Vector commands are active only when a TVD vector drawing is selected for editing. If currently opened composite document does not contain any TVD drawings, you may add a new one using the Document – Add New Vector menu option. When a TCD contains multiple TVD drawings, only one may be selected for editing.
To define a point, click the Point button on the Vector toolbar, move the drawing cursor to desired position of the point and click the left mouse button. Points with no size are displayed as small circles with 8 pixels diameter, independently of the view scale. If you set the point size from the Thickness box on the Tools page of the Point properties dialog to some non-zero value, it will be used as absolute value of point diameter. You may also use Fill brush and Fill color combo boxes if you want the point to be filled.
The new point is in the selected state so you can still adjust it’s positions by dragging the grip. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change it’s position and tools used to draw it.
The Point tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected segment entity. It consists of x and y coordinates of the poiny. Units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. You can change all coordinates as needed.
To draw a segment, click the Segment button in the Vector toolbar. The shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the picture on the face of the button just clicked. To enter the first endpoint move the cursor to the desired position and click the left mouse button. The second endpoint is defined by the current cursor position and it is dragged according to the mouse movements. The next left click enters the second endpoint and defines the segment.
The new segment is in the selected state so you can still adjust the positions of endpoints by dragging their grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change the positions of endpoints and tools used to draw the segment.
The Segment tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected segment entity. It consists of x and y coordinates for both the first and last ends of the segment. Units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. You can change all coordinates as needed.
To draw a circle, click the Circle button in the Vector toolbar. The shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the picture on the face of the button just clicked. To enter the center point move the cursor to the desired position and click the left mouse button. The point entered becomes the first endpoint of the radius. The second endpoint of the radius (and the whole circle) is defined by the current cursor position and it is dragged according to the mouse movements. The next left click enters that point and defines the circle.
The new circle is in the selected state so you can still adjust its center position and size by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change the geometry of the circle and tools used to draw it.
The Circle tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected circle entity. It consists of x and y coordinates of the center point and the radius of the circle. Units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. You can change all values as needed.
To define a circular arc, click the Circle Arc button on the Vector toolbar, move the drawing cursor to desired position of the beginning of an arc and click the left mouse button; then move the drawing cursor to desired position of the end of the arc and click the left mouse button again. Now drag the shape of the arc, defining its medium point with third click. From the Circle Arc properties dialog, you may define its center, radius and starting and ending angles.
The new circle arc is in the selected state so you can still adjust its ends and medium positions by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change the geometry of the circle arc and tools used to draw it.
The Circle Arc tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected circle entity. It consists of x and y coordinates of the center point, the radius of the circle arc and the start and end angles of it. Units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. You can change all values as needed.
To define an ellipse, click the Ellipse button on the Vector toolbar, move the drawing cursor to desired position of the center of the ellipse and click the left mouse button. Now drag the shape of the ellipse, defining its both axis as the corner of the rectangle with ellipse inscribed. From the Ellipse properties dialog, you may define its center, lengths of both semi-axes and the angle of slope of the first axis.
The new ellipse is in the selected state so you can still adjust its center position and size by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change the geometry of the ellipse and tools used to draw it.
The Ellipse tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected ellipse entity. It consists of x and y coordinates of the center point, lengths of major and minor axes of the ellipse and angle among the major ax and the OX ax of coordinate system. Units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. You can change all values as needed.
To draw a rectangle, click the Rectangle button in the Vector toolbar. The shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the picture on the face of the button just clicked. To enter the lower left corner, move the cursor to the desired position and click the left mouse button. The upper right corner of the rectangle (and the whole rectangle) is defined by the current cursor position and it is dragged according to the mouse movements. The next left click enters that point and defines the rectangle.
The new rectangle is in the selected state so you can still adjust its corners by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change the corner coordinates of the rectangle and tools used to draw it.
The Rectangle tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected rectangle entity. It consists of x and y coordinates for the four corners of the rectangle listed clockwise. Units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. While changing any coordinate, others are changed accordingly as to maintain the rectangular shape of the entity.
The Draw Text procedure consists of two phases. In the first phase, you define a content and some parameters of a text, in the second - its position and extents. Click the Text button in the Vector toolbar to enter the first phase. The Properties dialog is displayed with the Text tab active. You can enter the content of the text (multi-line texts are allowed) and choose a text style. You can change the values as needed. Choose the OK button in the Properties dialog to go on to the second phase.
The shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the picture on the face of the toolbar button just clicked. If the Height parameter in the Settings tab has a positive value, the border of the text is displayed under the cursor (the size of it is calculated according to the Height parameter value). You can drag the whole text by the point defined by its insertion point. Click the left mouse button to define a position of the text. If the Height parameter in the Settings tab has a negative value (it means it is not defined), you have to point by the cursor the position where the defined text is to be placed. Click the left mouse button to define a final position of the text. The other point of the text is defined by the current cursor position and it is dragged according to the mouse movements but still its placement depends on text alignment flags (see the Settings tab in the Text Properties dialog). The next left click enters that point and the text extents are defined.
The new text is in the selected state so you can still adjust its size and position by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change all the text parameters including tools used to draw it.
The Text tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected text entity. It contains a multi-line edit box for content of the text and coordinates of its insertion point. The other boxes are not used in the current release.
The Style tab is the second tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected text entity. It contains a combo box with text styles. The list of accessible styles is established in the Style tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. Edit boxes with x and y coordinates for the insertion point of the text, text Height (units used for all those values are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog), Angle and Ratio are displayed below. There are combo boxes used to choose text Border and horizontal and vertical Alignments . The style chosen from the style list defines initial values of parameters in the Style tab. You can change all settings as needed.
The insertion point of a text is a point with coordinates defined by the text alignment flags: x coordinate by horizontal and y coordinate by the vertical flag. This point is used for defining the position of the text and for dragging it (it is exactly the position of the first text grip). While changing text extents by dragging the second grip, a position of the insertion point remains constant.
Text height is the height of the text font. The font is selected in the Font dialog that can be invoke from the Style tab of the Drawing Properties dialog.
Text ratio is the ratio that multiplied by the width of a chosen font gives the effective font width used to draw the text. It is applies to True Type fonts only.
To draw a polyline, click the Polyline button in the Vector toolbar. The shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the picture on the face of the button just clicked. To enter the first point, move the cursor to the desired position and click the left mouse button. Every next polyline point is defined by the current cursor position. The point and an appropriate edge are dragged according to the mouse movements. The next left click enters that point (and the edge). To end the points sequence, click the right mouse button. To end polyline with the last entered point choose the End polyline option in the pop-up menu. Choose the Step back option to adjust position of the last entered point and then proceed with the next point.
The new polyline is in the selected state so you can still adjust its corners by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change the polyline corners’ positions and tools used to draw it.
The Polyline tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected polyline entity. It consists of a list box with x and y coordinates of all polyline points. Selected point coordinates are displayed in editing boxes. Units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. The selected point can be removed (the Remove button) or its coordinate(s) can be changed (the Accept button). A new value(s) entered will be treated as the coordinate(s) of a new point (the Add button).
To draw a polygon, click the Polygon button in the Vector toolbar. The shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the picture on the face of the button just clicked. To enter the first point, move the cursor to the desired position and click the left mouse button. Every next polygon point is defined by the current cursor position. The point and an appropriate edge are dragged according to the mouse movements. The next left click enters that point (and the edge). To end the points sequence, click the right mouse button. To end polygon with the last entered point choose the End polygon option in the pop-up menu. The edge connecting the first and the last entered point is added automatically. Choose the Step back option to adjust position of the last entered point and then proceed with the next point.
The new polygon is in the selected state so you can still adjust its corners by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change the polygon corners’ positions and tools used to draw it.
The Polygon tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected polygon entity. It consists of a list box with x and y coordinates of all polygon points. Selected point coordinates are displayed in editing boxes. Units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. The selected point can be removed (the Remove button) or its coordinate(s) can be changed (the Accept button). A new value(s) entered will be treated as the coordinate(s) of a new point (the Add button).
The Draw Icon procedure consists of two phases. In the first phase, you define a file name with an icon, in the second - the icon’s position and its extents. Click the Icon button in the Vector toolbar to enter the first phase. The Properties dialog is displayed with the Icon tab active. You can enter the file name and then examine its parameters (some of them you can also change). Choose the OK button in the Properties dialog to go on to the second phase.
The shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the picture on the face of the toolbar button just clicked. The rectangular border of the icon is displayed under the cursor. You can drag the border with the point defined by the insertion point of the icon. Click the left mouse button to define a final position for the icon.
The new icon is in the selected state so you can still adjust its extents and position by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog that lets you change all the icon parameters including tools used to draw it.
The Icon tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected icon entity. It consists of the pathname of an icon file and x and y coordinates of the icon’s center (units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog). You can use the Browse button to invoke the standard Windows Open dialog. The Parameters button enters the Raster Image Properties dialog with parameters used for reading and displaying the data of the icon’s raster file.
Insert entities may come from two sources: they can be references to blocks defined by user or they can be imported from DXF drawings (in the last case they are converted appropriately to internal vector data base structures). Insert entities display list of entities maintained by block definition they refer to, with individual transformation defined by insertion point, x and y scales, and rotation angle. Insert entities may be selected by clicking into any of entities displayed through them. Selection by window and by crossing works as well as for simple entities. You may drag the insert entities pointing its insertion point mark and dragging the whole insert entity to new position. You may apply the Move / Scale / Rotate transformation to insert entities and use them as components for complex entities in the same way as for other entities.
The Insert tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected insert entity. It contains a combo box with current block referred by the insert entity and list of all block names contained in the drawing, from you may choose another connection. The x and y coordinates of the insertion point, the x and y scales and the rotation angle are displayed in separate edit boxes and may be changed as needed.
There are some predefined complex entities , like polygon / circle spots and annotations defined below. The user may also define his own complex entities using the DWM Complex – Create function.
The first tab named Components on the Complex Properties dialog lets you choose the appropriate entity from the list or from the preview window. Select the entity clicking its name on the list or clicking the entity itself, displayed in preview window. You may switch displaying mode in the preview window, from full view to single component view, by right clicking into its area. Click Properties... button or double-click entity’s name on the list or the selected entity in preview window, to examine properties for individual sub-entity. In case of nested complexes, several levels of Properties dialogs may follow.
By the Tools and Style tabs on the Complex Properties dialog you can examine, define and edit properties that become the common for all components of a complex. Initially, only the tools and style parameters with the same values for all entities are shown. All values that you define or change are applied to all sub-entities.
On the Measurement tab, you may examine the algebraic sum of length and areas of components of the complex, according to signs declared for each individual component.
Polygon spot is complex entity consisting of polygon and a text that can be used as a description connected with the polygon. The text size is automatically pre-set to fit whole text inside the polygon nearby its center. The text alignment flags and the border type are predefined but can be changed. In the Components tab of the Polygon Spot Properties dialog, you have an access to the properties of the polygon and the text entities separately.
The Draw Polygon Spot procedure consists of two phases. In the first phase, you define a polygon, in the second - you define a text, which can be used as a description connected with the polygon. Click the Polygon Spot button in the Vector toolbar. The shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the cursor used within Draw Polygon operation. Define a polygon in the way that is described in the Draw Polygon paragraph. Then the Properties dialog is displayed with the Text tab active. Define a text content in the way that is described in the Draw Text paragraph. The text is automatically placed inside the polygon nearby its center.
The new polygon spot is in the selected state so you can still adjust positions of the polygon vertices, add new ones, delete some of them or/and adjust the text position and extents by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog for both the polygon and text that lets you change all the parameters including tools used to draw the elements.
Circle spot is complex entity consisting of circle and a text that can be used as a description connected with the circle. The text size is automatically pre-set to fit whole text inside the circle nearby its center. The text alignment flags and the border type are predefined but can be changed. In the Components tab of the Circle Spot Properties dialog, you have an access to the properties of the circle and the text entities separately.
The Draw Circle Spot procedure consists of two phases. In the first phase, you define a circle, in the second - you define a text, which can be used as a description connected with the circle. Click the Circle Spot button in the Vector toolbar. The shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the cursor used within the Draw Circle operation. Define a circle in the way that is described in the Draw Circle paragraph. Then the Properties dialog is displayed with the Text tab active. Define a text content in the way that is described in Draw Text paragraph. The text is automatically placed inside the circle nearby its center.
The new circle spot is in the selected state so you can still adjust the circle position and size and the text position and extents by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog for both the circle and text that lets you change all the parameters including tools used to draw the elements.
An annotation is a complex entity consisting of a text and an arrow. There is no specific properties dialog for annotations but you have access to the properties of the text and the arrow entities separately. The text tab in the text properties dialog is the same as in ordinary text entity. The arrow entity is used with an annotation context only so the Arrow tab is described here as the separate subparagraph.
The Add Annotation procedure consists of two phases. In the first phase, you define a text, in the second - you define the pointing end of an arrow (the first end is placed automatically in the center of the text border). Click the Add Annotation button in the Vector toolbar. Then the Properties dialog is displayed with the Text tab active. Define a text in the way that is described in Draw text paragraph. Then the shape of the drawing cursor changes. It becomes the same as the cursor used within Draw Segment operation. The pointing end of the arrow is defined by the current cursor position and it is dragged according to the mouse movements. The next left click enters the endpoint and defines the arrow.
The new annotation is in the selected state so you can still adjust the text position and extents and/or the arrow’s pointing end position by dragging the appropriate grips. You can also invoke the Properties dialog for both polygon and arrow that lets you change all the parameters including tools used to draw the elements.
The Arrow tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a selected Annotation entity and with the arrow entity chosen. It consists of x and y coordinates for both first and last end of the arrow and the length the arrow’s spike called Size . Units used are set in the General tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. You can change coordinates of the last arrow end (the first end is placed automatically in the center of the text border) and the size as needed.
Trace raster command is a specialized tool for semiautomatic tracing of raster lines. The command allows converting raster lines to vector polylines built of segments that are automatically fitted to raster lines curvature.
After the command is started you have to click a point on raster line you want to trace. The SuperEdit tracer analyses raster background and returns a polyline section that matches the pointed raster line. The line stops at breaks and intersections, so if you want to continue tracing you must click the continuation of the raster line. SuperEdit finds the next section and connects its start point to the end point of the previous one. At the end you get a single polyline covering the whole road you passed.
You may define several separate traces, thus vectorizing all necessary shapes in the raster drawing. Finished traces are drawn in color defined as current one in vector drawing (default: black). The starting part of the trace just being defined is drawn in red, while the current section just vectorized is blue, with red square grips placed in its vertices. Each time you may drag vertices of the last polyline section to correct them. Use the OTM Add Vertex / Delete Vertex options pointing where appropriate to add or delete vertices. Use the OTM Delete option to discard the whole section. The latter options are accessible only if you call OTM using right click while the cursor is over some polyline’s vertex or its edge, appropriately. To delete the section, you may use the OTM Last Section – Discard option as well.
After tracing, each section has a direction, a property that is designed to help you while following raster image lines. SuperEdit assumes that the start point of the section is an end-point closer to the last user click. You may change the section direction assumed by SuperEdit using the OTM Last Section - Flip option.
Several options modify the behavior of this basic function. They may be accessed through OTM optionsactivated by right click.
Accept – confirms the whole action and finishes it;
Repeat – confirms the currently traced polyline finishing it and continues action with the next trace;
Restart – discards the currently traced polyline removing it and continues action with the next trace;
Sections – traced sections of polylines will not be connected into one polyline;
Linked trace – traced sections of polylines will be connected into one polyline;
Closed trace – traced sections of polylines will be connected into one polyline that will be closed when you finish the trace;
Line profile – the option defines what kind of lines will be traced, and sets tracer parameters accordingly (see Tracer tab on Configuration dialog) to match raster line best. The preset values are listed on sub-menu as straight lines, twisted lines, soft curves, sharp curves;
Last section – you may perform some additional actions with the last traced section:
Discard - discard whole section and start again from the last good point
Flip - reverse the last segment direction
Detach - finish the currently traced polyline with the previous section and start a new polyline from the current section;
Manual section – you may interrupt automatic tracing and enter a manually defined polyline where the tracer cannot vectorize some complicated parts of raster. The option starts typical polyline definition function. Further processing of manual sections is the same as for automatic ones;
View widths – when activated, the polyline being traced and its last section are shown with their width defined by settings in Tracer tab on Configuration dialog; when switched off, the actual width will be applied only to finished traces;
View tracing – when activated, you may observe the process of vectorizing in dynamical fashion point by point – it gives you an orientation in tracing precision and possible errors; when switched off, the whole sections appear instantaneously;
Optimize merging – if the option is set, the sequence of sections that form a single polyline trace is connected in such a way that the end point of the previous section is connected to the start point of the next one. Duplicated points are merged into single ones whenever possible;
Auto Zoom – when the trace goes through the raster line that finishes out of the screen, SuperEdit performs an automatic zoom around the latest point allowing you to make a decision where to go with a next segment. The Auto Zoom scale may be set to Current , which means that the currently used zoom level will be kept constant. Otherwise, you may define it as M:N , which means M screen pixels to N raster image pixels, or as None , which turns off the Auto Zoom feature.
Use the OTM Cancel option, if you want to discard whole operation and delete all traces defined. If OTM Repeat option is set and you use the OTM Cancel option or Escape key, additional message asks you if you really want to discard the whole operation.
Window / Crossing – it starts the selection process defined by a dragged rectangle. Define the first corner of a rectangular area of selection with left mouse click, and drag the mouse cursor while holding the left mouse button pressed. If you drag the rectangle starting from left to right, it is drawn with blue solid line and means selection by window, i.e. all objects that lie entirely inside the rectangle are taken into account. If you drag the rectangle starting from right to left, it is drawn with blue dashed line and means selection by crossing, i.e. all objects that lie inside the rectangle or are crossed by it are taken into account. You can observe the cursor shape that changes to the small rectangle with arrow pointing the current direction. Release the left mouse button when the opposite corner is defined as needed. Relevant objects will create a new selection; this is emphasized by the small “=” sign near the selecting arrow. If you want to add pointed objects to the current selection, press Ctrl + Shift keys before releasing the left mouse button. You can observe the small “+” sign near the selecting arrow. If you want to remove pointed objects from current selection, press Ctrl + Alt keys before releasing the left mouse button. You can observe the small “-” sign near the selecting arrow. Effective selection mode and operation is described in the status line. If you want to quit the Select Window / Crossing action, press the Esc key on the keyboard or drag the cursor back to its starting position until it changes its shape back to the special cross. You may use the shortcut for entering the Select Window / Crossing action by pressing the Ctrl key on the keyboard and then pressing the left mouse button and dragging the cursor while holding the left button down. You can observe changes of the cursor shape and hints in status line displayed appropriately. This shortcut is accessible only in the normal state of SuperEdit Drawing window. You can still use short left clicks for normal pointing actions.
Cut – use this option to cut all entities from the selection to the Clipboard . Selected entities are copied together with layers, styles and patterns they refer.
Copy - use this option to copy all entities from the selection to the Clipboard together with layers, styles and patterns these entities refer to.
Copy To …- use this option to copy all entities from the selection to the file chosen in the Copy To... dialog, together with layers, styles and patterns these entities refer to, in a form of complete TVD drawing.
Copy All To... - use this option to save all entities together with layers, styles and patterns these entities refer to, in an external TVD vector drawing; the Copy To... dialog lets you choose a pathname for a target drawing.
Paste - use this option to paste all entities together with layers, styles and patterns these entities refer to, from the Clipboard to the foreground vector drawing (the option is enabled if Cut or Copy actions have been previously performed).
Paste From... - use this option to paste all entities together with layers, styles and patterns these entities refer to, from a TVD vector drawing; the Paste From... dialog lets you choose a pathname of a source drawing.
Import - use this option to import all vector entities supported by SuperEdit together with layers and text styles from DXF drawing format file, to the foreground vector drawing; the Open dialog lets you choose a pathname of a source drawing.
SuperEdit can include (by Import command) an external DXF file that is compatible with AutoCAD DXF drawing database version number R10 - R14 (both included). In the case of re-import of a file that was previously exported by SuperEdit all it's structure and tools are recreated so it looks and behaves like the original TVD vector drawing. In other cases some tools such as: vector hatches other then SOLID, LINE, ANSI31, ANSI37, NET and values of variable thickness' of polylines are lost. You can import DXF file with all coordinates and distances treated as they are expressed in predefined kind of units. The units can be choosen from Default units for DXF file combo-box in the Options - Configuration - Edit dialog.
Export - use this option to export all selected vector entities together with layers and text styles to DXF drawing format file. The Save As dialog that is displayed lets you choose a name and destination directory of the file. The Form of the Export DXF File dialog that is displayed after lets you choose binary or ASCII form of the exported file.
The format of exported DXF drawing file is compatible with AutoCAD DXF drawing database version number R13 and R14. The structure of the DXF drawing is conformed with SuperEdit TVD vector drawing structure as far as layers, blocks and tools are concerned. You can notice some minor divergences that result from different attitude to base notions; for instance: AutoCAD line entity can not be thick but SuperEdit segment can, SuperEdit complexes are realized as AutoCAD blocks, bitmap TVD hatches are not supported, but vector hatches are, borders of texts are not supported either.
You can export DXF file with all coordinates and distances recalculated to predefined kind of units. The units can be choosen from Default units for DXF file combo-box in the Options - Configuration - Edit dialog.
Export All - use this option to export all vector entities from the foreground vector drawing together with layers and text styles to DXF drawing format file. The Save As dialog that is displayed lets you choose a name and destination directory of the file. The Form of the Export DXF File dialog that is displayed after lets you choose binary or ASCII form of the exported file. See previous paragraph for details of exported DXF drawing format.
Gives a user possibility of importing points from text file to the current vector drawing. All but comment line of a file describes a single point. The description consists of x and y coordinates, together with (optionally) a name of point entity and a name of layer the point is to be placed. You can define the way a content of a text file is to be interpreted using dialog that may be activated from Open page of Configuration dialog.
During export the following objects generate points: Point, Segment, Rectangle, Polyline, Polygon. Only points of selected objects are exported.
Move – use this option to move a selection to a new location. This location is defined by position of the base point of the selection. Immediately after entering this option, the new location of the selection is defined by the cursor's position. The selection is still displayed in its original position with the base point marked as small yellow circle with two perpendicular axes. A copy of the selection is dragged by its base point marked as small red circle according to movements of the cursor that takes shape of the moving symbol. Drag the copy of the selection by moving its base point to a desired position, and click the left mouse button.
To change the base point position use the OTM Base Point option and define a new base point position by the left mouse click or with Input bar and keyboard.
Use the OTM Cancel option to discard the action.
Scale - use this option to scale a selection according to a ratio of a reference vector and a scaling vector. The base point of the selection is marked as a small yellow circle with two perpendicular axes. It defines the first point of both vectors. The reference vector default position is displayed as thick yellow arrow. The scaling vector is displayed as thick red arrow, with its end connected to the cursor, which takes shape of scaling symbol. Drag the copy of the selection moving the end of scaling vector to desired size, and click the left mouse button.
To change the reference vector position use the OTM Reference vector option and define a new position of reference vector by the left mouse click or with Input bar and keyboard.
To change the base point position use the OTM Base Point option and define a new base point position by the left mouse click or with Input bar and keyboard.
Use the OTM Cancel option to discard the action.
Rotate - use this option to rotate a selection by an angle between the horizontal reference vector and a rotating vector. The base point of the selection marked as small yellow circle with two perpendicular axes, defines the first point of both vectors. The reference vector is displayed as thick yellow arrow. The rotating vector is displayed as thick red arrow, with its end connected to the cursor, which takes shape of rotating symbol. Drag the copy of the selection moving the end of rotating vector to desired angle, and click the left mouse button.
To change the reference vector position use the OTM Reference vector option and define a new position of reference vector by the left mouse click or with Input bar and keyboard.
To change the base point position use the OTM Base Point option and define a new base point position by the left mouse click or with Input bar and keyboard.
Use the OTM Cancel option to discard the action.
Create – use this option to create a new complex entity from the currently selected entities. New complex entity keeps together all child entities taken from the main drawing list. New complex entity has its own internal vector data base identifier; the individual name and external links may be assigned to it.
To define (create) a block definition, draw appropriate entities, select them and choose the DWM Block - Create option. Write the name for new block in the Name box on the Blocks page and click the Add new button. Alternatively, choose an existent block from the list and click the Change button, if you want to redefine it. Click the OK button to close the dialog. Now show the position of the insertion point of the block, marked with small yellow circle. It will be used during inserting block references. Choose the OTM Accept option to create the block. The selection used to define the block list will be left untouched, removed from the drawing or replaced by insert reference according to setting of the OTM Leave / Remove / Replace selection option.
To redefine existing block e.g. by correcting some of its entities, insert its reference in 0,0 insertion point, with 1,1 scale and at 0 angle, exploding it at once. Make necessary editing changes, set final selection and choose the OTM Block - Create option choosing the same block name to change. After entering again 0,0 insertion point, choose the OTM Accept option with the OTM Remove selection option activated.
To insert the block reference into the drawing choose the DWM Block - Insert Create option or press the Insert button on the Vector toolbar. From the Insert properties dialog, choose the block definition to be used, set appropriate values for insertion point, scale and rotation angle while examining the appearance of the insert in the Preview window. You may check boxes for presetting desired transformation parameters, and / or check additional boxes for automatic Repeat , Explode or Complex options. Now you may define interactively moving, scaling and rotating operations that define insert transformation. Operations marked as preset ones will be skipped. Using appropriate OTM options, you may switch between various actions, set additional Auto Repeat option and Explode / Complex options, examine and change Properties again, and finally choose the OTM Accept option to accept the inserted reference. If you want to repeat the action, use the OTM Repeat option. With the OTM Auto Repeat option active, you may insert multiple references to the block in single operation; use the OTM Accept option when finished. With the OTM Explode option active, the inserted reference will be instantly exploded, duplicating all entities from block definition list into the drawing. The OTM Complex option works similarly, but exploded entities are grouped in complex.
If OTM Repeat option is set and you use the OTM Cancel option or Escape key, additional message asks you if you really want to discard the whole operation.
A type of dialog that is launched by the Properties option depends on a selection state:
in the empty selection state a tabbed dialog Drawing Properties is launched where you can examine, define and edit units, tools, layers, text styles and patterns for the whole drawing;
in the case of a single, simple entity selection it enters the Entity Properties tabbed dialog where you can examine, define and edit parameters concerned with that entity. In the case of a single complex entity or multiple entity selection, the first tab named Components on the Entity Properties dialog lets you choose the appropriate entity from the list or from the preview window displayed within the tab. By the Tools and Style tabs on the Complex / Selection Properties dialog you can examine, define and edit parameters that become the common ones for all components of a single complex or for all selected entities in a multiple selection. Initially, only the tools and style parameters with the same values for all entities are shown. You can leave some values empty, meaning different for different entities, or define values for those that should be equal for all entities in the current selection.
Both dialogs are described in two subsequent paragraphs.
To invoke the Vector Drawing Properties dialog choose the Properties option in popup menu displayed after right mouse click, or use Properties option in Vector menu - both in situation where there are no entities selected. The dialog consists of tabs that are described in next paragraphs.
The General tab is the first tab of the Properties dialog invoked for a drawing. It consists of effective drawing extents defined by x, y coordinates of the lower left and upper right point of drawing extents. The drawing extents are calculated from extents of entities defined in the drawing. The only way of change them is to add new entity or delete/edit an existing one. Units used in the Drawing Properties and Properties dialogs of all entities can be chosen from the combo box Units .
You may use the Tools tab of a drawing's Properties for setting tools separately for lines, fills and bitmap hatches that are used to draw entities. The drawing's tools are used as default tools for new entities. You may re-define each entity tools independently, as they have precedence over those of a drawing.
For Line , you can choose Thickness , Style and Color (style is taken into consideration only when thickness equals zero). For Fill , you can choose Brush and Color . Transparent mode affects both lines and fills. If it is on, you can see through the entity drawn with these tools all entities lying beneath as well as the background documents - otherwise they are covered by this entity.
The Layers tab lists all drawing layers. There is a predefined layer with name 0. To examine or edit layer’s features, highlight a layer in the list. For the highlighted layer its Visibility , Activity and being Current modes as well as the number of entities, are displayed. You can change the visibility and activity mode as needed. There is always exactly one current layer, so switching this mode on for highlighted layer automatically turns it off for the layer that has been previously current.
To remove the highlighted layer use the Remove button. If the button is disabled, it means that the highlighted layer is not removable (layer 0 is an example of such a layer) or is not empty.
To change the name of a highlighted layer, type in a new name in the Name edit box. Click the Change button to change the name of the highlighted layer in the Layers list box.
To add a new layer, type in a new name in the Name edit box. Click the Add New button to add the new layer to the Layers list box. Set Visibility , Activity and Current modes of the added layer according to your requirements.
The Styles tab lists all text styles defined in the drawing. There are some predefined styles with commonly used fonts: ARIAL, TIMES and COURIER. To examine or edit style’s features, highlight a style in the list. For the highlighted style its Height , Angle , Ratio values as well as Border and Alignment types are displayed.
The Height value is the height of the text font. A negative height value means the height is not defined. If a text entity has to be drawn with such a style, it has to be defined with own, positive height value. It can be done explicitly in the Settings tab of the Text Properties dialog, or implicitly, by dragging the second grip of the text frame.
The Angle value is the default value to be used while defining texts with given style.
The Ratio value is the ratio that multiplied by a width of chosen font gives the effective font width used to draw a text. It applies to True Type fonts only.
The font is set using standard Font dialog that is invoked by the Font button.
There are combo boxes for choosing a Border type and horizontal or vertical Alignment type.
You can change all settings as needed.
To remove the highlighted style, use the Remove button. If the button is disabled, it means that the highlighted style is not removable (the predefined styles and styles that some text entities refer to them are examples of non-removable styles).
To change the name of a highlighted style, type in a new name in the Name edit box. Click the Change button to change the name of the highlighted style in the Text Styles list box.
To add a new style, type in a new name in the Name edit box. Click the Add New button to add the new style to the Text Styles list box. Set values for Height , Ratio and Angle , set Font details, and choose Border and Alignment type of the added style according to your requirements.
The Patterns tab lists all patterns defined in the drawing. There are some predefined patterns with self-explaining names: HORIZONTAL, VERTICAL, FORWARD DIAGONAL, BACKWARD DIAGONAL, CROSS and DIAGONAL CROSS. To examine or edit a pattern’s features, highlight a pattern in the list. For the highlighted pattern its Distance , Thickness , Angle , line Style (it is taken into consideration only when thickness equals zero), Color and Crossing feature are displayed.
You can change all settings as needed.
To remove the highlighted pattern, use the Remove button. If the button is disabled, it means that the highlighted pattern is not removable (the predefined patterns and patterns that some entities refer to them are examples of non-removable patterns).
To change a name of the highlighted pattern, type in a new name in the Name edit box. Click the Change button to change the name of the pattern in the Hatch Patterns list box.
To add a new pattern type in a new name in the Name edit box. Click the Add New button to add the new pattern to the Hatch Patterns list box. Set Distance , Thickness and Angle values, choose a Color and a line Style and set Crossing feature of the added pattern according to your requirements.
The Blocks tab lists all block definitions . To examine or edit a block, highlight it’s name on the list. You can see it in the preview window.
To remove the highlighted block use the Remove button. If the button is disabled, it means that there are inserts of it in a vector drawing. To enable the button you should remove all those inserts first.
To change the name of a highlighted block, type in a new name in the Name edit box. Click the Change button to change the name of the highlighted layer in the Blocks list box.
To find out how to add a new block see Vector editing commands – Block – Create paragraph.
To invoke an Entity Properties dialog choose the Properties option in popup menu displayed after right mouse click, or use Properties option in Vector menu - both in situation where there are some entities selected. In the case of a single complex entity and multiple entity selection, the first tab named Components on the Entity Properties dialog lets you choose the appropriate entity from the list or from the preview window, displayed within the tab.
The Properties dialog of the entity consists of tabs that are specific to the chosen entity (they are described in paragraphs related to given entity) and the tabs that are common to all entities. They are described in next paragraphs.
The layout of the Tools tab for an entity is an extension of that for the drawing. It is the same as far as Line , Fill and Transparency are concerned. These drawing tools define default values for the corresponding entity tools. A Pattern box lets you define hatch pattern parameters used by an entity. You can choose a pattern from the list of accessible patterns. The list is established in the Patterns tab of the Drawing Properties dialog. For the selected pattern the values of its Distance , Thickness , Angle , Style , Color and Crossing are displayed.
You can change all settings as needed, so that any single entity can have its own tools.
Selecting a new pattern in the list or the same once more resets values of all parameters according to original values defined for the pattern.
Controls of tools that are not available for the selected entity are disabled.
For most entities (segment, circle, rectangle, polyline, polygon) only the Length can be measured. For some entities (circle, rectangle, and polygon), the Area can be measured, too. These values are listed in the Measurement tab. When the values are out of context for some entities, the appropriate boxes are empty.
For complex entities, as well as for multiple entity selection, measurements of length and areas may be defined as an algebraic sum of appropriate values taken from their component entities. To accomplish this effect, you may declare the sign for length and area individually for each entity to be taken into account during computation of complex measurements, using the Sign button. The default value is the “+” (plus) sign, displayed in the button before the value of interest; you may change it to “-“ (minus) sign pressing it once. Optionally, you may declare to skip the measurement of the entity in complex calculation pressing the sign button again – the “0” (zero) sign is displayed.
Each entity in the vector database may have a list of various user-defined, numerical (integer or double) or string data attributes assigned to it. Each attribute has a unique string key. Numerical attributes may have assigned an action like addition, subtraction or skipping. The key is used as an index and can be supplied by the external database or defined by your own. The action defines the rule of the attribute value computation up to the top of the entities’ hierarchy. Data tab on tabbed Entity Properties dialog lets examine, define and edit attributes, their keys, types and actions.
The list of numerical data attributes of complex entity consists of the top-level user-defined attributes and those defined by its sub-entities. The identically keyed numerical attributes of sub-entities are computed up to the top of the entity hierarchy. The computation is done according to the following rules:
Attributes on the sub-entity level that have the same key and type give a single computed attribute of that key and type;
A value of computed attribute is automatically calculated as a sum or subtraction of sub-entities attribute values according to actions assigned to them.
Notice that Properties dialog for a multiple selection supports Data tab for that selection with the full attribute capabilities. In this way, you may easily examine the on-line computed aggregated data values for attributes of interest if they are defined for individual components.
Each entity has its original numerical identifier, called object identifier . An entity can also have its own object name. Both are defined on Object tab. The object identifier is automatically defined and assigned when an entity is added to the drawing. Object name can by defined and edited by you. You can use it for various purposes - see stamps libraries for example.
The next group of checkboxes displays the state of active object notifications that are not supported in the current release.