Hi, is there a way to move an object along a construction line and only that? Often I happen to have to move an object along, for example, the Z axis, or the surface's normal. I would like to lock the moving along that direction. Is that possible?
In some softwares, you hold the Shift key to lock the move along a direction.
Thanks
Max.

Hi Max,

Instead of free dragging the object on the screen use the command 'Transform>Move' after picking the object and base point you can then drag out construction lines as usual like you do when modelling in any axis, normal to other objects, create intersections etc.

Cheers

I know, I never use free dragging. But often there are snaps nearby and I just lose the direction for a while, so I want to lock it along that direction so I never have to pick that up again if I lose it.

I had the same wish and right now have three short cuts. (As a first step for a really good one...)

This line toggles object and grid snap at the same time:

script:var da = moi.drawingAids; da.gridSnap = !da.gridSnap; da.objectSnap = !da.objectSnap;

This line turns all snaps off and straight snap on:

script:var da = moi.drawingAids; da.gridSnap = false; da.objectSnap = false; da.straightSnap = true;

This line turns all snaps on:

script:var da = moi.drawingAids; da.gridSnap = true; da.objectSnap = true; da.straightSnap = true;

Hi Max, for the next v3 beta I've implemented a shift "Straight snap enhancer" which I think will do what you want.

The way it works is if you have a straight snap currently active, you can then hold down shift and that current straight snap will stay engaged while shift is still held down, no matter how far your mouse moves away from the line. It also will ignore any object snaps that are not on that line while shift is held down. Object snaps that are directly on that same line will still engage.

Also if you push shift when straight snap is not currently engaged at all, it will enable straight snap to the nearest line.


> Often I happen to have to move an object along, for example, the Z axis, or the surface's normal.
> I would like to lock the moving along that direction.

Yeah it should work for this kind of use - the way you'll use it is to move your mouse around as you currently do to activate the particular straight snap that you want like z axis or surface normal or whatever, then hold down shift and that one will stay locked in while you keep shift down.

So that's coming for the next v3 beta.

- Michael

Hi max,

> But often there are snaps nearby and I just lose the direction for a while, so I want to
> lock it along that direction so I never have to pick that up again if I lose it.

Yeah the next beta should solve this - basically when shift is down it will both lock the current straight snap line to be active and also while it's down straight snap has a higher priority and object snaps won't be targeted unless they are right on that active straight snap line.

- Michael

That's exactly what I needed, thanks!
Great work.