Topic Title

Not sure whether this should be added as a minor bug or wishlist item. Each time I group a series of smart entities and move and copy them, the resultant entities, which were added to a group prior to being copied, are no longer a group so if I choose to move and copy by group again, only single entities are copied rather than the original grouped entities. This would be nice to have fixed/updated so once a number of entities have been grouped together they remain as a group even when moved + copied elsewhere. Thanks.

Good News:
It is already there. Toggle on or off "Keep Groups" in the choices for Copy.
I had that same thing happen in an earlier version and managed to stumble on to the answer.
Also. I think that there is a ....Copy Keeps Groups True/False in the ini file. I set that in mine to FALSE so that it would always make a group out of the copied selection
Good Luck,
Woody

Thanks Woody...sometimes what I'm looking for is straight in front.....just don't seem to see it

Hi Woody,

I checked the dcadwin.ini file and it's already set to 'keep groups' and there's no option to keep groups under the move and copy or copy commands. I think this might be a specific minor bug for smart entities where the grouping isn't retained after a move and copy?

041414a.jpg (34.1 KiB) Viewed 13888 times

I'd like to see the use of Alt + I (identify - set-all) expanded so the entity type is also changed after Alt +I, eg.

1. There's a series of 2D entities and smart entities drawn on screen, and the current layer is set to draw 2D linework, (walls toggled off),

2. I then Alt+I over a smart wall to Identify it, then Set All its attributes to be current,

3. I then begin to draw and realize only 2D linework is being drawn but on the smart entity layer. What needs to happen is when Alt + I is used on an entity, then the entity type also is set active so Alt +I on a smart wall not only adopts all its attributes to become current, the walls (=) toggle is also automatically turned on so that smart walls are actually drawn. Similarly, if I then Alt + I on a 2D entity, then the walls (=) toggle is turned off changing back to drawing only 2D entities as per the entity selected.

I have that option down at S8.
Before, when the Copy Keep Groups = TRUE was set, then the existing groups would stay as existing groups.
Now with it set to Copy Keep Groups = FALSE, all copied items are part of a new group by default. I can still pic Keep Groups at S8 and they will then retain the existing grouping within the newly copied entities.
I don't see anything like your picture in mine.

Keep Groups.png (18.58 KiB) Viewed 13886 times

Good Luck,
Woody

Thanks Woody....we seem to have different menu's...I'm running 16.02.00.01 (SE).....hmmm

With Identify/Setall the system could be left ready to draw what has been Identified.
This works now if it is a line but if a Dimension is Identified then show the Dimension menu and the next click would be the starting point of a Dim.
Identify a Hatch then show Hatch menu, next click start the hatch
Identify a Circle.......
Identify Arcs ........
Identify Text ......
Etc.

Hmm, I could see this as an option. Perhaps a function key (Create) could take you to the Identify'd entity's creation menu. Interesting idea ...

Dave

I'd like to see the use of Alt + I (identify - set-all) expanded so the entity type is also changed after Alt +I, eg.

1. There's a series of 2D entities and smart entities drawn on screen, and the current layer is set to draw 2D linework, (walls toggled off),

2. I then Alt+I over a smart wall to Identify it, then Set All its attributes to be current,

3. I then begin to draw and realize only 2D linework is being drawn but on the smart entity layer. What needs to happen is when Alt + I is used on an entity, then the entity type also is set active so Alt +I on a smart wall not only adopts all its attributes to become current, the walls (=) toggle is also automatically turned on so that smart walls are actually drawn. Similarly, if I then Alt + I on a 2D entity, then the walls (=) toggle is turned off changing back to drawing only 2D entities as per the entity selected.

Gets my vote. If you Identify-set-all then you should be left ready to draw the identified item, if a symbol then ready to place a symbol, if xref .....

If I insert an XRef or a Self Reference, and I toggle off Nesting - can it not be toggled on the next time I insert an XRef/Self Reference? I wish this was sticky.

Can Smart Arrows trim in 1-Line Trim? If so, that would be convenient.

We do a lot of 3D modelling to present projects to clients and often supplement the scene using SKP imported objects (cars, trees etc.). Unfortunately, many of the imported objects are on a single layer and require 'breaking up' to be reassigned layers or material colors. DataCAD can quickly edit this using selection sets but there doesn't appear to be any method to select entities by Material. Ctrl-right click on an entity opens up the Properties window which then identifies the material mapped to the entity selected. A typical 3D car can have over 100,000 polygons so ctrl-right-click on each polygon to open the properties window to change its material assignment prior to exporting will take until next Christmas! Model are imported without materials selected - this appears to remove the applied bitmap to the surface of the model but not any materials which still import? A 3D car have have the body, windscreen and tyres all different colors in DataCAD and O2C, yet when exported or ctrl-right click to edit each entity, they show as having different material properties.

Wishlist - add the ability to selection set entities by material plus the ability to quickly turn off all material assignments (ie. change/material/none - by EGAFS) to eliminate the need to edit each polygon individually.

I've a situation where I need an arrow with dual arrowheads; one facing each direction to signify movement in two directions.

Wishlist - add the ability to edit the arrow properties to allow placement: At Tail, At Head, Both

When I Identify a circle it provides me with the surface area and volume readouts. If I Identify a polyline I get the area, perimeter and volume readouts. If I then Identify an ellipse, I get none of these (same if I use the Measure/Area/Perimeter/Select).

Wishlist - standardize all shapes that have an area to provide : area, perimeter and volume readouts when Identified.

I've a situation where I need an arrow with dual arrowheads; one facing each direction to signify movement in two directions.

Wishlist - add the ability to edit the arrow properties to allow placement: At Tail, At Head, Both

Couple work arounds:
If it's a straight line with arrows, Use a non-assoc dimension with no text, and line 1 2 off.
if a curved, smart arrow, just copy it onto itself and set one to have arrow at opposite end.

For the arrows you could also just mirror the smart arrow about it's non-arrow end and group them together.

I've a situation where I need an arrow with dual arrowheads

Number 6 on my wish list Though I wish that each end could be unique. We will sometimes start with a tick or a dot to mark the start point of something and then indicate direction with the arrow. I usually end up mirroring like Alan suggests and then changing the head of one.