BasePoint/From

[wannabe]

Is it possible to specify a distance, by picking two points, after you have chosen a basepoint to move your objects from?

 

E.g 1. pick a corner on a square as the basepoint to move it from

2. Select from

3. Choose the quadrant of a circle

4. Select the distanc between two other points that this needs

to be equal to?

 

I know I can measure beforehand, but when you have do this x amoount of times in succession, my request would be quite an efficiency enhancement.

[dbroada]

I don't think so but if I do select the wrong basepoint it is easy to that command then MOVE P(revious) and use a new base point.

[wannabe]

That's the other option really. Move the objects to my intended base point, and select the base and second point of this distance I need it to be.

[Dipali]

I am not sure I undestand what you are asking but have a feeling that 'M2P' ( OSNAP) is the answer

[wannabe]

I am not sure I undestand what you are asking but have a feeling that 'M2P' ( OSNAP) is the answer

 

Not quite. Not at all to be honest.

 

Basically, when you move a selection set using the FROM function you have to type manually or, mouse click and select.

 

Think of the scale reference where you can choose two points. Now, apply that to the available options when you have just chosen to move a selection set and chosen your FROM point.

[dbroada]

I don't quite follow you. The "from" doesn't have to be part of the selection set. You can click anywhere.

[wannabe]

imagine you want to move some objects from a certain point on another object.

 

select your objects, use the move command, when you choose basepoint, choose FROM then pick the point on another object where you want their new position relative to.

 

Now, imagine at this point you would like to say, move them the same distance as there is between those two lines on the other side of the drawing. You can't!

 

You have to measure it before, or you have to move the objects to the point you just selected after FROM and then move them again, using the the two lines I just mentioned as the base and second point.

[dbroada]

so you want to do two moves in one go?

[MaxwellEdison]

I typically use OTRACK,first I hover over the osnap, move my cursor along the proper polar direction and then enter my distance. Or if I don't know the distance, I hover over the osnap point, move an arbitrary distance perpendicular to the direction I want to move, then hover over the osnap for the destination point and move my cursor to where the objects share a perpendicular intersection. See my example below since its kind of a hard concept to explain in words. To do this you must have POLAR angles, OSNAPs, and OTRACK enabled ([F10], [F3], and [F11] repectively by default).

 

***Edit*** I reread your reply to Dave and I think you'll be able to do what you want by using MOVE->FROM->(base point on object)->(base point on 1st reference object)->(OTRACK for point horizontally alligned to 1st reference object and alligned to second reference object)

 

I promise this is not as difficult as it sounds, just hard for me to explain simply.

[wannabe]

so you want to do two moves in one go?

 

Basically yeah, but seeing as the FROM command does one anyway, why can't we say FROM this point, but choose a totally different base and second point then.

 

I use OTRACK a lot, it's not as good as Microstation's accusnap imo, but it's good. Just not relevant here.

[wannabe]

Imagine I wanted to move box 3 from its mid-point on the top horizontal line, from the mid-point of bottom horizontal line of box 2.

 

I would use the from function.

 

But then say I wanted to move it by distance X immediately after choosing my FROM point(bottom of box 2).

 

I would have to know the distance of X and type it in. I couldn't use a point on box 1 and then and then the corresponding point on box 2.

[wannabe]

See here. Box 3 has been moved, and the point on box 2 has been selected as the point to move FROM. All I can do is type a distance or click a location. I cant pick the top left of box 1 and the top left of box 2 as the direction and distance to move box 3 whilst this operation is still active.

 

I need to move box 3 to box 2. Then move box 3 using a point on box1 and a point on box 2.

 

This would be good when I'm manually creating a key, as one example.

[MaxwellEdison]

Okay, I see your dilemna now, otrack simply is not enough here.

I've cobbled together a quick macro so you can create a custom command, I called mine "movefrom"

^c^c_move;\;\\_move;p;;from;0,0,0\\

Hope that works for ya