... :)
>
> http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=10114.223

Sorry I didn't know you were wanting a reply to that. One of the initial focus areas for MoI was to make it possible to use without touching a keyboard at all, so something like that very focused on typed in input is not going to be a high priority, sorry. But it's here on the list for future reference.

For the general area of keyboard input, enabling multiple shortcut keys in sequence is currently a higher priority than auto-complete for typed in command names.

- Michael

---

Thanks Michael!

I understand, although I hope the auto-complete feature will be added in the near future. :)

An alternative might be a drag and drop option to easily add custom commands to the MoI UI, with automatic button and text label creation.

---

Hi, I would have a request for the next version and it is the possibility of also being able to measure the radius of beziér or cubic curves, not generated by a circle, since the representation of the circles with nurbs is always an approximation, as can be done with other programs CAD where the detected dimension is dynamic and changes with curvature and also the detected center moves dynamically.

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Hi Metin,

re:
> I understand, although I hope the auto-complete feature will be added in the near future. :)
>
> An alternative might be a drag and drop option to easily add custom commands to the
> MoI UI, with automatic button and text label creation.

There is quite a lot of work involved in either of these so sorry don't expect it in the near future.

- Michael

---

Hi pafurijaz,

re:
> Hi, I would have a request for the next version and it is the possibility of also being able
> to measure the radius of beziér or cubic curves, not generated by a circle, <...>

Moi's radius dimension is designed not to do that because it can be dangerous. It's too easy for someone to mistakenly think that a curve that looks similar to a circle is actually an exact circle and then put a dimension on it not knowing that the radius is not constant across the entire length of the curve.


> since the representation of the circles with nurbs is always an approximation

This is not correct, a NURBS curve can exactly represent a circle without approximation, that's why it has "weight" values as part of it's formulation. The weights (which give the "R" part of NURBS for "Rational") give NURBS curves the ability to exactly represent conic sections.


> as can be done with other programs CAD where the detected dimension is dynamic and changes with
> curvature and also the detected center moves dynamically.

Is there any CAD program other than Rhino that behaves that way? I just tested with ViaCAD for example and it does not put a radius dimension on a general spline curve.

I would think that's probably an unusual function specific to Rhino because normally a radial/diametric dimension should indicate an arc or circle curve and not a general spline curve that only happens to have the indicated value just at that point location.

- Michael

---

About the approximation I have read this here on wikipedia. but maybe I've haven't read all the paragraph, only the first part. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-uniform_rational_B-spline#Example:_a_circle.




About the program can do that, If I remember well Solidedge I'm sure NX and the others and can insert a dynamic radius on a curve and also FreeCad, and I'm pretty sure Autocad but I don't remember well if was it or an other at my previous job

These image attached is a SubD cylinder with imported in Moi and then exported in FreeCAD and I was warned about the curve isn't circle and the measure can be irregular







And this image is on FreeCad and show the curvature normal on B-spline and is possible to get the visualization of this on Moi3d maybe with a script?

Image Attachments:
B-spline-normal-curvature.png  E7OGWCfWUAA0ThW.png  E7OGWCkXMAYTdEo.png 

---

Hi pafurijaz,

re:
> About the approximation I have read this here on wikipedia. but maybe I've haven't
> read all the paragraph, only the first part.

Right, it says this:

Non-rational splines, meaning a spline type without weight values in addition to x,y,z values for every control point, can only approximate a circle. That's why a NURBS curve is not a non-rational spline, the R in NURBS is for Rational.

As it says in the 2nd sentence, Rational splines (which includes NURBS) can represent circles exactly.

The Bezier curves in 2D illustration programs like Adobe Illustrator are non-rational cubics and can only approximate circles, unlike NURBS which can represent circles exactly.


re: AutoCAD radius dimension on spline
I don't have a running copy here at the moment but no I don't think that is correct:
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-2000-2000i-2002-archive/radius-dimension-of-a-spline/td-p/1773056
https://www.cadforum.cz/en/how-to-dimension-radius-and-center-of-a-spline-in-a-given-point-tip12282


> And this image is on FreeCad and show the curvature normal on B-spline and is possible to
> get the visualization of this on Moi3d maybe with a script?

Sorry no MoI doesn't currently have a function for visualizing the curvature graph. It is possible for scripts to evaluate curvature properties of curves now so a script could be possible but I don't know if there is one.

- Michael

---

Hi pafurijaz, here's a script that might help with putting radius dims onto non-circular curves. It generates a circle for the curvature at a point on a curve, so then you can probably use the circle to apply a dimension.

- Michael

Attachments:
CurvatureCircle.zip

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Awesome this script also give a lot of possibility thanks Michael.

---

Hi pafurijaz, also here's another script, this one is a mash-up of creating a curvature circle at a point on a curve like the previous script, and then generating a radial dimension on the circle and then throwing the circle out leaving just the dimension.

Hopefully this one should be pretty close to what you were originally looking for.

- Michael

Attachments:
DimCurvature.zip

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Wow that's what I meant, this script works very well, you could integrate something like this as an alternative dimension in addition to the existing ones add this option as well. 
Fantastic. 
and too useful. 
Thank you very much.
Another question that came to my mind, the commands are many and the key combination is sometimes complex to set and limited, even if they are used combined with the function keys, CRTL. 
ALT and SHIFT.


With Autocad you can set an infinity of commands with combinations of strings or a single character and confirm with the space bar or enter, confirmation should be given after typing the abbreviated command, this way you can create shortcuts commands easier to type and remember, would that be something that can be evaluated in the next version?

here a pdf of command in autocad https://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/estore/customer-service/AutoCAD_Shortcuts_11x8.5_MECH-REV.pdf

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Hi pafurijaz,

re:
> With Autocad you can set an infinity of commands with combinations of strings or a single character
> and confirm with the space bar or enter, confirmation should be given after typing the abbreviated
> command, this way you can create shortcuts commands easier to type and remember, would that
> be something that can be evaluated in the next version?

Well that makes sense for AutoCAD because its program UI is based on a command-line type in interface.

So basically your request is asking whether MoI can completely alter its program UI to be based on a totally different concept, I'm sorry the answer is no that isn't something that I'm considering doing for the next version.

The command line based interface is not at all friendly for users without a lot of computer experience. One of the unique aspects of MoI is that it is approachable to people in this category and that's not something I want to lose.

If you want though, you can create your own command aliases pretty easily right now. If you want to make a command alias to have a command named "bd" that runs BooleanDifference, create a text file named bd.js and put it in your commands folder. Put this inside it:

moi.command.execCommand( 'BooleanDifference' );

You will now have a command named "bd" which when run will launch the BooleanDifference command. To use it type Tab, then bd and then Enter.

You can create any number of aliases right now using this method.

But one thing which is likely to happen in the nearer term for keyboard input is to extend the keyboard shortcuts to allow multiple separate keys in sequence like type b and then d, no tab or enter at the end.

- Michael

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Hi pafurijaz,

If the goal is to avoid having to remember and type script command names, you might find this little add-on helpful: https://moi3d.com/forum/messages.php?webtag=MOI&msg=10353.1

--Larry

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