AutoSNAP problems

Hi, I'm getting back into CAD drawing. I've bought the following laptop:

HP 255 G5 Laptop, AMD A6-7310 2GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 15.6" LED (full HD), DVDRW, AMD, WIFI, Webcam, Bluetooth, Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

I've also bought a Tecknet Alpha Wireless mouse with 5 DPI settings up to 3000DPI and a Tecknet Gaming Mouse MAt.

However, no matter what I do with the mouse settings or Draftsite's snap settings I cannot get the snap to be accurate (it's close but still missing). Any ideas please because I cannot really get going until this is solved.

Bit random: Could more RAM help?

To get the simple stuff out of the way, have you checked your resolution settings? It may look like your snaps are off, but it could be the way your objects are displayed and not the point itself. In other words, the snap is in the right place, but the object as shown is off.

Hi. Thanks. Do you mean the laptop res settings or settings within draftsite?

The laptop display is set at 1920 x 1080 (recommended).

What do you mean by "it's close but still missing"? You wouldn't happen to have enabled GRID and/or SNAP by any chance?

Use the VIEWRES command. If it's like AutoCAD, the default value is 1000. Change it to 10000. It may slow down your display, but it will give you a more accurate picture.

What do you mean by "it's close but still missing"? You wouldn't happen to have enabled GRID and/or SNAP by any chance?

So for example, I draw a line from the end of another line by snapping to it. I then zoom in to check that the 2 lines have met (are touching) and there is a gap. Sometimes there isnt a gap but most of the time there is.

Another example is when i dimension something, i check back and my dimension is inaccurate because the snap points have missed...

Sometimes its ok but most of the time its missing.

So for example, I draw a line from the end of another line by snapping to it. I then zoom in to check that the 2 lines have met (are touching) and there is a gap. Sometimes there isnt a gap but most of the time there is.

Another example is when i dimension something, i check back and my dimension is inaccurate because the snap points have missed...

 

Sometimes its ok but most of the time its missing.

Having just reread your original post, after completing this post, I now see that you are using Draftsite, with which I am not personally familiar.

The following information is all from the perspective of using Autocad Vanilla 2013, not sure how much of it will be relevant in your case or not, hope it is.

It sounds to me like your OSNAP MAGNET is turned off.

This checkbox constitutes one element of the options available in the AUTOSNAP system variable, as shown in the screenshot from the SYSVDLG command.

You might want to check your OSNAPCOORD system variable while you are at it.

You say that your dimensions sometimes miss the snap, which could be the same as above, or it could be a non-issue, and just because you have turned off the NODE display in your OSNAP dialog box.

This is probably a simple graphics display thing and nothing to do with accuracy.

Did you try to regen your drawing after zooming in?

This is probably a simple graphics display thing and nothing to do with accuracy.

 

Did you try to regen your drawing after zooming in?

Revisiting post #7, this sounds like a likely hypothesis Rob.

Revisiting post #7, this sounds like a likely hypothesis Rob.

It happens to me, probably because I am almost 70, and have mild RA in my hands, and a bit of CTS too. I can draw accurate geometry all day and still miss now and then with a dimension.

I enable object snap tracking, and polar tracking, and display full screen vector lines so I can tell when I am about to miss. If the vector lines start to spin around the cursor, I am missing the snap.

I have tried the magnet thingy, but often it grabs the wrong point and has to be slapped into releasing. Is there a way to make the magnet weaker?

One has to get used to the fact that the Osnap marker will light up right away, and that is when to click it, not after hesitating for a couple or hundred milliseconds. Snoozin' is losin'.

Not if the dimensions are not showing the distance expected, as the OP states.

I missed that part.

I missed that part.

Not if the dimensions are not showing the distance expected, as the OP states.

 

It happens to me, probably because I am almost 70, and have mild RA in my hands, and a bit of CTS too. I can draw accurate geometry all day and still miss now and then with a dimension.

 

I enable object snap tracking, and polar tracking, and display full screen vector lines so I can tell when I am about to miss. If the vector lines start to spin around the cursor, I am missing the snap.

 

I have tried the magnet thingy, but often it grabs the wrong point and has to be slapped into releasing. Is there a way to make the magnet weaker?

 

One has to get used to the fact that the Osnap marker will light up right away, and that is when to click it, not after hesitating for a couple or hundred milliseconds. Snoozin' is losin'.

You can't adjust the strength of the magnet, but you can resize the PICKBOX, so that it is smaller, thus reducing the likelihood of erroneously grabbing something close by. This can also be done at the top left of the Selection tab in Options.

You can't adjust the strength of the magnet, but you can resize the PICKBOX, so that it is smaller, thus reducing the likelihood of erroneously grabbing something close by. This can also be done at the top left of the Selection tab in Options.

I thought the strength of the magnet was adjustable but a quick search reveals that it isn't, but the APERTURE command may help with click accuracy.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-C8603032-7E55-4EEF-B2DF-CD2FD9EDEF91-htm.html

I thought the strength of the magnet was adjustable but a quick search reveals that it isn't, but the APERTURE command may help with click accuracy.

 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-C8603032-7E55-4EEF-B2DF-CD2FD9EDEF91-htm.html

I thought the strength of the magnet was adjustable but a quick search reveals that it isn't, but the APERTURE command may help with click accuracy.

 

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-C8603032-7E55-4EEF-B2DF-CD2FD9EDEF91-htm.html

Right you are Rob, thanks for the correction.

The little hover tool tips in Options are a little misleading, APERTURE it is.

PICKBOX only controls the display, on, off or size.

In the SYSVDLG dialog description of PICKBOX, that isn't really clear.

The description of APERTURE there is also a bit misleading, as it says it ...

"Sets the display size for the object snap target box, in pixels."

If I am working in a really busy or dense drawing, I set my APERTURE size way down, to reduce display of inappropriate snaps.

The default value is 10, mine is set at 4 right now.

A simple one but a very old like 30 years. Dadgad A4 ?

(defun c:p4 ()(setvar "pickbox" 4))

A simple one but a very old like 30 years. Dadgad A4 ?

 

(defun c:p4 ()(setvar "pickbox" 4))

We don't print A4, either A3 or A1, depending on the job, and the nature of the drawing.

Fabrication drawings are done on A3.

I was working from a PDF recently, which was pretty annoying, doing Geometry drawings, that was when I downsized it.

On a fabrication drawing I would generally run it about twice that size, as those are our own (ProSteel) drawings, and thus they are uncluttered by Architectural PDF flotsam.