Topic: Generating sections

[Fish]

Whats the best method to generate sections?  I've played with the section plane command and 3dclip also but I'm finding both kinda cumbersome, any help out there?

[DaveW]

I use Dview with clipping planes. I have created a vb app that automates much of the choices for me.

There is an issue with clipping planes, in that if you clip off the front leading edge of the 3D solid your solid appears hollow. If the solid has features beyond the clipping plane, such as a hole, this feature will be visible.

My solution to this is to also use the section command to generate regions, at 1/16 in front of the clipping plane, so that the bleed through does not occur. Again, I have automated that with a vb app too.

MickD has a utility that is quite impressive for creating 2D views and sections from 3D solids.
http://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=11661.msg146031#msg146031

Take a look at that, as it may help you quite a bit.

For many people that use ACAD, I know I was one, ACAD LT is just fine, because they never take advantage of ACAD's programming interface, That is really why you buy the full version. Being as you have it you can either code something yourself or use someoneelse's code or app. It would certainly be nice if stock ACAD did a better job at this. What they did for MDT was pretty cool, but the bugs could ruin your whole drawing.

[deegeecees]

Solprof with Clipping Planes usually gets the job done for me.

[Fish]

I've tried the 3dclip and as DaveW says the objects appear hollow, I've tried the sectioning tools but that doesn't keep my layers, could you elaborate more on the solprof?  Thanks.

[deegeecees]

Solprof is basically a SOLid PROfile. You need a Viewport in PS in order to use the command. I create plan/elevation views for our products here with it. You could use it for ISOmetric views as well, works fine.

[Josh Nieman]

I guess I can't help.  I use 3dclip exclusively.

[deegeecees]

I guess I can't help.  I use 3dclip exclusively.

I use 3DClip along with Solprof. I take my viewport, set a view perp to what I want (for instance a plan view of 1st floor of a 4 story building), adjust clipping plane so I only have the first floor (right about at the middle of the windows so I get the "cut" for the windows and doors), then invoke the Solprof command. The only drawback is separating some miscellaneous geometry that clutters up my drawings.

So, there you have it.

[Josh Nieman]

I guess I can't help.  I use 3dclip exclusively.

I use 3DClip along with Solprof. I take my viewport, set a view perp to what I want (for instance a plan view of 1st floor of a 4 story building), adjust clipping plane so I only have the first floor (right about at the middle of the windows so I get the "cut" for the windows and doors), then invoke the Solprof command. The only drawback is separating some miscellaneous geometry that clutters up my drawings.

So, there you have it.

Yea I used to do the same thing.  I hated separating geometry from the model and finally got things tweaked and working good, and now I live in happy glorious time-saving glee-land.  No more messing with 2d geometry... organizing layers, having the dozens of PV-xxxxx and PH-xxxx layers bogging up the layer manager... I feel so free now... SO FREE, SO INCREDIBLY FREEEEEEEEEEEE....... ok I'm getting a little over excited here, but yea... in addition to Autocad 2008's layer-properties-by-viewport features... it's incredible.

[Fish]

Why is it when things are bad they go real bad.......................I'm trying to set this drawing up with vports in paperspace plan and elevation yada yada yada.  I print once things are good, I print twice I lose my plot style setting, still have same printer and plot style, check plot style, pen settings are the same.  Is this a 2007 bug?  Sorry if I hijacked my own post but its a bad day.