Create and Manipulate Drafting Primitives - Common Operations

Note:
The easiest way of creating drafting primitives is explained. See Graphical Feedback later in this topic for further information.

Create Primitives and Vary Basic Attributes

At NOTE (or VNOT) level, and with a Sheet (or VIEW Layer) in a SHOWn form, the simplest way of creating a circle (for example) can be by giving the commands:

NEW CIRCLE DEF @

The cursor can then be used to mark the center and a circumference point of the circle, which can be drawn. Hitting a key produces a command line giving the (Sheet) coordinates of the cursor position; such a command line can, of course, be typed in directly.) All the different shapes can be created in a similar way, with a self-explanatory prompt being output in each case.

Note:
Macros driven from forms and menus are particularly useful for 2D drafting.

Attributes common to all primitives (except Markers, Lines, Arcs and Outlines) are orientation (ADEG, relative to a line drawn through the shape’s origin parallel to the x-axis) and origin code (OCOD). The origin code determines the position of a primitive’s origin relative to the primitive itself - for example, a circle’s origin can be placed at its center or on its circumference. Arcs and Straight Lines have a TCOD (Type Code) attribute instead of OCOD. TCOD can be set to the endpoint or midpoint of a line, and to the endpoint or center of an arc. The TCOD setting defines how to interpret the other attributes of the primitive. Straight lines also have an ADEG attribute.

Clearly, attributes such as orientation cannot be set using the cursor, so if these require settings other than their defaults they must be set afterwards. (Default orientation is 0 and default origin code is center. For straights and arcs the default TCODE is ENDPOINT.)

Alternatively, primitives can be created using one-line commands, for example:

NEW CIRC RAD 50 ORIG CIRCUM ADEG 45 AT X900 Y750

NEW RECT XLEN 40 YLEN 20 ANG 45 ORIG CORNER AT @

NEW TABL XLEN 60 YLEN 60 NROW 10 NCOL 5 RPEN 2 CPEN 3

ORIG TS ADEG 45 AT @

The examples illustrate the effects of varying the attributes of different primitives.

Shift the Origin

The origin code can be set in two ways. If the ORIG keyword is used (for example, ORIG @ to set by cursor), the Sheet coordinates of the origin change such that the origin moves to the specified part of the primitive - the primitive itself does not move. The origin code can also be changed by the OCOD keyword, for example

OCOD CEN

OCOD @

In this case the Sheet coordinates of the origin remain unchanged and the primitive moves so as to place itself correctly according to the new origin code.

In either case the origin position can be changed at the same time by using commands, for example:

ORIG X300 Y250

OCOD TRIGHT @

OCOD BLEFT @

Move Individual Primitives

Primitives can be moved using commands, for example:

Move Groups of Primitives

The DRAG command is used to move a group of primitives that share a common drafting point. The concentric circles described in 2D Drafting Primitives are an example of a group of primitives that use the default drafting point - the drafting point’s position is not specified explicitly, so it is taken as at that of the last-created primitive.

Examples of the DRAG command (with examples of node_identifier) are:

DRAG BY @

DRAG BY X120 Y-45

DRAG BY S3500 D500

DRAG TO @

DRAG TO POS @

DRAG TO IDP @

DRAG TO X120 Y-45

DRAG TO S3500 D500

DRAG TO P1 OF /VESS2/N6

FPT DRAG TO @

(The DRAG operations have similar interpretations to the AT/ON/BY/POS commands listed previously.)

Query Primitives

The primitives with drafting points in common with the current element can be queried by giving the command:

Q COMMON

Lists the primitives that are dragged with the current element. The primitives that can be dragged with any named drafting node of a STRAIGHT or an ARC can be queried by

Q node_id COMMON

where node-id is the FPT or TPT of a STRAIGHT or ARC.

The origin and position of a primitive can be queried by

Q ORIG

The offset of a drafting node or primitive origin from the note origin can be set and queried:

Q node_id OFFSET

Q OFFSET

node_id OFFSET X value Y value

ORIGIN OFFSET X value Y value

where node_id is the node of a straight or arc primitive, for example, FPT, TPT, MPT, THPT or CPT (see the list of DRAG commands above for examples of node_id).

The principal dimensional and positional attributes of a primitive can be listed by using the:

Q DES

command at the primitive concerned (or at the owning View Note (position and angle)).

A drafting point on a STRAIGHT, ARC or span of an OUTLINE can be queried using

Q IDNN @

Allows you to pick one of these points by picking an appropriate position on the primitive. The query reports the appropriate point, the identity of the primitive picked and the position of the picked point. For example:

FPT OF /STRAIGHT3 X 123 Y 456

TPT OF /ARC1 E 3000 N 4000 U 0

VPT /VERT1 NEAR /VERT2 X 495 Y200

In the last case where a span of an OUTLINE was picked, the first vertex identified is the endpoint of the span, and the second is the Vertex (VRTX element) that owns the span. The two Vertex identifiers can be the same.

For STRAIGHTS and ARCS, the point identified is the same as that returned by the Q IDN @ command where the current element is a STRA or ARC. Q IDNN @ allows both the point and the primitive to be picked by one cursor hit.

The database reference ID and the cursor-hit position of any linear element on the Sheet (for example a STRA, side of a RECT or part of Design item) can be queried using:

Q IDLINE @

The query returns the database of the picked element (Draw or Design), the identity of the element, the pair of 2D coordinates that define the linear element, and the 2D position of the cursor hit.

For example, if the query were applied to a STRA element with FPT X100 Y100 and TPT X200 Y200, the return can be:

DRA =151/4636 LINE X 100mm Y 100mm X 200mm Y 200mm

QUAL X 167mm Y 166mm

If the query were applied to a part of a Design element, the return can be:

DES =35/222 LINE X 6.5/16 Y 7.19/32 X 5.3/32 Y 7.19/32

QUAL X 6.1/32 Y 7.19/32

Handle Common Drafting Primitives

When the DRAG command is used on a specified drafting primitive, this causes its drafting points to move. Other primitives that use the same drafting points also change position. (Straights and Arcs can also change in shape.) These primitives are the common drafting primitives for specified primitive.

In order to help predict the effect of a DRAG command, the common drafting primitives can be highlighted or queried. The basic syntax is:

HIGhlight [prim_id] COMmon

Query COMmon - at a primitive

where prim_id identifies a drafting primitive. If prim_id is omitted, the common primitives for the current element are highlighted/queried.

The DRAG command can also be used on an individual node of a Straight or Arc. The common primitives of a node can be highlighted or queried:

HIGhlight prim_id COMmon  prim_id

For a Straight these are FPT (‘from’ point), TPT (‘to’ point) or MPT (midpoint); and for an Arc these are FPT, TPT, CPT (center point) or THPT (‘through’ point).

The node must be currently used by the Straight or Arc. A Straight has a single node, MPT or two nodes, FPT and TPT. An Arc has an FPT, TPT and either a CPT or a THPT. If an unset node or an illegal node is specified, then an error is output.

Move all Primitives in a NOTE or VNOT

Moving all of the member primitives of a NOTE or VNOT is done by changing the NOTE/VNOT’s origin position (XYPO attribute). The offset of the origin from the origin of the NOTE/VNOT’s owner (for example, SHEE/VIEW respectively). The origin of a SHEE is at its bottom left-hand corner and that of a VIEW at the center of the VIEW rectangle. XYPO can be changed directly or by the OFFSET command, for example:

OFFSET X50 Y50

position NOTE VNOT’s origin at given offset owner’s origin

AT @

AT X400 Y400

position NOTE/VNOT’s origin at given position on SHEE

BY @

BY X60 Y-20

shift NOTE/VNOT’s origin by given amount

ADEG 30

rotate NOTE to 30° from horizontal

Note:
If a VNOT is moved or rotated, only primitives positioned in 2D move with it. The positions of primitives positioned in 3D or on Design elements remain unchanged.

Rotate a Primitive

A primitive of type ARC, CIRC, STRA, ELLI, RECT, HEXA, TABL, DMND, ETRI, OUTL or MRKP can be rotated using the ROTATE command to specify an angle of rotation and a point to rotate about. Any position reference can be used to specify the rotation point. For example:

ROTATE 45 @

Use cursor to specify the 2D point to rotate it about

ROTATE 45 IDP@

Use cursor to specify the Design p-point to rotate about

Mirror a Primitive

A primitive of type ARC, CIRC, STRA, ELLI, RECT, HEXA, TABL, DMND, ETRI, OUTL or MRKP can be mirrored using the MIRROR command to specify a mirror axis. The current element can be mirrored in an existing linear element or two independent points can be specified to define the mirror axis. In the latter case, any position reference can be used to specify the axis points. For example:

MIRROR IN @

Use cursor to specify existing linear element to mirror in

MIRROR ABOUT @ @

Use cursor to specify two points to define mirror axis

Copy a Primitive

Copying a primitive to another position or series of positions is done by using the REPEAT command with the primitive you wish to copy as current element. The REPEAT command has three syntax variations:

REPEAT 5 BY X20 Y20

Produce five copies of the current primitive, each displaced (X20, Y20) from the last

REPEAT 5 BY @

Produce five copies of the current primitive, using the cursor to define displacement

REPEAT 5 @

Produce five copies of the current primitive, but with first copy at cursor position, displacement of second and subsequent copies equal to that of first copy from original

REPEAT @

Produce five copies of the current primitive, but just one repetition

The example illustrates the use of the REPEAT command.

Graphical Feedback

Many cursor commands generate graphical feedback (rubber banding) which makes the interaction process easy - holding down the left-hand mouse button and moving the mouse enables the primitive being created to be dragged out to the required size/orientation. Use of the commands displays the Point Construction Option window, from which you can choose to define point(s) not only as simple 2D cursor hits but also as line end-points, circle center-points or intersection points. The relevant commands are: