3D issues - zooming, selecting, moving, etc.

[sketch11]

I've worked in 3D occasionally but haven't had this problem.

Difficult to explain:

• Zooming in, the crosshairs disappear.
• Crosshairs don't go where you want it to. Seems like the cross hairs don't line up with where the mouse is.
• Crosshairs don't move past a certain point.
• Selecting an object is more and more difficult as you zoom in. Zoomed out, it's impossible to work as you can't see what you're doing.
• Snapping is jumpy.

 

Drawing is done by someone else.

[Cad64]

Is the model very small or is it far away from the X0,Y0,Z0 origin?

[CyberAngel]

My 3D experience is limited, but you may be working with a coordinate system that's not lined up with your view. The cursor is trying to follow one set of instructions, while your monitor is following another.

[sketch11]

Thanks for the responses.

Cad64, yes the model is far away. Up to 10^9 for X, Y and Z (10^9 = 1,000,000,000). Units are meters. I don't have the option of changing the coordinates.

CyberAngel, the Z coordinate is the same for model and view. The X and Y are rotated, but this is normal I think.

Edited March 14, 2023 by sketch11

[BIGAL]

Try setting a local UCS use ucs OB, and UCS S yournameucs, this way at anytime can jump to world or the saved UCS.

 

10^9 can you move object ? Just remember an existing point XYZ, then move to 0,0,0.

[sketch11]

Sorry Bigal I cannot understand what you are saying.

[Cad64]

Here's something you could try.

1. Select the entire model and make it a block.

2. Make a copy of the block and move it X0,Y0,Z0.

3. Use the BEDIT command to work on the copy. When you save and close the block editor, the changes you made will update to the original model that's way out in space somewhere.

4. Once you're finished working, you can delete the copy and explode the original block.

 

This is all hypothetical though. I've never had to do something like this, but it should work. I would keep a copy of the original file as backup though, in case something goes wrong. I would also routinely save and close the block editor every 10 minutes or so, and save the file. You don't want to work in the block editor for extended periods of time. I have run across issues where the editor gets overloaded or something and it refuses to save and close, which results in lost work.

 

Another option would be to simply save a copy of the file and work in the copied file. You could move everything to the origin, do whatever work you need to do and then copy everything back to the original file and replace the original model.

 

Or you could work in the original file, as Bigal mentioned. Just move everything to the origin to work on it and then move it back to the original location when you're done. You would just need to place some markers at the original location so you know exactly where to put the model back when you're done working.

[sketch11]

Thanks for the suggestions Cad64.

Was best to work on the model where it is as it's the coordinates which were required. Trying to avoid moving to zero but may have to.

 

I did the BEDIT and working inside the block was manageable (slow though), but the issue is that the coordinates were different to the original.

 

Could not understand Bigal's instructions so will have to spend time researching this.

 

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

[BIGAL]

OK draw a random line horizontal make sure F8 is on when drawing and use that as say, left end is your 0,0  point, do UCS OB pick left end of line, then type PLAN. Do UCS SAVE giveitaname, any time you want to go to your real world co-ordinates do UCS W Plan.

 

To return to the false UCS do UCS R giveitaname Plan.

 

Using UCS can be real handy in big co-ordinates situations we worked every day with real world data. Points like 5567123.234, 277456.123 

 

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by BIGAL

[sketch11]

Thanks Bigal I tried but no luck.

Do you know of a web page which explains in context of large coordinates.

[BIGAL]

I dont understand why you would have like 10^9 our points were only to millions. Sounds like a metre dwg has been converted to mm that would increase points by 1000 times,  3 decimal places. 

 

Are you working in real world co-ordinates does not sound like it. 

 

 

[Steven P]

10^9.. is it a scaling thing then, drawing scale in mm but showing things in km

[BIGAL]

Again we worked every day in real world co-ordinates and in metres, so again are values real world co-ordinates ? If not then move to 0,0 just remember a point X,Y that you use for the move. put some form of marker on that point with say the text XY value.

[sketch11]

Yes these are real coordinates.

For  a start, there is no confidence in what the coordinate is, as attaching to something is difficult and knowing what you've attached to is difficult to see.

[BIGAL]

Go back a few steps where did the dwg come from ?

 

What are the co-ords related to when I talk Real world co-ordinates I mean put them in a GPS and go find that point. It still sounds to me that it has been drawn at some point then scaled into mm from m, and then moved. Architects love to do that and then ask can you set it out for construction. 

 

Does the dwg have a BENCHMARK that you can look up true co-ordinates for that point.

 

Post a bit of your dwg then we may be able to understand what is going on, you can private mail to people so it is just not out there in public. 

[sketch11]

Hi yes I know about real world coordinates and benchmark grid systems.

I understand the model can be moved or scaled, with difficulty in this case and with possibility of error ... but please note the query is more about operation of AutoCAD where model is far from zero.

Edited March 20, 2023 by sketch11

[BIGAL]

I have to give up as I have said multiple times everyday our projects were big numbers. Never had problems. 

 

Just a thought do you have objects z =0 and z= 123456789 that could be the problem we get that with civil projects surface at a Z linework at 0.

[sketch11]

That's OK.

The magnitude I think was 10^9 one axis, close to 10^10 in another axis and probably 10^4 and 10^5 in other axis.

I had stated "m" units above but it was actually "mm". So probably is to one the standard map grids.