Copy/Paste/Move? Set a "Zero"?

[KellisRJ]

Hi all, and thanks to those who volunteer for the noobs. I admit I'm hindered because I want to use commands I'm familiar with from vector programs, pixel drawing programs, and PowerPoint. So may be intuitive to others but is nothing like anything else I've used in the past 30 years.  I did look at the tutorial, but I couldn't make the copy paste word as the text indicated. It seems you must know the x, y you want to copy to. Is that right?

I've started to play with Bob's Construction house so as to have some idea what others have done. I  want to duplicate a vertical line 32' long as an exterior wall. I selected the line, clicked the [Move] and [Copy] buttons, and used the arrow keys. A big black box followed the line.  I now realize that it made a copy at each arrow stop. However When I hit [Enter] it acted like an arrow key and kept moving the line. I tried just holding down on the arrow key. Same result, made many, many lines. What was I supposed to do?

Is is possible to set a zero point to work from? I.e. Can I set a zero point so I can draw a 32' wall without having to add 32 to whatever point I'm at?

I assume people develop a habit of where they start from so they know when to add or subtract? On a UH-1 the weight and balance Reference Datum was, IIRC, 6" forward of the aircraft nose. I mention that as an example of working from a known point no matter how arbitrary.

TIA

Ron

[williamj]

Hi Ron, welcome to the forums.

Working in coordinances in DeltaCad isn't mandatory. I rarely do but when I do I like to place an object at 0,0 as a visual reference. Usually, I just start drawing anywhere on the screen. For example...

In drawing a line (vertical or horizontal)I just left click where I want to start the line (or enter the first set of coordinances), move the cursor in the direction I want the line to go, and enter the length (or enter the second set of coordinances).

To copy/paste an object, select object,  you click the "Select" tab, then click on an object (say a square that's dimensions are one inch by one inch). In the "Select" toolbar click 'copy', and then click 'move' (two small squares). move the object with the cursor or enter the distances desired.

Example. select the square, click 'copy', click 'move' (in the "Select" toolbar) enter 3,0. hit enter. This will move and paste a copy of the square horizontally 3 inches to the right. Experiment with copying and pasting an object left/right as well up/down.

[KellisRJ]

(10-24-2020, 07:57 AM)williamj Wrote: Hi Ron, welcome to the forums.
Example. select the square, click 'copy', click 'move' (in the "Select" toolbar) enter 3,0. hit enter. This will move and paste a copy of the square horizontally 3 inches to the right. Experiment with copying and pasting an object left/right as well up/down.

Thanks William. I had the click order wrong. I hit move prior to copy.
And also thanks for the information on the xy. I was extending existing lines, obviously made a big difference. Next to figure out is why typing 32' in the length didn't do what I expected. Has to do with my scale setting I think.

[williamj]

for a length, 32' means thirty-two feet.

[AlwMVMO]

Quote:It seems you must know the x, y you want to copy to. Is that right?

Not really, you can randomly move/copy objects to a cursor position.
1. Click the Select tab.
2. Click on an object (point, line, circle, shape, text, spline) .
3. Click the [Copy] button to turn ON the copy mode 
4. Click the [Move] button.
5. Click the left mouse button to place the new object. 
6. Click on the [Copy] button again to turn OFF the copy mode then you can put the new object in a different place.
note: If the line is horizontal or vertical you can't see where it is going to be placed until you click the left mouse button.


To move/copy a line at a certain distance:


Select a line then click the [Copy] button to turn ON the Copy mode 
then click the [Move] button then type in a X, Y distance then press [ENTER] and you will get a 2nd line.

note: To move/copy left or right put in a number then comma then zero (0)    example: -12.25, 0 to go left  or 12.25, 0 to go right
        To move/copy up or down put in zero (0) then comma then a number    example: 0, 8.0      to go up   or 0, -8.0   to go down

    Then if you want to move that 2nd without making more lines then click the [Copy] button again to turn OFF the Copy mode 
    and press [Enter] without typing in a new X, Y distance then that 2nd line will move each time you press [ENTER]

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If you want parallel lines it is easier to go to the Line tab and use the [Parallel] button.
Click your original line then place your cursor to the side of the line you want to go then type in the distance and press [ENTER]
If you keep pressing [ENTER] you will get multiple parallel lines.

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If you want to make a line longer or shorter go to the Edit tab and click on the [Slide an endpoint] button
then click the end of the line you want to make longer.
As you move your cursor you will see the line getting longer or shorter depending which way you go then click the left mouse button.
Or click on an intersecting object (line or circle) to lengthen or shorten to that other object.

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Here is another post with more information  >> http://www.deltacadusersgroup.org/Forums/showthread.php?tid=999&pid=3813#pid3813

[KellisRJ]

(10-24-2020, 08:46 PM)AlwMVMO Wrote:

Quote:It seems you must know the x, y you want to copy to. Is that right?

If you want parallel lines it is easier to go to the Line tab and use the [Parallel] button.
Click your original line then place your cursor to the side of the line you want to go then type in the distance and press [ENTER]
If you keep pressing [ENTER] you will get multiple parallel lines.

================================================================================

If you want to make a line longer or shorter go to the Edit tab and click on the [Slide an endpoint] button
then click the end of the line you want to make longer.
As you move your cursor you will see the line getting longer or shorter depending which way you go then click the left mouse button.
Or click on an intersecting object (line or circle) to lengthen or shorten to that other object.

================================================================================

Here is another post with more information  >> http://www.deltacadusersgroup.org/Forums/showthread.php?tid=999&pid=3813#pid3813

Thanks! Parallel lines was my next question. I had trouble trying to modify the length using the steps you gave, must have made an error. Will be giving it another go in a bit.  Do I need to create a macro to make consistent parallel lines for wall thickness or learn to use the coordinates to set the gap, need to look up, a distance based on exterior/ interior, wall covering etc.?
Thanks again!

Ron

[AlwMVMO]

The  [Slide an endpoint] button is the 5th button above the Edit tab.

   

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As for making wall thickness I'm not sure what is the best way, maybe draw one side of as many walls you can then go to parallel lines and make the walls thicknesses.
If you don't use parallel lines when making one side of the walls, the value you use will still be there,
just pick the line, move to one side and press [ENTER] and just keep repeating this for other wall thickness.

Or you could make all the left hand side of vertical walls then go to the Select tab and then by holding down the [Ctrl] key
select all the vertical wall lines then [Copy] and [Move] the selected lines to the right (3.5, 0) and press the [ENTER] key.
And then do the horizontal wall line the same way except copy and move them in the Y direction (0, 3.5)

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I did make a mistake in post#6 I originally said :
"5. Click the right mouse button to place the new object. "
and it should say "5. Click the left mouse button to place the new object. "

DeltaCad isn't the best CAD for drawing house (architectural) plans, there are compromises for it's price.