Positioning Control

Common Functionality User Guide

Design Aids : Positioning Control

The Positioning Control window (event-driven graphics) is displayed automatically whenever the user needs to pick positions in event-driven graphics mode. It allows the user to specify how the user cursor picks are to be interpreted as positions. On the Home tab, in the Common group, click Position Explicitly to display the Explicit Position window and the Positioning Control window. Refer to Explicit Position Window for further information.

By default the Positioning Control window appears at the top left of the main window but can be dragged to any position on the screen.

Working Plane

The Working Plane toggle provides a quick way of activating or deactivating the working plane. If set to On, all picked positions will be projected onto the current working plane.

Explicit Position

Displays the Explicit Position window.

Allows the user to move an element from its current position to an explicitly defined position.

The pick type options allow the user to control the types of items to which cursor picking will respond. As the user moves the cursor over the 3D View, only items of the specified type will be highlighted as the cursor passes over them. The identities of highlighted elements are displayed in the prompt bar, immediately above the graphical view. The choices are:

Any

Picks any element, aid, Pline or Ppoint.

Element

Picking is restricted to elements.

Aid

Picking is restricted to drawing aids.

Pline

Picking is restricted to structural Plines.

Ppoint

Picking is restricted to Ppoints.

Screen

Allows the user to pick anywhere in the 3D view, which identifies two co-ordinates. The co-ordinate is taken from the current Working Plane.

Graphics

Allows the user to pick any graphical element (for example including aids and construction pins) that is displayed in the view.

Laser Data

Applies a filter to the cursor, allows the user to pick only laser data.

The pick method options determines how the position will be derived from subsequent cursor picks. The currently selected mode is displayed in the prompt bar, immediately above the graphical view. The choices are:

Snap

Selects the snap point nearest to the cursor pick point.

Distance

Applies the offset value, which is entered in the adjacent Method Value text-box (for example 500 gives a point 500 mm from the nearest snap point, measured towards the cursor position; -500 gives a point 500 mm from the nearest snap point, measured away from the cursor position).

Mid-Point

Derives the mid-point between two snap points along a linear item.

Intersect

Allows the user to pick two lines (any directional items) or three planes and then it derives their intersection point.

Note:

Linear items picked here do not intersect. Derived position is at projected intersection of second picked item onto first picked item, so order of picking is significant.

Cursor

Places the derived point exactly where the cursor picks on the element.