How to use projections?

[bagulhodoido]

After turning a 3d solid into plan lines with the command solprof, I usually copy them to another drawing or something like that. the bad thing is that most of the times the ucs gets all messed up, since when i set the ucs to the view before copying it, it sets right the X and the Y coordinates, and aparently the Z not, so, althought the drawings look fine on the 2d view I desire, they are on different Z coordinates from all the other drawings.

I would like to know if there is any command that allow me to project the drawing into a determinated Z coordinate. so I could place all the drawings at the same level.

[MaxwellEdison]

Instead of rotating the UCS , can you rotate your solid in plan view?

[bagulhodoido]

what do you mean by rotating the solid. This is the steps I proceeded

 

Drawing the solid.

After finished, rotated the 3d drawing to set the angle I wanted to be showed.

Set the UCS to VIEW.

Changed to LAYOUT.

Created a viewport.

Command "SOLPROF".

Returned to MODEL.

Froze the drawing layers and the Hidden layer created by the solprof.

Copy the drawing and pasted in another PLAN 2d drawing.

 

Already on the other drawing, althought the drawing looks plan and fine in the TOP view, if I rotate it with the 3d orbit tool I realize the "Z" coordinate is all messed up, like:

 

-------------------------__________________=B

 

 

 

A=___________________

 

A is all the plan drawing I already had on the drawing file. and B is the SOLPROF I have just pasted. You guys have probably figured out my problem.

 

Is there ANY command that could just set the projection of B on the same "Z" coordinate as A?

 

like

 

 

-------------------------__________________=B

-------------------------|------------------ |

-------------------------| ------------------|

-------------------------| ------------------|

A=___________________ __________________= B'

 

While B' would be the projection at the same level as A. (:

 

Hope you guys understood it

 

---------------- EDIT EDIT ---------------

 

Ah, and just another thing, I like to shoe dimensions on the SOLPROFED isometric drawings, even if only demonstrative, I usually set the dimensions on the 3d SOLID, set the UCS to view and then copy to the plan Drawing..

THE PROBLEM:

-/----\

/------ \

________________=B

 

While B would be the plan drawing, in a side view, and the // and \\ the dimension lines, I have pasted. The projection of those lines, same way as the other situation, would solve this problem right away.

[ReMark]

Aren't there any pre-set reference points in the second drawing when you bring in these objects created with Solprof?

[bagulhodoido]

I see what you mean, I could use any of the drawings as reference in the Z level, the problem is that the ucs on the other drawing may be far from the drawing as it may not, and becomes a hard thing to do to bring the UCS to the exact plan as the drawings are when you are copying. That way, the drawings you paste will allways be as far from the ucs as when you copyed.

[ReMark]

And that's why God created the Copy with Basepoint option.

[bagulhodoido]

Of, I'm making progress, Using 3 commands, SOLPROF to make the objects isometric 2d view, FLATSHOT to place them in the current PLAN ucs (before copying) usually I also try to set the UCS origin int the plan view and at last, To copy dimension lines, the way they don't get all messed up, I use FLATTEN, to convert their projectin into a 2d drawing, I set the ucs to the origin and finally paste it all in the right drawing, have been working just fine.

 

Thank you for your concern

 

---------- EDIT ----------

btw, how to set the base point when you are copying from one drawing to another????

[ReMark]

Sometimes I think we go out of our way to create problems for ourselves. You really have to stop and ask yourself if it is really necessary to go through all of this to create a drawing. I hope you're not charging by the hour because your client is going to be really upset. And if you are working on a lump sum basis then your hourly rate has already plummeted into the cellar. CAD is supposed to make our life/tasks easier not complicate them further.

 

The basepoint of the object you are copying should always be somewhere on the object itself. Pick a corner that you normally would pick if you, for instance, were rotating the object or copying it. Obviously it would help if within the drawing the object is being inserted there is some existing (i.e. - temporary) reference points/lines that allows for accurate placement of the object.

[bagulhodoido]

I think You didn't follow my situation exaclty... I don't charge by the hour hehehe, just to mention.

 

I had to options:

Isometric drawing, which on my opinion would be really harder, since it's a complex drawing and the effect in the end would not be the same

drawing a 3d solid, projecting it to a plan, and have the exactly view of that object no mather which angle I choose to view. Not only that, I find working with solids MUCH easier and precise than isometric drawing.

 

And also, I know where to place basepoints, what I don't know is that when copyclipping (like ctrl + C heheh), there is any way of setting basepoints in one drawing, and when pasting in another drawing (whole other file) you'll have the same basepoint.

 

And.. Oh, about the time issue, It takes longer only on the learning process...

[Guest]

And also, I know where to place basepoints, what I don't know is that when copyclipping (like ctrl + C heheh), there is any way of setting basepoints in one drawing, and when pasting in another drawing (whole other file) you'll have the same basepoint.

 

 

I think that What ReMark was trying to show you is copying, as you are suggesting.... with the CTRL+C.

[ReMark]

To maintain the same basepoint when copying between drawings it is recommended you use 0,0,0. This works great for 2D but can introduce problems when working between a 3D drawing copying content to a 2D drawing. Again, I think you are creating more problems for yourself than you need to just by the manner in which you work. But hey, I'm not paying your salary so be my guest and continue doing it whatever way you feel works best for you. However, if I were your boss, and I saw what you were going through to create this drawing, I'd pull you into the office and have a serious chat with you.

 

In it's simplest terms, and using as few words as possible, what is the intended end result? What do you want the final drawing to depict when it is printed out?

[ReMark]

Re: Isometric drawings. I no longer draw isometrics the old way in AutoCAD by using Snap > Style then Isometric and manipulating the crosshairs using + keys. I draw my isometrics in 3D, full size, and then when I'm ready to print I choose the direction (mostly using SE isometric). It saves a lot of hassle especially when it comes to putting a radius on a corner or drawing a line at something other than the "normal" angles associated with isometrics.

[ReMark]

"...drawing a 3d solid, projecting it to a plan, and have the exactly view of that object no mather which angle I choose to view."

 

For all the time you've spent creating the 3D solid, flattening it, then copying and pasting it into another drawing, then orienting it correctly (horizontally and vertically), just to see it in plan view you could have drawn it in 2D, plan view, right from the getgo and been done with it. Why waste valuable time? What is your time worth anyway, 10 cents an hour? CAD is supposed to make you more efficient not less.

[bagulhodoido]

As I said, it will only take longer in the learning process. And also, be sure I'm not doing this with deadline right in front of me. Actually, I am only doing this because I have nothing else to do at this moment...

[spursnutter]

I do all my fabrication drawings from sol prof and do have a problem every now and then with the rotation once copied from one elevation/isometric and past it in plan. There are two things that I have learnt to get over this.

 

1. If you have copied from say left for example and then go to plan and past I sometimes have to put the UCS in Left position whilst still in plan and then paste.

2. get into the elevation you require but don't solprof! Save then reload the drawing and then try it. It always seems to work for me then. Must be a bug I guess.

[ReMark]

As I said, it will only take longer in the learning process. And also, be sure I'm not doing this with deadline right in front of me. Actually, I am only doing this because I have nothing else to do at this moment...

 

When you can do it in less than a day let us know.

[bagulhodoido]

When you can do it in less than a day let us know.

 

May that be now, or hmmm, always?

You probably are more experient on this than I am, but that doesn't give you the right to judge my work. First of all, you don't know sh*t about my job, and second, you didn't even pay attenttion on my doubts, you didn't help or at least tried to help me at all.

 

Spursnutter, thanks for the help, that's exactly what I was talking about, aparently ReMark didn't get it, or maybe he is to damn clever to understand how the hell does someone even have any doubts on this subject.

[ReMark]

Thank you for your kind words. It's always a pleasure dealing with one so knowledgeable and erudite as yourself.

 

I wasn't judging your work. It could be right on par with Leonardo DaVinci's for all I know. I was questioning the contortions you're putting yourself through to do a simple task. Why do we need to make things more difficult than they have to be?

 

And no, I'm not an expert. Never have been...never will be...never claimed I was. If you have proof to the contrary then, as they say, put up or shut up.

[ReMark]

Here, you might benefit from this. Don't say I never went the extra mile even for someone as insulting as yourself.

 

http://dailyautocad.blogspot.com/2008/04/autocad-tutorial-to-convert-3d-drawings.html

 

Enjoy.

[ReMark]

Another good discussion re: Solprof.

 

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=8032