Section plane creates blocks that are rotated

[SuperCAD]

Please look at the attached file and tell me if I'm doing something wrong. I created a section plane while in top view (or world) as if I wanted to take a section/elevation through a wall, and it turns out perfect. Now when I switch to front view and draw a section plane to take a plan view, it creates the block with all of the geometry rotated 90 degrees. Is this just the way it's supposed to be or are my settings FUBAR? What controls this and can it be changed?

[ReMark]

During the use of the Generate 2D/3D Section command you have the option to rotate the image. Of course, depending on the orientation of the object through which a section is being cut you may have to add one last step and mirror the sectional view too.

[SuperCAD]

Yes, but that only rotates the block and not the geometry inside the block. This falls into the "(whiskey tango foxtrot) were they thinking?!?" category.

[ReMark]

The geometry inside the block? What geometry? I didn't see any. Are you sure you posted the entire drawing and didn't leave something out?

[SuperCAD]

If you go to TOP view and create a section/elevation of the arrow pointing towards the bottom of the screen (i.e. XY plane), the block that is created shows the arrow pointing towards the top of the screen. If you use the rotate option during the block creating, the block is rotated but the lines/geometry/arrow/whatever-you-want-to-call-it inside the block is still pointing towards the top of the screen when you go into the block editor.

 

Now if you create an elevation of the arrow in the YZ plane using the section plane that is pointing towards the left side, the lines/geometry/arrow/whatever-you-want-to-call-it inside the block is not rotated (i.e. properly orientated).

 

I'd just like to know why it does that and if I can change it. This seems counter-intuitive if I have to go into the block each time I create a plan view and rotate everything 180 degrees.

[ReMark]

Why are you using Block Editor on the 2D block you just created with the sectionplane command anyway? Isn't that like building a brand new house just so you can renovate it?

[SuperCAD]

Because the line weights and hatch patterns need to be adjusted after the block is created. We use a variety of materials and one hatch pattern won't cut it (actually, we have 10 specific hatch patterns, some custom made, to represent the material we typically use). How else would I do this if I didn't use the block editor?

 

If a contractor built me a new house facing the wrong direction, you're darn right I'm going to make him renovate it so it was facing the correct direction.

 

It doesn't matter what view you're in. It could be top, bottom, left, right, some obscure angle or any variation you can come up with. The fact still remains that the section plan that creates a plan view rotates all of the geometry by 180 degrees, which is completely unnecessary and a major waste of time.

[ReMark]

Not if your UCS is oriented correctly.

 

Hatch patterns can be adjusted prior to the creation of the 2D/3D block.

[ReMark]

On the Generate Section/Elevation dialog window click on the Section Settings button at the bottom of the window. Look at the Intersection Fill section. See where it says Face Hatch? Good. Set that to Select hatch pattern type. When the Hatch Pattern Type dialog window comes up make your choice. Set your Hatch Scale and Hatch Spacing while your there too.

[SuperCAD]

That's great if I only have one type of material. Most of the time, however, I have finished wood, blocking, glass, steel, and plywood among other materials, that all have a specific hatch pattern to them so the production crews can identify what materials/parts they are looking at in the drawings. One hatch pattern will not cut it for all of these materials, thus requiring me to use the block editor to refine my hatch patterns.

 

And riddle me this Batman: what does my USC have to be set to in order for me to avoid the rotation issue. I have it set to World for the elevation and it works perfectly. The plan view comes out rotated no matter what I set it to (I just tried changing the UCS just to see if it worked, but it's STILL rotated in the block).

[ReMark]

Can you post a "real-world" example of the problem as the drawing with the arrow just doesn't do it for me. I just use the mirror command to flip everything back when I run into such a problem. I guess I'm failing to see what all the fuss is about. My apologies.

[ReMark]

How about you use this drawing to demonstrate the problem you're having. It is a sample drawing off the CD that comes with the book by Alan J. Kalameja entitled "AutoCAD 2007 3-D Modeling - A Visual Approach." At least it is something I'm familiar with. Cut a section through the longest part of it and add a jog that goes through the center of the hole at the left-hand corner.

 

3d_ch7_06.dwg

 

Humor me. I'm blind in one eye so it takes me twice as long to see the things normal-sighted people do. Thanks.

[SuperCAD]

Here you go. I drew two section planes: one for "plan view" and the other for "elevation." The plan view block has everything rotated 180 degrees (not 90 like I said before; my mistake) but the elevation is perfect. I don't want my plan view to be rotated, I want it facing the same direction as the solid object, which towards the bottom of the screen (without having to manually rotate it).

[ReMark]

I can get the plan view to face correctly by reorienting the UCS (Z axis) 180 degrees.

[SuperCAD]

OK. Now go into you block editor. What direction is it facing in the block editor? By rotating the UCS all you've done is rotate the block by 180 degrees (same as using the rotate option during the section action). The objects inside the block are still facing the wrong way.

[ReMark]

I have no idea why Block Editor flips the block.

[ReMark]

I guess suggesting that you use SolView and SolDraw is out of the question?