Topic Title

After further thought on this, it seems the true solution is to do the following:

1. Change ByCenter so that it only uses the XY extents
2. The Z elevation is that of the original file being XRef'd in
3. Add a Z Offset menu similar to the one offered when inserting a symbol

What say ye?

Dave

Would it be possible to have an option to "flatten" an xref so that, no matter the Z Base and Z Height of the entities in the source file, all entities in the xref are at 0,0 - as seen in the target file?

Would anyone else like this?

After further thought on this, it seems the true solution is to do the following:

1. Change ByCenter so that it only uses the XY extents
2. The Z elevation is that of the original file being XRef'd in
3. Add a Z Offset menu similar to the one offered when inserting a symbol

What say ye?

Dave

You get my vote Dave

Okay, okay, okay! Uncle!!!

But here's a question for you:

If CenterXY is selected, should the current Z-Base have any effect or should it always be inserted at its original Z elevation?

Cheers,
Dave

Could we get a toggle for both?
Thanks either way!

Hi Dave:

After further thought on this, it seems the true solution is to do the following:

1. Change ByCenter so that it only uses the XY extents
2. The Z elevation is that of the original file being XRef'd in
3. Add a Z Offset menu similar to the one offered when inserting a symbol

What say ye?

Yep, you nailed it!

Philip, I'm not sure if I can think of why I would need this -- if I need the XRef to be flat, then it is also quite likely that the source file would/could be flat? How are you thinking you would use this?

I have wanted this before. I had a plan that I wanted to have heights for in the main plan, but then xrefed it to another file to use to build a different model, the xrefs height get in the way during 3D construction. The Xref clips dont seem to effect the xrefs in 3D views, because they show everything, not just the clipped settings.

Just thinking outloud more about this topic and the (in dramatic echo voice)"FUTURE OF DATACAD" and the whole smart entity "thing". I would think that this type of 3D clipping and editing, should be geared towards those future versions, which I'm sure Dave and team already know and take into account. These are the types of request for features that could be a help for current Datacad work, but would be super important whenever we get that version that includes these new features and methods. So I don't know what is really in the works, because I don't live close enough to go to the "secret" DBUG meetings , it's hard to say how things could or should be done. But trying to think ahead, this interface of how we show things in different views, different heights and such should be designed with that in mind I would think. Unless that future product is going to be something other Datacad. You could call it "Datacad Plus or Minus" ooo, maybe not

Okay, okay, okay! Uncle!!!

I am adding the CenterXY option as I type this. However, you can adjust the Z position of an XRef (or symbol) by either of the following methods:

1. From an Ortho (plan) view, select Move (2D), Move Z, enter the distance to move, select the XRef or Symbol.
   
2. From an Elevation view, select Move (3D), indicate the distance to move (up or down), select the XRef or Symbol.

But here's a question for you:

If CenterXY is selected, should the current Z-Base have any effect or should it always be inserted at its original Z elevation?

Cheers,
Dave

If your zh is an astronomical number like 6.41235e34, you can't move it back to zero no matter how you try. I have tried everything I could think of to get this to work and it won't. How we get those astronomical z heights I don't know, I can't figure that one out either. Because DataCAD will not allow you to enter that number in any dialog box I have been able to find. Yet some how we still get drawing elements including symbols, lines, xrefs, etc. located at these places. 2d elements are easy you just change their z-base and height. But 3d elements, symbols and xrefs you can't change, you have to delete them and reinsert them at the correct z-base and z-height. I had a drawing today with 4 symbols at some point past Pluto and had to delete them and reinsert them, luckily it was a small drawing without too many symbols in it.

Also, I have noticed that recently when have a drawing like this and you go to an elevation view and zoom extents you can never recover from that extents view. Even tough you find and fix all of the entities with bad z-bases, when you go to any elevation view you are still at the astronomical extent and when you hit recalc DataCAD gives you an invalid extents message.

Also, I have noticed that recently when have a drawing like this and you go to an elevation view and zoom extents you can never recover from that extents view. Even tough you find and fix all of the entities with bad z-bases, when you go to any elevation view you are still at the astronomical extent and when you hit recalc DataCAD gives you an invalid extents message.

When I come across these lost entities if I pan quite a bit beyond the free extents given and try a symbol explode, or erase, you can find those pesky hidden entities. Also try a change color to help to brighten them up if you think you will need the data they might hold.

When I come across these lost entities if I pan quite a bit beyond the free extents given and try a symbol explode, or erase, you can find those pesky hidden entities. Also try a change color to help to brighten them up if you think you will need the data they might hold.

That is not the problem Josh, I can find the miscreant entities. When I first go to an elevation view and zoom to extents, it zooms out enough to see all of the entities no matter how far out they are. The problem is that even when you identify and delete the bad entities and reinsert them at the proper z 0, when you go back to the elevation view you are stuck in the same extents view and can't recalculate the extents.

Also if you do much more than delete and reinsert these astronomical entities, you will crash your drawing. Even identifying the entities can sometimes crash the drawing.

Paul

Can you send me a drawing with some text and an arrow to point these guys out. I'm kinda curious.