Crop CAD work

[Alaskan_Son]

Seems like there should be an easy way to do this, but I can't seem to find one...

 

Is there a way to draw a box or polyline around a portion of CAD work and crop it so that everything outside the box is trimmed or deleted all at once? 

 

I know I can use a CAD mask to cover the excess line work but I want it actually deleted, and I know I can draw a box and trim the excess line work to that box, but that's a little time consuming and all those extra little steps can really add up.

 

It just really seems like I must be overlooking a much simpler method.

[DavidJPotter]

You unblock the CAD detail (if blocked) and then use a CAD "Fence" to delete lines on one side or the other of the CAD fence. You should carefully read the section of the Reference Manual that describes its uses.

 

DJP

[Alaskan_Son]

You unblock the CAD detail (if blocked) and then use a CAD "Fence" to delete lines on one side or the other of the CAD fence. You should carefully read the section of the Reference Manual that describes its uses.

 

DJP

 

I actually have read up on that feature and even read through it just before starting this thread.  Couldn't seem to make any sense of how to use it for what I'm talking about.  Actually, on a side note, I couldn't seem to make any sense of how to use that feature for anything at all (other than group selecting things).  If anyone could help clarify I would much appreciate it. 

[glennw]

Michael,

 

This is the best I can do - probably the same as David is talking about.

It's still only marginally better than using Sticky Mode and doing them one at a time.

 

http://screencast.com/t/NkOYem8Q

[Alaskan_Son]

Michael,

 

This is the best I can do - probably the same as David is talking about.

It's still only marginally better than using Sticky Mode and doing them one at a time.

 

http://screencast.com/t/NkOYem8Q

 

Thank you Glenn.  I really appreciate you taking the time.  I actually already do what you showed in the video though.  You can do that without using the "Fence" tool.  I'd still be curious if anyone actually knows a good use for that tool.

[Alaskan_Son]

You unblock the CAD detail (if blocked) and then use a CAD "Fence" to delete lines on one side or the other of the CAD fence.

 

Can you be so kind as to explain how you do this David?  "Fence" seems to be a useless tool to me.  There must be something I'm missing...or I'm not missing anything and its just an antiquated tool that has no use. 

[yusuf-333]

Draw a line or poly line around where you want to cut your stuff, then select it and start to trim using a fence type drag to cut any cad line that has extensions in both areas you want to delete at the same time in the area you want to retain. Next add a line or poly Line at same location, but a bit outside the area you need to retain, then fence select using it and click delete, so that any cad crossed by that fence would be off. The remaining task may be only an easy clean ups by group selecting them. Just a thought.

[Alaskan_Son]

Thank you Yusef.  I really appreciate you taking the time.  What you describe is basically how I would already do it now except that I would simply either lock or cut my selection and marquis select the rest for deletion.  I was just hoping there might be a better way but I think I just might be doing it as fast as I possibly can be already. 

 

You DID however help me understand what a fence does.  For those who don't know or who might not have caught it, a fence will select every item that crosses it's path (i.e. that it TOUCHES).  it will not select anything completely inside the selection area or outside the selection area.  It does not have to be a closed poyline either...it could just be a line, polyline, or arc even  I think it just might come in handy, however I don't see any way it will help much with the issue at hand. 

[Alaskan_Son]

So I still don't have the solution I was hoping for, but the closest thing I was able to find was that you can send to layout, resize the layout box and then create CAD Detail From View which essentially crops everything outside the layout box.  Might be faster than what I've been doing for some situations. 

[Alaskan_Son]

Still doesn't exactly crop things, but I was able to find a way to more quickly select items for trimming using the fence tool.  Here's the process that I've found works best for me.

 

1.  Draw the polyline that represents your selection area.

2.  Copy/Paste In Place that polyline, hold down C and use one of the corner edit handles to concentrically resize your new polyline to be just slightly larger than the original (you may need to hold down control as well to override other snaps).  This will serve as your fence for selecting lines to trim.

3.  Select your original polyline.

4.  Click trim, click Fence,and then select the larger polyline made in Step 2.  The fence you select in that step will fence select the line work that will trim to the first polyline selected. 

5.  Group select and cut, copy, or delete remaining linework as necessary.

 

Again.  Still not a true crop tool, but it speeds the process up a bit anyway.

[yusuf-333]

Thanks Michael, you got what I was about to say in post #7 , you put it much better and even more intutive instruction. I would advise users to follow Michael's method to be more efficient using those tools.

That is the best way to go with this sort of cad editing.

Thanks again Michael.

[Alaskan_Son]

Thanks Michael, you got what I was about to say in post #7 , you put it much better and even more intutive instruction. I would advise users to follow Michael's method to be more efficient using those tools.

That is the best way to go with this sort of cad editing.

Thanks again Michael.

 

You're of course welcome, and thank YOU as well for your help and for the kind words. 

[johnny]

I think we need the tool you suggested Michael.  CAD work can be the most time consuming element of the process (for me I find that to be the case) and its better to have quick, direct tools for the job.  Id think of all tool types CAD 2d tools would be the simplest to implement inside CA. 

 

Joe's comment from the other thread makes a lot of sense in that CA was a 3d app 1st - 2D app second.  Its made CA shine in residential 3d work, but it would be great to have strong basic tools as well - since we are in the 2D plan production business.