Are infinite line entities possible in Moi?

In cad, I remember having set up commands like this:

H: for a horizontal continuous line
V: for a vertical continuous line

Just having to specify the position with a click.
Useful and fast during sketching stages.

A bit like construction lines, but in a less temporary fashion that could ultimately be used as geometry.

Another analogy would be pencil lines made prior to an ink drawing, like last century people used to do with crude unforgiving tools.

Does this make sense?

Marc

Hi Marc, it is possible to make construction lines that stick around longer than just the current command.

See the CLine command in these previous posts:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=1029.1
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=1029.25

If you install that plug-in, that will give you a new ConstructionLine command, and when you run it (set up a shortcut key to launch it), it will let you drag out several construction lines which will won't disappear automatically. They don't get saved into the file though so they will last until you open another file.

In the future I want to make it possible to save construction lines into files as well, but it probably needs some kind of additional interface to allow for selecting them since normally they try to stay out of the way of selection type actions.

There are also a couple other cline related scripts here:
http://kyticka.webzdarma.cz/3d/moi/#KeepCLine

There's one there that you can put on a shortcut key and when triggered it will make any construction lines that you created in the current command to remain until the end of that file session.

- Michael

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the pointers on the non-disappearing CLines.

I was imagining a continuous line that would be selectable like other objects, that could be moved around as your project evolve.

I also remember finding it also quite useful in 3d to have constrained horizontal and vertical infinite lines, doing offsets and creating geometry on existing objects. In certain situations snapping make it difficult to orient CLines.

But then again it might be redundant.

Marc

Hi ..

I simply set up a style with a pale color and use that for construction or grid lines and can hide them or make them visible for reference.

I often use these later for dimension grid lines.

I do architectural work and so mostly use rectangular or angular lines so this works well.

It will be even better when MoI has line types and thickness controls.

cheers
eric

Hi Marc,

> I was imagining a continuous line that would be
> selectable like other objects, that could be moved
> around as your project evolve.

One problem with trying to treat an infinite line as if it was the same as a regular object is that it can't really be used for input into all the commands as regular curve objects.

For example it would not work to try and extrude an infinite line, or revolve it, etc...

There's some potential for confusion when something looks as if it is a regular object and selects and moves like one, but then when you try to actually use it in other ways the same as other objects it then suddenly stops behaving like the other objects that it appears similar to.

In a 2D only type CAD system I guess you would not have that same kind of problem.

- Michael

Hi Michael,

It make sense, it could be confusing this way...
Well, it was just a thought.

> I simply set up a style with a pale color and use that
> for construction or grid lines and can hide them or make
> them visible for reference.

Hi Eric, yes this what I do also!



Marc

I think construction lines are selectable and movable

Yes just click on the little thumbnail that appears at each helpers line release ;)
you can move rotate re orient Divide and project !

Hi Burr,

> I think construction lines are selectable and movable

Yeah they are if you use one of those script methods to make one that stays around after the current command exits.

But it's kind of hacky - they don't have highlights or show in selected colors even though they can be dragged around. It's not really a fully finished off area.

- Michael

Solidworks allows infinite lines. They can be construction lines or real lines. If they are left as real lines, SW ignores them when using the sketch, say, for extruding. This is confusing so I always convert them to construction lines.