Help with layers

[ReMark]

I believe the answer hasn't changed. It is the option Display Locked. It is either Yes or No. You cannot lock, to my knowledge, the individual object itself unless of course it is on its own layer and you lock the layer.

[Mason Dixon]

I guess this isn't going to work since I've got the object on its own layer. I've got the layer locked, frozen and the viewport display locked.

[ReMark]

Then nothing should be able to be moved. I thought that would be a good thing. Now it's a bad thing?

[MikeScott]

It's doing exactly what you told it to do.. each window is pointing in precisely the same location. You now need to tell each veiwport what layers it's supposed to be looking at by changing the layerstate for each one.

 

Each Item is drawn on a different layer, so viewpoint #1 should have layer 1 turned on.. Viewpoint #2 should have only layer 2 turned on, etc..

 

It's what we said a second ago..

 

BUT.. stop changing the original item.. you need to make a new item each time, not stretch or otherwise adjust the original.. that needs to be on the specific layer..

 

IE- item #1 goes on Layer 1, and the 1st viewport needs to be set to only see layer 1... Whatever changes you make to that item, on that layer, will always be updated in that viewport. You need a NEW item to do Item #2, on Layer2, etc. etc.

 

These are "views".. not slides, or photographs.. It see's what condition the items are in in realtime... like binoculars aimed at the part.

[Mason Dixon]

The profile is not staying locked in place. It changes every time I change it in modelspace.

[Mason Dixon]

How do I get a viewport to only show a certain layer?

[ReMark]

That's the one thing I always disliked about model train sets. They only gave you enough track to go in a circle.

[ReMark]

Viewport Freeze layer in current viewport only in Layer Properties. Use the scroll bar to get over to the option.

[Mason Dixon]

anybody mind writing up a step by step 'cause i just don't get it

[MikeScott]

Except that the image you showed us, showed all of the viewports aimed at the same part. Which means that they're all being told to look at the same place, at the same layer.

 

The profile hadn't moved in those views. You changed the profile, so it updated the viewports with the changes.

 

To do what you're trying to do "create views of parts that are all in the same place (0,0)" you need to have each part on a separate layer and LEFT on that layer.

 

Then go to your viewpoints and change the layers which each specific viewport can see.

 

Viewpoint #1 looks at Layer 1, which contains Item #1.

 

The item has to continue to exist on that layer in-order for it to be seen by that viewpoint.

 

The only thing moving on your profile, is how you're changing it, and each of those viewpoints is seeing the same thing.

 

Try this quick exercise:

On Layer 1, draw a line starting at 0,0 ending wherever.

now, freeze that layer, and switch to Layer 2

Draw another line on Layer 2, that starts at 0,0 and goes in a different direction.

 

If you turn on both layers, you see both lines.. turn off one of those layers and you only see the other line.

 

Next, go to look at the viewports you made in paperspace, they all see whatever layers you have turned on in the drawing.

 

They'll stay that way UNTIL you change the layer settings on each viewpoint:

Viewpoint #1 - turn-off all layers except Layer #1

Viewpoint #2 - turn-off all layers except Layer #2

 

This is the only way in which you'll get what you're trying to achieve.

[MikeScott]

look up the command VPLAYER in your help window (F1 button):

 

VPLAYER makes a layer visible in one or more viewports and invisible in all other viewports.

The VPLAYER command can be used only while you are working in a layout tab.

 

Basically use the freeze option of this command to turn-off layers in specific windows.

[MikeScott]

The profile is not staying locked in place. It changes every time I change it in modelspace.

 

This will not work if you change the existing part.. you need to leave it alone on it's own layer, and change a copy of it to create the next item, on another layer.

[ReMark]

What part of Mike's voluminous instructions are you having a difficult time understanding? There seems to be a disconnect here. I would have thought by now you understood the profile you are referring to cannot, in and of itself, be "locked in place" as you like to refer to it.

 

Is it imperative that all profiles have the same base point?

[Mason Dixon]

Will this work?

 

 

I have just 2 pieces right now, each on their own layer, both placed at 0,0 in modelspace. Can I freeze profile A in place in vp top left. And then freeze profile B in place in the next top vp over?

 

http://i510.photobucket.com/albums/s343/MasonDixon_2008/3452a1s.gif

[Dana W]

Nope, it won't.

 

See, here's the thing... You only have two objects in model space, not eight.

 

I think this has been explained before but....

 

A viewport is only that. It does not know what it is looking at. It only cares about where it is looking. Any object within that location has no relevance to the viewport at all.

 

Therefore, when you point multiple viewports to the same object, and then change anything about that object, the changes will show in ALL the viewports.

 

The only thing that locks when you lock a viewport is the properties of the viewport window itself; scale, size, and shape etc. You will notice that you can double click into a locked viewport in paper space and edit the objects within it directly in model space.

[Mason Dixon]

I was hoping I could turn off all layers except the profile A I was needing to show in viewport 1, freeze that layer to that viewport and then move to the next viewport and do the same thing for profile B and so on. I would then do the same for the bottom perspective row.

 

If this will not work, does this mean that I will have to manually maneuver each piece in the 3d perspective viewports? Surely there has to be a way to do this so that everything is kept nice and uniform?

[ReMark]

Mason Dixon: I think the approach you just put forth might work.

[Dana W]

Mason Dixon, let me say I may have spoken out of turn and may be completely wrong. I am not sure I correctly caught the details of your explanation of what you want to do.

 

Also, I am apparently out of my element here since I have not worked with 3D more than a few hours, but not knowing what I am talking about has not stopped me in the past. (at least not often enough). I suppose that is why I am spending so much time in the beginner's area.

 

In view of Remark's reply, I would like to move over to the questioner's side on this issue. If I may try to pull it down to the simplest level so I can get my head around it...

 

Say we have one 2D object, in viewport A shown straight and level along the x & y. Now in viewport B, I want to show that same object, but rotated 45 deg. I gotta think that no matter how frozen I set viewport A, when I rotate it in viewport B it is also going to be rotated in viewport A.

 

I don't want to add confusion. Am I missing something? Does freezing a viewport layer actually freeze the image of the object it is showing in model space? That would mean it then holds a completely separate image of the object, and becomes a viewport into the past so to speak. Is that the case?

[MikeScott]

Will this work?

 

I have just 2 pieces right now, each on their own layer, both placed at 0,0 in modelspace. Can I freeze profile A in place in vp top left. And then freeze profile B in place in the next top vp over?

 

Yes, that's almost exactly what you do, but you have it backwards.. You need to freeze the layers you don't want to see in that viewport.

 

Here's the next step after that last graphic you posted.

Uuse the vplayer command :

 

1- VPLAYER

2- Freeze layer B

3- Select the two lefthand viewports

 

This will turn off Layer B in those two windows, so you'll only see the items on other layers in those windows.

 

 

 

Note: this is still kinda bassackwards..

 

 

 

Here's what I suggest instead.. (save a copy of the drawing file you're using, and do this to the copy):

 

First.. set your UCS to view in that 3d viewport.. (You should be able to save it.. I know you're fond of it and it'll save you trying to find it again in that drawing at least)

 

Next, go back to modelspace then set your View to your UCS.

 

Next, copy the part straight to the right..

use a start location in a random place, not on the part itelf.. then type: @10

(Where 10 is the distance, and zero is the angle)

 

Do it 3 times.. so you have 4 parts next to each other.. (all at the same distance apart.. so if you move the first one 10, the next one should be 20, and the last one 30..)

 

Now change your view to "World" and your UCS to world.

 

Copy the first part straight up the screen.. the same way as before (making this the 5th part) (type: @10

 

Now make your adjustments to the 2nd part, and then copy it (endpoint to endpoint) onto the other one you moved up.. select it, and move it sideways by a useful distance (as long as your view and UCS or in "world" it'll move right).

 

Do it again with the last two parts on that row.

 

When you are done.. you'll have two rows of items, perfectly spaced in their respective views.

 

Go back to paperspace.. Erase all the viewports except for the two on the left.

 

If you used VPlayer on those viewports.. thaw out all the layers. Then stretch the two viewports sideways (using the grip boxes in the corners of the viewports.. drag 'em)

 

Now you should see all eight parts, and you can fine-tune their positions here. If you want boxes around each view.. just draw it in paperspace.

 

It might seem like a lot of steps.. but really it's nothing, and a lot less confusing than the nightmare you're making for yourself over there.. It's not perfect, but it's a different way of tackling the problem.

[MikeScott]

Say we have one 2D object, in viewport A shown straight and level along the x & y. Now in viewport B, I want to show that same object, but rotated 45 deg. I gotta think that no matter how frozen I set viewport A, when I rotate it in viewport B it is also going to be rotated in viewport A.

 

You are correct.. freezing is used to stop items on a layer from showing up. What you COULD do is rotate the view within a specific viewport, rather than rotating the actual object, so it's untouched in the other viewport. (which is what this topic originally started out as)

 

I don't want to add confusion. Am I missing something? Does freezing a viewport layer actually freeze the image of the object it is showing in model space? That would mean it then holds a completely separate image of the object, and becomes a viewport into the past so to speak. Is that the case?

 

You were right the first time, that's not how it works. You CAN do a slideshow, which is somewhat similar in terms of being an image of the model as it appeared when you took "took the picture", but it has nothing to do with freezing anything. Instead, you use MSLIDE, VSLIDE, etc.. check on them in your help (F1 button) to see how they work.