alternatives to solprof

[mvrcad]

Gday All

I have been taught a few years ago to draw in 3D, then solprof a copy of the file, cut and paste the hidden lines into the original files viewports.

 

 

I find that this process can be problematic , in that

1. when it comes to solprofing, many mistakes can be made.
   
2. if there are any changes made to the 3d model, this isnt reflected /updated in the viewports as the solprof has already been done.
   
3. my pc sometimes crashes at the solprof part of the process.
   

Id like to know if there is a better way to get hidden lines on a 3d drawing.

Have i been taught the wrong way to do things?

Cheers

[Dadgad]

I am a big fan of SOLPROF. What you say is true about the fact that it is not automatically updated, and so, should be used when the model is completed. When I set up my models prior to using SOLPROF, I explode any blocks first, as it only works on 3D solids, then I strip out any bits which I do not want to display on any particular perspective view. Before running Solprof I always check from an isometric perspective in modelspace to ensure that nothing has inadvertently been rotated erroneously, which would of course affect the layering (visible or hidden) in the solprof blocks. I use 2D wireframe view setting up my perspectives, it occasionally happens, and from top view I can't tell. If you are running these commands with realistic, xray or hidden view styles, it will really slow you down, and might cause your PC to crash. After using the SOLPROF command I separate the PH and the PV blocks by dragging them a know distance orthogonally in different directions. I explode those blocks, then I use the OVERKILL command to strip out any uncalled for duplicated lines. Then I select all of the exploded bits from the PH block and change their layer to Steel Hidden, and I set their DRAW ORDER to display at the back. I then choose and move all of the PV bits to the Steel layer, and set their DRAW ORDER to display in the front. Then I move the 3D models which were just solprofed out of the way, and move the solprofed lines back into the positions (by a know distance) from which they started. Sounds like a lot of work, but it is a lot easier than tracing a difficult model, and once you have done it this way you can do whatever you want to the bits. There are others who favor SOLDRAW and SOLVIEW, or FLATSHOT. In 2012 there is a new command and functionality, which is called VIEWBASE. If you are on AUTOCAD 2011 you don't have VIEWBASE at your disposal, and even if you do have it, it is not retro-compatible, so if you need to share a dwg file which includes 3D models in modelspace with someone on an earlier version of AUTOCAD, the generated views will not show up. If you are working exclusively with others working on Autocad 2012, then you are good to go. It advises you, by highlighting any views in red, which are out of sync with the model they represent, and a simple click will update any such views. There has been quite a bit of discussion on these issues in the past couple of weeks. Check out the similar threads listed at the bottom of this page. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you are experiencing lots of crashes, or really slow regeneration times, and you are not already aware of it, you might want to explore adaptive degradation.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Dadgad

[mvrcad]

Thanks Dadgad

I have played with addaptive degredation, will look into it again now they have made my pc 64 bit and added ram, hopefully my settings are still the same.

 

as for the solprof, do you know anything about

VSOBSCUREDLTYPE ?

[Dadgad]

Thanks Dadgad

I have played with addaptive degredation, will look into it again now they have made my pc 64 bit and added ram, hopefully my settings are still the same.

 

as for the solprof, do you know anything about

VSOBSCUREDLTYPE ?

 

Never used it, but it must mean viewspace obscured linetype ....... so, what do you want your hidden lines to look like? Better to be on a 64 bit system, onward and upward. Press f1 and look it up in the user's guide. there are 11 different linetypes from which to choose.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Dadgad

[ReMark]

You can also use the SectionPlane command.

[dirkvandonkelaar]

I personally am a fan of making flatshots, because it inserts an block in the drawing.

You can update it with an new flatshot and selecting an existing block.

[SLW210]

Use SectionPlane or SOLVIEW/SOLDRAW, both update when you change the model.

 

SOLPROF should not crash your computer. Do you get an error message?

[swats]

I personally use solview/soldraw to create drawing views for my detail and assembly drawings. The down side it does add more layers to my drawing files. When I create my views using solview I names my views as; V1, V2, V3 etc. It drives the other designer I work with nuts, but it keeps the layer grouped together in the layer control manager. I rarely just shut off just one group of view layers. I do use on the rare occasion use solprof or flat shot to create an out line of a part something.

[rkent]

I have good luck simply using the 3D model and setting up various viewports in a layout, have hidden lines showing, freeze layers, etc. With lots of layers I can get the view I want with little trouble, and of course it updates with no effort.

[mvrcad]

Use SectionPlane or SOLVIEW/SOLDRAW, both update when you change the model.

 

SOLPROF should not crash your computer. Do you get an error message?

 

yes, out of memory errors, fatal errors, yet work wont upgrade my pc, they just changed it to 64 bit with more ram.

also they wont let me install any autocad updates.

[mvrcad]

so i guess the question is why dont autoCAD make it easier to put hidden lines in 3d drawings?

is it because they want us to move to Inventor?

[ReMark]

Could you clarify please? You want to see the hidden lines while looking at the 3D objects or are you talking about deriving 2D views of 3D objects and seeing the hidden lines?

[mvrcad]

the later

2d views of 3d models, occasionally with hidden lines.

[ReMark]

OK. What command(s) do you rely upon the most for creating the 2D views and what annoys you the most regarding the display of hidden lines?

[SLW210]

so i guess the question is why dont autoCAD make it easier to put hidden lines in 3d drawings?

is it because they want us to move to Inventor?

 

I don't see the difficulty. It is really simple to create 2D from a 3D model in AutoCAD. Have you tried the other methods?

[rkent]

so i guess the question is why dont autoCAD make it easier to put hidden lines in 3d drawings?

is it because they want us to move to Inventor?

 

Moving to AutoCAD 2012 will get you Drawing Views that create the views for you, easy to set for hidden lines, update automatically.

[mvrcad]

OK. What command(s) do you rely upon the most for creating the 2D views and what annoys you the most regarding the display of hidden lines?

 

some of the steps i use (may have left some out)

assuming i have made a drawing with a solid xreffed into it, and viewports setup

1. save "main drawing.dwg" as some file like "solprof delete.dwg"

2. bind xrefs that contain solids to the solprof drawing

3. explode blocks to become solids

4. enter paperspace

5. enter the viewports model and solprof solid with yyyy at each comand prompt

6. explode the solprof hidden line block then change space

7. do this for all viewports

8. copy all hidden lines back to original "drawing.dwg"

9. change or match properties of hidden lines to match your standard hidden line layer.

10. delete some overkill hidden lines not necesary.

11. save

 

thats the way i've been doing things, however it seems time / labour intensive.

 

as a side note the pc's at work are pretty cr@p, i expect no less than 2-7 craches a day as the company is set up for civil drafting and no 3d mechanical, we are not allowed to install updates (or anything else), and they gave the new pc's to the revit guys, all the others were given a change to 64 bit and some more ram and windows 7.

as some of the crashes happen when i do a solprof, i am trying to find a way to do my work a better or more efficient way.

[mvrcad]

cheers rkent

i can only wait and hope, we dont upgrade things here until someone somewhere decides its a go, then it all happens.

us drafters dont have any say in the matter.

[ReMark]

Yes, it seems you are going out of your way to make life more difficult for yourself with all those steps.

[mvrcad]

Yes, it seems you are going out of your way to make life more difficult for yourself with all those steps.

 

Thanks Mark

Could you please suggest a way with less steps?