User interface - not sure what its called - help appreciated

Richard Sands

I'm using version 16 and I find there are some features that are counterproductive and don't know how to turn off or what to ask to help me find a solution.
When hovering over a space between lines Bricscad shows a white outline and offers a set of options as shown in attachment.
I would like to turn that OFF but have no idea how to do so and would appreciate others input.
I found QUAD solves the menu issue but find the white outline feature a distraction.
It seems to create an enclosed polyline when hovering in the centre of a heap of lines to highlight.

(Apologies but we are having severe issues with power and internet here, latter is never best at moment rather pathetic so far quicker to ask a dumb question than try and drag myself through internet searched for solutions.) (first we were battling fires then this!)

Thanks. Hopefully the image shows what I'm referring to.

Jason Bourhill

This is due to SELECTIONMODES. It looks like you selected or changed to a 3D Workspace. To fix select '2D Drafting' from the workspaces toolbar, or right click on the current workspace name in the status bar and select from there.

Changing workspaces changes the state of SELECTIONMODES, it also changes how the QUAD reacts to underlying entities i.e. it displays different command options relative to your current workspace.

Regards,

Jason Bourhill

CAD Concepts

Richard Sands

 Thanks Jason 

Most of my dwg's have their origin in Intellicad from surveying applications. They would be 3D so explains the settings. 

I gather this is a feature that was introduced in a new version of Bricscad and why all seemed okay in previous iterations. 

Your help much appreciated. 

Tom Foster

Should explain what the white dotted line is - a new facility to detect a boundary formed by bits of linear elements and/or edges of solids/surfaces all in one plane. The shape enclosed within that boundary can then be Extruded or PushPulled etc in 3D. It only happens when Selectionmodes is set to do so.

However, for me the line is only occasionally white dotted, usually solid blue, and it happens in 2D workspace as well as 3D.

So what would it be used for in 2D? And why sometimes white dotted, but usually solid blue?

Patrik Sparrman

https://www.bricsys.tv/m/?new-in-v15---boundary-detection-m161

Richard Sands

I'm a bit stumped.
I couldn't find any reference in Workspace Toolbar.
SELECTIONMODES is set to 7

Help gave options for 2D and 3D but the command line didn't recognise those commands.

Unable to recognize command "2DCONTEXT". Please try again.
: 3dcontext
Unable to recognize command "3DCONTEXT". Please try again.

Surely I must be missing the obvious!

I went from Ver 14 to 16 so this issue is all new to me.

Platinum 16.1.02 64bit rev 40514
Win 7 Pro

Tom Foster

Yeah, Selection Modes is there, available as a toolbar, in 2D or 3D - R click on white space in the toolbars margin > BRICSCAD > scroll down.
SELECTIONMODES 0 to 7 in the command line are unexplained in Help or Settings - don't use that, use the Selection Modes toolbar.

Jason Bourhill

2DContext & 3DContext commands have been replaced by workspaces in more recent versions. To change workspaces you need to use the WORKSPACE command. '2D Drafting' is the equivalent workspace to '2DContext', and '3D Modeling' is the equivalent to '3DContext'.

Really Bricsys should of provided a link from these commands to the new method such as the commands given below.
[code]; Simple commands to switch workspaces
; Will throw an error if the workspace doesn't exist

(defun C:3DCONTEXT ()
    (setvar 'WSCURRENT "3D Modeling")
)

(defun C:2DCONTEXT ()
    (setvar 'WSCURRENT "2D Drafting")
)[/code]

Your current workspace is a registry setting, it's not saved in the drawing, so once set to your preferred workspace you should be able to forget about it.

If your using the Getting started dialogue, then your selection will dictate your workspace. e.g. selecting '3D' will set your workspace to '3D Modeling'. By the sounds of it you would want to always use '2D' to get '2D Drafting'

Regards,

Jason Bourhill

CAD Concepts

Richard Sands

Thanks Tom
Fixed now - much appreciated.
I looked under the View Menu as that was mentioned in Help, but couldn't find any mention there.

Richard Sands

 Jason thanks for diving in here. 

My internet crashed whilst answering Tom and I didn't see your reply until things were back to some semblance of order. 

I was having difficulty translating the Help directions to actions within Bricscad and options that were in Help but not Menus. 

I assume they know about such. 

(you NZ'ers should send a few candles and even peddle powered generators over The Ditch. Could make a small fortune) 

Richard Sands

This has made a breakthrough in the issue of text losing focus when clicked on for editing.
Once "Enable selection of 3D solid edges" is OFF then all works well.
Turn ON and when a text is opened for editing BricsCad immediately loses focus.
Glad to have that resolved also.