DesignCAD Productivity Tips

Point Select Tool

Movies & Virtual Reality

DesignCAD 3D MAX PLUS can now export HPGL files, making the creation of that format easier from DesignCAD. And just why might someone care about HPGL files? -- If you're using older equipment such as an older plotter or CNC router, you should find a driver in the HPGL export that will work with an older piece of equipment and still allow you to use the newest computer and software solutions.

Convert Double Lines

Available in DesignCAD 3000, DesignCAD 3D Max and DesignCAD 3D Max PLUS. In previous version you would need to use a parallel line and the result would be two lines instead of one double-line.

Duplicate

Chamfer Corners

Cut Edge and Cut Corner allow you to chamfer corners of 3D objects. Find these commands in the Edit menu > Trim Extend submenu. Find these in newer versions of DesignCAD.

Split It

The Split by Distance and Split by Points commands will break a double-line and cap the opening automatically. It's ideal for inserting holes for doorways. These commands are new to DesignCAD 3D Max PLUS. Find them in the Edit menu > Line Edit submenu.

It's Faster!

Use shortcut keys for faster access to commands. You can also customize the shortcut keys in the keyboard options. For a list of the common keyboard shortcuts see the DesignCAD Help file.

Heal Lines

In DesignCAD 3D Max PLUS it's found in Edit menu > Line Edit submenu. 

DesignCAD Calculator

DesignCAD has a built-in calculator. You can find its command within the Tools menu.

Register Your Version of DesignCAD!  

You can register at www.Upperspace.com/register, by calling 800/233-3223, by mailing your registration card, or faxing it to 918/825-6359. Here's why you should …

#1 All registered software gets free technical support. Even when new versions are released, you can still take advantage of free technical support.

#2 When you register it gives us a copy of your serial number. If you should lose your serial number sometime in the future, you can call us and we’ll read it back to you. This can be a real lifesaver when upgrading to a new computer or if you’re forced to reformat your hard drive. It can save you from having to buy another package of the software!

Design a 3D Threaded Bolt

Instructions are described based on DesignCAD 3D Max PLUS. Older versions may vary slightly. Feel free to call tech support if you want help trying this: 918/824-1159 or email support@upperspace.com.

So how is this threaded bolt created? You get an idea just by looking at the order of images overhead. Can you do it? Of course you can! And as you might expect, your first time ought to go a bit faster using the tips and tricks given in the instructions. ;)

Click here for the instructions!

David writes ...

Here is a macro I wrote to draw single lift cams. Just follow the instructions in the pop up boxes. A period of dwell is any time the cam maintains the same diameter include base Dia. as a dwell count (should always be 1 or 2).Simple Harmonic is not as smooth as Modified Harmonic. Cam1 is a drawing of a modified harmonic cam showing the equations that would need to be added to a drawing in order to manufacture the cam profile.

Click here to download this macro

David writes ...
ROTEXT.BSC
David Coker, PLS
david.coker@ci.fresno.ca.us

This is a macro I have used over the years for rotating text entities to a user-selected text angle. Macro opens with a window giving you six choices on how to define the angle to which text entities are to be rotated:

(H) Rotates selected text to horizontal (text angle =0 )

(V) Rotates selected text to vertical (text angle=90 )

(A) Rotates selected text to user input text angle (xx.xx )

(P) Rotates selected text to angle specified by two user-selected points

(L) Rotates selected text to same angle as user-selected line

(T) Rotates selected text to same angle as user-selected text entity

After choosing text angle to rotate text entities to, select a text entity and it will be rotated to selected angle.
The "Move" command is active once the rotation has been completed so that you can position the text.
Get the text where you want it and hit "Enter" to close the "Move" command. Hit "Escape" to exit the macro
or hit any other key or mouse button to proceed to select another text entity to rotate.
 

Click here to download this macro

Underwater Cave Mapping using DesignCAD

A Macro

by Michael Budde

For a gallery of cave pictures and images click here. 

Often understanding what natural resources our earth has is the first step in protecting them. With careful exploration and survey we can do this in a responsible way. However often times the type of data that can be collected about an area is difficult to translate into a form that can be easily understood or studied. This was a problem I ran into when wanting to provide underwater cave survey information to scientists studying those natural resources. One option would be to draw it to scale, but not being too artistic myself it was not a real option, so I turned to DesignCAD which I already had experience in with mechanical design. Using DesignCAD’s Basic CAD macro language I was able to automate the process.

The basic information that we can collect underwater for survey is limited by the amount of time we can spend there. So a line survey is the most reasonable given the time constraint. First we lay a guideline through the cave system, this line not only serves as a guide to the exit, it also is our skeleton for our survey. At each point the line changes direction we set a survey point where we will collect data. First we get the length from one point to the other, then starting depth and ending depth, and directional heading for that segment using a compass. At each station we also gather distance from that point to the left and right wall, ceiling and floor. Once all this data is gathered we save it into a spreadsheet program and save it as a comma separated text file.

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I created 2 separate BasicCAD macros that use DesignCAD 3D Max’s 3D solid modeling engine to create a 3D line plot, and one that creates a complete 3D cave model. All I have to give it is the file name for our survey data and it begins plotting the line in 3D. Basically what it does is converts the Depth, Distance, and Azimuth data to Cartesian coordinates, basically XYZ coordinates. Since it is in 3D we can move the line plot model, look at it from different angles, and even get information about points on the line-plot like depth and direction.

To generate a complete model I will provide it with the wall and ceiling distance data to. With this automation we can see the cave drawn as it processes all the data. It creates a surface between the stations where wall measurements were taken. The closer stations are together, the more detailed map you can create, but there is a point of diminishing returns where more data, or stations will not necessarily give you a much better map, so it must be balanced. We usually only set a station where the passage changes size or shape, or when the direction of the cave changes. This gives us a fairly accurate 3D model without having to set thousands of stations. One of the biggest advantages to using this DesignCAD 3D Max over hand drawing is the fact that the map can be re-created in just a few minutes when additions or corrections are made. Once the map is finished we can examine the model from any angle, we can also change the way it is displayed, and even create fly-through animations of the model giving scientists a more useful representation of the resource then just numbers on a page.

Click here to download the cave survey macro

click the small thumbnail image above to see a larger view