Full Version: V5 Wish List

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Hi Rich,

Is this the kind of thing you're talking about? I'm using Transform > Move, dragging out a construction line, and then snapping to the intersection point on the cline.

- Peer

Image Attachments:
move.gif 

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Hi Rich, so if I understand you correctly you can get the result you're looking for in Moi using the "Construction lines" function.

There's a bunch of info on it here:
https://moi3d.com/4.0/docs/moi_command_reference11.htm#constructionlines

You activate a construction line by holding the mouse button down over a point and keeping the button pressed and dragging, instead of just a press and release.

When you make a construction line a little arrow tag will appear and if you click and hold down on it a menu will pop up with some additional controls, one of which is to project the next point onto the construction line which will do the type of thing that you're describing.

So for example here I'm going to place the first point of a line at the corner of a rectangle but at the same height as some other geometry:





Instead of clicking on the point, keep the mouse button held down and drag away from it, that will make a construction line there:



After dragging some distance away and releasing the button, a little tag will appear:



Press and hold on the tag and you'll get this menu:



Choose "Project next pt" and then you can snap to some other point and inherit its height like you want:



- Michael

Image Attachments:
rich_cline1.jpg  rich_cline2.jpg  rich_cline3.jpg  rich_cline4.jpg  rich_cline5.jpg  rich_cline6.jpg 

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Michael - thanks for that it's what I ws looking for, will get the hang of it...I guess the workflow efficiency of the SkUp command is once Shift is held down it manges the 'Project next pt' automatically, might be a drawback in the larger MoI scheme of things but definitely a time saver.

Cheers for the tip!

// Rich

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Hi Rich,

re:
> I guess the workflow efficiency of the SkUp command is once Shift is held down it manges
> the 'Project next pt' automatically, might be a drawback in the larger MoI scheme of things
> but definitely a time saver.

Workflow efficiency isn't necessarily of much value if it's on something that is not used very frequently.

What MoI's method loses in efficiency it gains in flexibility because a construction line is formed between 2 distinct points, the one where you begin the drag and the one where you release it. So you can form them between any 2 points and not only in an axis direction like SketchUp's hover method is limited to:



That's why MoI's construction lines have so much functionality like quickly get the midpoint between any 2 points, reflected ends, divisions between 2 points, capture and reapply distance. Those things aren't possible to get with SketchUp's snapping system.

If you want to increase efficiency, it is possible to set up a keyboard shortcut that will trigger "Project next pt" instead of bringing up the menu. To do that put this on to a shortcut key:
script: /* Project to construction line */ moi.drawingAids.constructionLineProject();

So then the process is: Drag out construction line, press shortcut key, pick reference point.


Another related kind of shortcut you can set up is one to turn on a "direction lock" for the 2nd pick of a line to lock it onto the current straight snap direction:

script: /* Direction lock */ var pp = moi.ui.getActivePointPicker(); if ( pp && pp.hasStraightSnap ) { pp.restrictToLinePtDir( pp.basePt, pp.straightSnapDir, true ); }

- Michael

Image Attachments:
cline_2points.png 

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Cheers Micheal I'll implement this shotcut!

// Rich

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Hi Michael. Thanks for the scripts.
One question:
Is there any script to make a construction line that inherits the direction and length of the picked curve or edge?
I often use this method manually: make a c-line on an existing curve or edge and relocate it to the point I wanted.

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Hi Mo, a script can create a construction line by:

var cline = moi.geometryDatabase.addConstructionLine( startpt, endpt, true /* Is Temporary */ );

but there isn't any way for one created in this way to get set as the active construction line so that the repositioning method will target it. I'll add in a method so that this can work though.

- Michael

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Thanks :)

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For alignment on V5 - I’d find a useful feature to be able to select two irregular shapes / objects / curves - usually working in a 2d view (click one click 2) and in one click (3) get them to align by bounding box centres. The 1st shape selected would be the one that moves to bounding box centre on the 2nd shape target.

This alignment function I’m trying to describe could also
be seen as giving all shapes bounding box centres for a quick alignment feature using “move” or vertical and horizontal align.

If you had 19 random sized circles (sources) and 1 circle (target) the 20 shapes should be able to align or be moved and perfectly “centred” in *4 steps maximum

Selection of sources
Selection of target
Alignment vertical
Alignment horizontal

*The alignment is actually one function or the “move”
of sources to target so we could say it 3 steps.

All the above works on using bounding box centres
for sources and target.

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Hi stefano, there is currently an Align command under the Transform tools that is similar to what you're describing.

You can use that to make a set of objects be aligned by their centers, the only part that is different from what you are asking for is that you choose a target point instead of a target object.

So say you want to align 3 boxes vertically. Select the 3 boxes and run Transform > Align, then set the "Vert center" option and then pick the target point like this:



- Michael

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Hi Michael I had a feeling that would be your response..
It seems there is two things missing to achieve what I’m suggesting - align vertically and horizontally (of sources) in one go and align those selections to a target shape - (where the target shape does not move)

ADDED VIDEO on extra step required that i prefer to remove:

1. two actions to align centrally - could/should be one.
2. having to use construction line to get centre of the "target shape".
NOTE: these are easy shapes but i work with irregular shapes more often
so hence i previously suggested align works to bounding box centres.

ADDED MOI File shows target shape as irregular...
that means i seemingly can only drag a construction line to get
sources to snap to centre of the target.

Update: simplest solution is likely put a bounding box point on the target shape using a command - then it’s easy with alignment. But still the alignment options even if I right click the first one requires two actions (and moving mouse upto the tool bar which is a bit counterproductive). Ideal solution “centre alignment command” one click aligns all <Selected objects > to their centres.
Step two picks target shape - automatically shows/adds its bounding box point user THEN moves all sources to target (all that could be automatic)

Be great if this was a standard feature or complete script…

Attachments:
ALIGNMENT_01.06.2024_11.27.22_REC.mp4
FORUM_MOI_2CLICK_ALIGNMENT.3dm

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Align is maybe like a distribute ?
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=8503.1 see the all thread!

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Hello Pilou - i like your lateral thinking as usual!
I attach the simple concept of the ideal way i would implement this if i was
a coder...No doubt other tools can acheive the same result...Was just wondering
if Michael might see the scope for this as an extension of the current alignment
tool...it seems we've found grey area between MOVE and ALIGN or ALIGN and MOVE.
Personally - i dont want to use "clicks" i just want the function to do it!
I said two clicks as a challenge - could it be one selection and one click and one command?!

See the attached please...

Kindest

Stefano

Image Attachments:
ALIGN TO TARGET.jpg 

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Hi Stefano, please try the attached script.
Instructions for installing scripts here.

To use it, select the target object first then select all the objects you want to reposition, then trigger the command. There are no further steps.

Hope that helps!

- Michael

Attachments:
CenterOnFirstSelected.js

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Hi Michael, many many thanks for this I’ll certainly be
using it as a frequently used tool. Hopefully I’ll find the time later today to try installing the script. Thanks Again
- Stefano

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Cool! :)

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Whilst experimenting using "images" as backgrounds to moi designs - just now...
I thought a "V5 usability suggestion" could be:

If an image is imported, be nice if it created a 'smart object' or psuedo dumb
object in the object list- functionality = 2 improvements:

1. The object list - would/should allow the object: "image" to be hidden/visible
by clicking eye-icon (LHS object list).

and/or

2. If "image" is click-selected (RHS object list) add intuitivity:
Interactively opens the current / existing image dialogue (toggle click) -

exactly as two clicks would in tools section: VIEW/IMAGE.
------------------

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hey Pilou, i cant install scripts as fast as you yet ;o)
But yes looks super cool and im glad you might see use for it as well...

Having seen your 'gif' video - even more apparent is I really like the logic of way Michael
has set this up e.g. Target alignment object 1st.

FYI: in other software would typically select the sources 1st...
More i I think about Michael's "target 1st" approach more i like it.

Small details can make big differences.

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the more speed install method for a simple script than above

Input the script inside the folder commands
call it by a classical shortcut
or press tab and write "CenterOnFirstSelected" and press Enter
you can write "CenterOnfirstselected" , "CenterONfirstselected", "centeronfirstselected"
etc but without space...

the more hard method is to use the Custom UI by MaxSmirnov

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Extras is another easy way to be able to access your scripts: https://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=10353.1

--Larry

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