SNAP mode hints

[Discus84]

Hi,

I have snap overrides assigned to F2 ( snap midpoint) and F3(default osnap off).

The midpoint  snap is quite useful for mirroring.

Are there other uses for osnap that I miss (examples of other osnap modes in drafting)

Thanks!

 

[CyberAngel]

One snap I find very useful is Node. Then again, I'm in civil, so we use points all the time. By snapping to a point, you avoid accidentally snapping to all the other linework in the vicinity.

 

You can take advantage of the same functionality by placing a point in a busy location. They're hard to see, so they won't interfere with the rest, but you can snap straight to them.

 

While we're talking about snaps, is there some way to turn off the "helpful" suggested secondary snaps while leaving the main ones on? For instance, I'll try to snap to an intersection, but if the pointer doesn't hit it exactly, I'll wind up on a nearby line that's a polar intersection away from the desired point. The same thing happens with the bottom right corner of a table, which won't snap correctly to anything on its top right side, only when it's dragged to bottom left.

 

The tangent snap is useful if you're laying out roads with curves. You can draw a circle that's tangent to two lines (this is not tangent snapping), then adjust each endpoint to the place where it should intersect (this is tangent snapping). Sometimes those lines will trim the circle and leave an arc, sometimes they refuse, so you have to draw lines to the circle center and trim the circle with those.

 

If you're rotating text, you can use the Reference option to grab the text's angle (snap to the nodes at the corners), then provide two other points for the new angle. That's a bit easier than resetting the text angle to zero, rotating it along the new direction, and adjusting its position.

[Discus84]

18 minutes ago, CyberAngel said:

One snap I find very useful is Node. Then again, I'm in civil, so we use points all the time. By snapping to a point, you avoid accidentally snapping to all the other linework in the vicinity.

 

I have similar cases. Look at this:

Green pointer is my desired snap. 

 

Desired snap point (pink corner ) has other junk in vicinity, to which guides, lines and dimensions tend to snap.

How does node help here?

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 01:29 PM by Discus84

[CyberAngel]

Zoom way in, or use another snap like endpoint, to place one point where you need to snap. When you need that exact point, specify the Node mode. Everything but the point will be ignored.

 

This only works if you use the points sparingly. Otherwise you're creating more confusion instead of less.

[Discus84]

I think I'll try turning off the layer next time for dimensioning, the irrelevant lines will just not be there.

 

[BIGAL]

Depending on what your doing you can call transparent  snaps, ie change the osnap setting in a command.

 

Eg Line '47 pickpoint

Note the apostrophe in front of the 47. A lisp defun has been made that is autoloaded. This resets the snaps for the pick point.

 

(defun C:15 ()(setvar "osmode" 15359))   ; sets all snaps on
(defun C:47 ()(setvar "osmode" 47))
(defun C:99 ()(setvar "osmode" 99))
(defun C:8 ()(setvar "osmode" 8))
(defun C:9 ()(setvar "osmode" 9))
(defun C:0 ()(setvar "osmode" 0))

Don't forget m2p for middle of two points

Edited 3 hours ago by BIGAL

[Discus84]

7 hours ago, BIGAL said:

 

 

Don't forget m2p for middle of two points

Hi,

I used m2p until I got F2 setup as a command to do m2p. It has become one of most useful function keys.

Thanks,

 

[CyberAngel]

23 hours ago, Discus84 said:

I think I'll try turning off the layer next time for dimensioning, the irrelevant lines will just not be there.

 

 

Another way to do that is to Hide the geometry you don't want. You can bring it back as soon as you finish.

[BIGAL]

Like @CyberAngel use Layiso & Layuniso, check settings I use all off rather than fade.