Feature Highlighting

Having made a graphical selection in Model Editor mode, use Selection>Feature Highlighting to switch into a mode where features are identified as the mouse pointer passes over them on a 3D view. If Feature Highlighting is on, selecting it again switches feature snapping off. Alternatively, the F key can be used to toggle feature identification on and off if it is pressed over the 3D View while in Model Editor mode.

If the Graphical Selection is dragged using the Locator Handle while Feature Highlighting is on, it aligns itself with key features on the displayed model as the mouse

pointer passes over them. See the sections on Linear, Planar and Rotation Handles for a description of how feature highlighting works for each handle.

There is an alternative method to select a feature. Moving the mouse over the 3D model without dragging the locator handle still highlights features. Pressing the right mouse button over a highlighted feature shows a menu that allows the Graphical Selection or the Locator Handle to be moved to the selected position.

for a point feature while in feature identification mode

Selecting Move Handle Here in the picture above moves the handle to the selected point.

In order to select features of an item, it is necessary to move the mouse pointer over the item before features are shown. In most cases, the target P-point or P-line lies on, or inside, an item, so selecting a feature is straightforward. In the few cases where the P-point or P-line is outside of the item, or partly obscured by another item in the scene, it is necessary to make sure that the mouse pointer first passes over the associated item.

On steelwork items with P-lines, the JUSL-P-line is shown as a feature.

Feature identification:

• The Locator Handle can be moved to features on selected or unselected items.

• The Graphical Selection cannot be moved to a reference point on selected items,because the selected items are shown in their new location when a reference point is found.

Cancelling the Drag

At any point of the move, you can cancel the drag operation by pressing the Esc key. This is a standard way of cancelling a drag operation on Windows. When the drag is cancelled the selection reverts to its original position and remains selected.