V14 Basic Training - ELPROCAD - BricsCAD · 1 The BricsCAD application window 1. Menu bar 2. Toolbar (docked) 3. Drawing windows 4. Viewports 5. Properties bar 6. Toolbar (floating)

V14 Basic Training

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Table of content

CONTENT OF THE TRAINING PACKAGE ............................................ 1

1 Documentation ................................................................................................................................... 1

2 Exercises ............................................................................................................................................ 1

3 Software ........................................................................................ Fout! Bladwijzer niet gedefinieerd.

MODULE 1: UNDERSTANDING A DWG-DRAWING ............................. 2

1 The BricsCAD application window .................................................................................................... 2 1.1 Command Bar ................................................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Status Bar ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2.1 Exercise: toggle the display of line weights .................................................................................................. 3

2 Display of a DWG ............................................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Model Space .................................................................................................................................................. 4 2.2 Paper Space ................................................................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Layers ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 2.4 Exercise: Modify the layer properties ............................................................................................................ 6

3 The Drawing Explorer ........................................................................................................................ 7 3.1.1 Open the Drawing Explorer ........................................................................................................................... 7 3.2 Check for missing external definitions .......................................................................................................... 9 3.3 Exercise: Exporting a drawing ....................................................................................................................... 9

4 View commands ............................................................................................................................... 10 4.1 The main view commands: .......................................................................................................................... 10 4.2 Display manipulation using the mouse: ...................................................................................................... 12 4.3 Exercise: View manipulation ....................................................................................................................... 12 4.4 Saved Views ................................................................................................................................................. 13 4.4.1 To save a view .............................................................................................................................................13 4.4.2 Exercise: To restore a saved view ..............................................................................................................13

5 Layer commands .............................................................................................................................. 14 5.1 To open the Layers toolbar ......................................................................................................................... 14 5.2 Switching OFF the display of a layer .......................................................................................................... 15 5.3 Settings of the LAYOFF command ............................................................................................................. 15 5.4 Switching all layers ON ................................................................................................................................ 16 5.5 Freezing layers ............................................................................................................................................. 16 5.6 Thawing all layers ........................................................................................................................................ 17 5.7 Locking layers .............................................................................................................................................. 17 5.8 Unlocking layers ........................................................................................................................................... 17 5.9 Isolating layers ............................................................................................................................................. 17 5.10 Undo the isolation of layers ......................................................................................................................... 18

6 Layer States ...................................................................................................................................... 18 6.1 Saving a layer state ..................................................................................................................................... 18 6.2 Exercise: To restore a layer state ............................................................................................................... 19

7 Paper Space Layouts ....................................................................................................................... 20 7.1 Checking the properties of a Layout ........................................................................................................... 20 7.2 Paper Space Viewports ............................................................................................................................... 21 7.2.1 Check the properties of a viewport .............................................................................................................21

8 External References ......................................................................................................................... 22 8.1 Exercise: Check for missing external references ....................................................................................... 22

9 Copying between drawings ............................................................................................................. 22

BricsCAD Basic Training

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9.1 Selecting entities .......................................................................................................................................... 22 9.1.1 Composing a selection set ..........................................................................................................................22 9.1.2 To set Selection Preview .............................................................................................................................23 9.1.3 To select overlapping entities ......................................................................................................................23 9.2 Using Copy / Paste to copy entities ............................................................................................................ 24 9.3 To paste the selection at the original coordinates ...................................................................................... 24 9.4 To paste the selection using a base point .................................................................................................. 24 9.5 To paste a selection as a block ................................................................................................................... 25

MODULE 2: MEASURING IN A DRAWING ......................................... 26

1 Entity Snaps ..................................................................................................................................... 26 1.1 To open the Entity Snaps toolbar ................................................................................................................ 26 1.2 Setting the active Entity Snaps ................................................................................................................... 26 1.3 Entity Snap methods: ................................................................................................................................... 27

2 Commands ........................................................................................................................................ 28 2.1 To open the Inquiry toolbar ......................................................................................................................... 28 2.2 Inquiry commands ........................................................................................................................................ 28

3 Units in a drawing............................................................................................................................. 28 3.1 To check the INSUNITS system variable ................................................................................................... 28 3.2 Define the linear unit precision .................................................................................................................... 29

4 The Prompt History window ............................................................................................................ 29 4.1 To copy the content of the Prompt History window.................................................................................... 29

5 Measuring distances and lengths.................................................................................................... 29 5.1 Check the length of an entity ....................................................................................................................... 29 5.2 To measure the perpendicular distance between a point and a line. ....................................................... 30 5.3 Adding the lengths of different entities together ......................................................................................... 31 5.4 Measuring the distance between virtual points .......................................................................................... 31

6 Measuring areas ............................................................................................................................... 32 6.1 Measuring an area by picking points .......................................................................................................... 32 6.2 Adding areas together ................................................................................................................................. 33

7 Boundary Polyline ............................................................................................................................ 34 7.1 Creating a boundary polyline....................................................................................................................... 34 7.2 Creating a boundary polyline using a selection .......................................................................................... 35 7.3 The boundary polyline command options ................................................................................................... 36 7.4 Boundary Tolerance setting ........................................................................................................................ 37

8 Using fields ....................................................................................................................................... 37

9 Coordinates ...................................................................................................................................... 39 9.1 Reading the coordinates of the vertices of a polyline ................................................................................ 39 9.2 Reading the coordinates of a point ............................................................................................................. 39 9.3 Coordinate systems ..................................................................................................................................... 39 9.4 Check the UCS icon variables .................................................................................................................... 40 9.5 Moving the origin of the coordinate system ................................................................................................ 40 9.6 Restoring the WCS ...................................................................................................................................... 40 9.7 Reading relative coordinates ....................................................................................................................... 40

10 Reading the properties of a selection ............................................................................................. 41

11 Creating Dimensions ........................................................................................................................ 42 11.1 Terminology .................................................................................................................................................. 42 11.1.1 Dimensions toolbar ......................................................................................................................................42 11.1.2 Dimension Style ...........................................................................................................................................42 11.1.3 Dimension block ...........................................................................................................................................43 11.1.4 Associative Dimensions ...............................................................................................................................43 11.2 Exercise: Floor levels in a cross section ..................................................................................................... 44

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MODULE 3: PRINTING ........................................................................ 45

1 General information ......................................................................................................................... 45 1.1 Printer Configuration and Plot Style files .................................................................................................... 45 1.2 General procedure to print a DWG ............................................................................................................. 45 1.3 Define a Page Setup .................................................................................................................................... 47 1.3.1 Creating a page setup for Model Space .....................................................................................................48 1.3.2 Define a page setup for Paper Space .........................................................................................................49 1.4 Printing a layout ........................................................................................................................................... 49

2 Pen Assignments ............................................................................................................................. 51 2.1 Check the settings in a CTB ........................................................................................................................ 51

3 Layouts ............................................................................................................................................. 52 3.1 Adding a new layout .................................................................................................................................... 52 3.2 Adding a viewport in a layout ...................................................................................................................... 54 3.3 Controlling the display in a viewport ........................................................................................................... 54 3.3.1 To switch off the display of certain layers in a viewport: ............................................................................54 3.3.2 To control which layers are frozen in a viewport: .......................................................................................55 3.3.3 To rotate the display in a Paper Space viewport: ......................................................................................55

4 To print a series of drawings or layouts. ........................................................................................ 56 4.1 Printing a Sheet List ..................................................................................................................................... 56 4.2 Working with Sheet Sets ............................................................................................................................. 57 4.2.1 Creating a Sheet Set ...................................................................................................................................57

MODULE 4: 2D-DRAFTING IN BRICSCAD ......................................... 59

1 System variables and user preferences .......................................................................................... 59 1.1 The Settings dialog box ............................................................................................................................... 59 1.2 User Profiles ................................................................................................................................................. 60

2 Creating a new drawing ................................................................................................................... 60

3 Layer management ........................................................................................................................... 61 3.1 To open the layer explorer .......................................................................................................................... 61 3.2 Creating a new layer .................................................................................................................................... 61 3.3 Merge Layers. .............................................................................................................................................. 62

4 Drawing entities ................................................................................................................................ 62 4.1 2D Entities .................................................................................................................................................... 62 4.2 Setting the ByLayer property ....................................................................................................................... 63 4.3 Setting the current layer .............................................................................................................................. 63 4.4 Drawing 2D entities ...................................................................................................................................... 63 4.4.1 General procedure to draw 2D entities .......................................................................................................64 4.5 Drawing accurately ...................................................................................................................................... 64 4.5.1 Polar Tracking (POLAR) ..............................................................................................................................64 4.5.2 Entity Snap (ESNAP) ...................................................................................................................................65 4.5.3 Snap Tracking (STRACK) ...........................................................................................................................65 4.5.4 Using a UCS (user coordinate system) ......................................................................................................65 4.5.5 Dynamic Dimensions ...................................................................................................................................66 4.6 Drawing Lines............................................................................................................................................... 66 4.7 Drawing Circles and Arcs ............................................................................................................................ 66 4.8 Exercise: Tangram ....................................................................................................................................... 67

5 Manipulate commands ..................................................................................................................... 68 5.1 Moving and copying ..................................................................................................................................... 68 5.2 Mirroring ....................................................................................................................................................... 68 5.3 Rotating ........................................................................................................................................................ 68 5.4 Parallel Copy (Offset) .................................................................................................................................. 68 5.5 Arraying ........................................................................................................................................................ 68 5.6 Grip editing ................................................................................................................................................... 71


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5.6.1 Exercise: Grip editing ...................................................................................................................................71

6 Edit commands ................................................................................................................................. 72 6.1 Trim ............................................................................................................................................................... 72 6.2 Extend ........................................................................................................................................................... 72 6.3 Stretch .......................................................................................................................................................... 73 6.4 Fillet and chamfer ........................................................................................................................................ 73 6.5 Exercise: Edit and manipulate commands ................................................................................................. 73 6.6 Using the Quad to manipulate entities ........................................................................................................ 74 6.6.1 Customizing the Quad .................................................................................................................................74 6.6.2 Using the Quad ............................................................................................................................................75 6.7 Creating hatches and fills ............................................................................................................................ 77 6.8 Linear Hatch ................................................................................................................................................. 77 6.9 Pattern Hatch ............................................................................................................................................... 77 6.10 Gradient Fill .................................................................................................................................................. 78 6.11 Creating a hatch or fill .................................................................................................................................. 79 6.12 Editing a hatch or gradient fill ...................................................................................................................... 79 6.12.1 To edit a hatch or gradient fill in the Properties Bar ...................................................................................79 6.12.2 Using the Hatch Edit command ...................................................................................................................80

7 Creating dimensions. ....................................................................................................................... 80

8 Texts ................................................................................................................................................. 81 8.1 Text Styles .................................................................................................................................................... 81 8.2 Creating texts ............................................................................................................................................... 81 8.3 Editing texts .................................................................................................................................................. 81

9 Using Fields ...................................................................................................................................... 82 9.1 Setting the document properties ................................................................................................................. 82 9.2 General procedure to insert a field .............................................................................................................. 83 9.3 Updating Fields ............................................................................................................................................ 83 9.4 Fields in Blocks ............................................................................................................................................ 84

10 Blocks ............................................................................................................................................... 84 10.1 General procedure to create a block .......................................................................................................... 84 10.2 Attributes in blocks ....................................................................................................................................... 85 10.2.1 Define attributes ...........................................................................................................................................86 10.2.2 Editing attributes in a block .........................................................................................................................86 10.3 Placing blocks .............................................................................................................................................. 88 10.4 Inserting blocks from the Drawing Explorer ................................................................................................ 89 10.4.1 Inserting blocks from the current drawing ...................................................................................................89 10.4.2 Inserting blocks from other drawings ..........................................................................................................89 10.5 Editing blocks ............................................................................................................................................... 90

11 Inserting external references ........................................................................................................... 90 11.1 Inserting a PDF underlay ............................................................................................................................. 90 11.2 Inserting an image. ...................................................................................................................................... 92

MODULE 5: ADVANCED FEATURES ................................................. 94

1 Working with 2D Constraints ........................................................................................................... 94 1.1 Dimensional Constraints .............................................................................................................................. 94 1.2 Geometric Constraints ................................................................................................................................. 94 1.3 Exercise: Using 2D Constraints .................................................................................................................. 94 1.4 The 2D Constraint Bars ............................................................................................................................... 99

2 Using fields in title blocks .............................................................................................................. 100 2.1 Title blocks in a small project ................................................................................................................... 100 2.1.1 Defining custom drawing properties......................................................................................................... 100 2.1.2 Create a custom property ......................................................................................................................... 102 2.1.3 Composing the title block ......................................................................................................................... 103 2.2 Title blocks in a large project .................................................................................................................... 103

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2.2.1 Creating the sheet set ............................................................................................................................... 103 2.2.2 Defining custom sheet set and sheet properties ..................................................................................... 106 2.2.3 Specifying sheet set and sheet properties .............................................................................................. 107 2.2.4 Composing the title block ......................................................................................................................... 107 2.2.5 Creating the title block as a dwg block .................................................................................................... 111 2.2.6 Making the title block available in other sheet sets ................................................................................. 112 2.2.7 Using a Sheet set as a template .............................................................................................................. 112

MODULE 6: DIRECT MODELING IN BRICSCAD .............................. 115

1 Basics ............................................................................................................................................. 115 1.1 Direct Modeling toolbar ............................................................................................................................. 115 1.2 Design intent recognition toolbar ............................................................................................................. 116 1.3 3D Constraints toolbar .............................................................................................................................. 117

2 Creating the model ......................................................................................................................... 118 2.1 Basic model ............................................................................................................................................... 118 2.2 Fixing the overall dimensions ................................................................................................................... 122 2.3 Editing the dimensions of the 3D model .................................................................................................. 124 2.4 Applying 3D Constraints ........................................................................................................................... 126 2.5 Editing the parametric model .................................................................................................................... 128

3 Creating drawing views .................................................................................................................. 129 3.1 The Generated Views toolbar .................................................................................................................. 129 3.2 Generating drawing views ........................................................................................................................ 129 3.3 Generating sections .................................................................................................................................. 130 3.4 Editing the layout ...................................................................................................................................... 131 3.5 Exporting drawing views to model space ................................................................................................ 132

MODULE 7: ASSEMBLY DESIGN AND KINEMATIC ANALYSIS ..... 133

1 Preparing for the exercise .............................................................................................................. 133 1.1 Toolbars and settings ............................................................................................................................... 133 1.2 Creating the assembly drawing ................................................................................................................ 134

2 Composing the assembly .............................................................................................................. 134 2.1 Adding the components ............................................................................................................................ 134 2.2 Positioning the components ..................................................................................................................... 135

3 Kinematic Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 141 3.1 Preparing for the kinematic analysis ........................................................................................................ 141 3.2 Kinematic Analysis .................................................................................................................................... 143

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Content of the training package

1 Documentation

BricsCADBasicTraining_V14.pdf: this training guide

BricsCADV14ForAutoCADusers-en_US.pdf: e-book by Ralph Grabowski, which describes the

similarities and differences between BricsCAD and AutoCAD.

2 Exercises

All dwg’s needed to make the exercises in this training guide.

Blocks 2D: a series of drawings containing standard blocks


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Module 1: Understanding a DWG-drawing

1 The BricsCAD application window

1. Menu bar

2. Toolbar (docked)

3. Drawing windows

4. Viewports

5. Properties bar

6. Toolbar (floating)

7. Command bar

8. Status Bar

1.1 Command Bar

The command bar consists of two fields:

In the lower field you can type the commands and BricsCAD shows prompts, options and other

information regarding the execution of commands here. If the command bar is closed, this

information shows in the Status Bar.

The command history displays In the upper field of the command bar.

1. Close button

2. Grip: press and hold the left mouse button to drag the command bar.

3. Command History field

4. Command Edit field: type the commands and command options here

5. Scroll Buttons: Click the buttons to scroll the command history


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1.2 Status Bar

The Status Bar sits along the bottom edge of the BricsCAD application window. It contains a lot information

about the settings in the current drawing. The status bar consists of 16 fields. All of these fields are optional,

except the Status field. If you click the small black down arrow button at the right end of the status bar a list

of all fields displays. Click a field to toggle its display.

Right click a field to display an option menu for this field.

1. Status

displays the status of the software.

when the cursor is in a menu or on a toolbar: gives a brief description of the tool or menu item.

when the command bar is closed: displays the tool options and keyboard entry.

double click to open / close the command bar

2. Coordinates

3. Current Layer

4. Current Color

5. Current Line type

6. Current Text Style

7. Current Dimension Style

8. Current Workspace

9. Indicates whether the grid is active

10. Indicates whether the reference GRID display

11. Indicates whether the orthogonal setting is active

12. Indicates whether Polar Tracking is active

13. Indicates whether Entity Snaps are active

14. Indicates whether Entity Snap Tracking is active

15. Indicates whether line weights display

16. Current Viewport Mode

17. Toggles the digitizing tablet

18. Toggles the dynamic UCS

19. Toggles the display of dynamic dimensions

20. Toggles the Quad cursor menu

1.2.1 Exercise: toggle the display of line weights

1. Open the drawing Plan_Level0.dwg.

2. Click the Line weight field ( ) in the status bar.

Line weights now display and the Line weight field is active ( ).

3. Click the Line weight field ( ) in the status bar again.

Line weights do not display and the Line weight field is greyed ( ).


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2 Display of a DWG

When you open a DWG it displays as it was last saved. A DWG has two workspaces: Model Space and Paper

Space. Paper space consists of one or more Layouts. Below the drawing area you see a series of tabs:

Model and one for each of the layouts. Click a tab to switch between Model Space and one of the layouts. If

the bottom edge of the drawing screen cannot hold all layout tabs, you can use the navigation buttons at

the left to browse through the layout tabs.

2.1 Model Space

Model Space contains the drawing entities. Generally Model Space exists of one single viewport, but you can

divide it in multiple viewports if necessary. Each viewport can show different parts of the drawing.

2.2 Paper Space

As indicated by its name, Paper Space is used to make layout of the drawing on paper. Each drawing has at

least one layout and each layout is composed of one or more viewports. Each viewport can show a different

part of the drawing at a different scale.

In each layout you can add title blocks, legends, frames, etc. needed to complete a printed copy of the

drawing. Such entities are visible in the layout where you add them only, not in the other layouts or in

model space.


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2.3 Layers

All graphic information in a DWG sits on one or more layers. Each drawing has at least Layer 0 (zero). The

number of layers is not limited. The properties of a layer are user defined.

The current layer is marked ( ).

If the SHOWLAYERUSAGE system variable is ON an icon indicates whether a layer is empty or not:

layer is not empty

ayer is empty

The layer properties are:

Layer Name: each layer has a unique name

On/Off: ON ( = visible) of OFF ( = invisible)

Freeze: THAWED ( = visible) of FROZEN ( = invisible)

Locked: UNLOCKED ( = editable) of LOCKED ( = not editable)

Color: each layer has a color

Line type: each layer has a line type

Line weight: each layer has a line weight

Plot Style: defines the default plot style for entities on the layer

Plot: YES ( = printable) of NO ( = not printable)

If you open the Layer Explorer when in paper space additional settings are available:

The VP Freeze, VP Color, VP Linetype, VP Lineweight and VP Plot Style settings allow to override the

color, linetype, lineweight and/or plot style of a layer in the current layout or paper space viewport. If the

SHOWLAYERUSAGE system variable is ON, the following icons indicate whether overrides exist:

current layer with overrides

not-empty layer with overrides

empty layer with overrides


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2.4 Exercise: Modify the layer properties


If necessary:

Click the Model tab.

Double click the middle mouse button (scroll wheel) to display the extents of the drawing.

2. In the Entity Properties toolbar, click the button ( ) next to the name of the current layer.

The layer list rolls out.

3. Click the Display icon ( ) of the, then click in the drawing.

The dimensions do not display anymore.

4. Click the Display icon ( ) again to switch the Dimensions layer on again.

5. Repeat step 2, scroll to layer Walls First Floor.

Click the colored tile in front of the layer name.

The Select Color dialog window displays.

Click on of the colors on the color palette.

The selected color appears in the large color field at the bottom of the Select Color dialog

window.

Click the OK button.

The lines on the Walls First Floor layer display in the selected color.

Repeat the previous steps to set the color back to Index 1 (Red).


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3 The Drawing Explorer

Apart from the graphic information a DWG contains a number of definitions and settings to control the

appearance of the drawing. All these definitions can be found in the Drawing Explorer.

Layers: all layers in the drawing

Layer States: saves the settings of a layer at a certain moment in order to restore these settings

later on.

Line types: A list of line types that can be used in the drawing. If a line type is not available yet,

you can add it.

Multiline Styles: Definitions of the multiline styles in the drawing. You can edit existing styles and

define new multiline styles.

Multileader Styles: Definitions of the multileader styles in the drawing. You can edit existing

styles and define new multileader styles.

Text Styles: A list of text styles that can be used in the drawing. If a text style is not available yet,

you can add it.

Dimension Styles: A list of dimension styles that can be used in the drawing. If a dimension style

is not available yet, you can add it.

Table Styles: A list of table styles to create tables in the drawing.

Coordinate Systems: In each drawing you can define your own coordinate systems.

Views: If you zoom in on a detail you can save the display to a Saved View, which can be restored

afterwards.

Visual Styles: A visual style controls the display of a drawing. Visual styles are important for 3D

drawings only. The default visual style is 2dWireframe.

Lights: A list of lights in the current drawing and their properties.

Materials: A list of materials in the current drawing and their properties.

Render Presets: Sets the quality of the RENDER command. There are 5 sets of default render

presets which you can use to define your own.

Blocks: A block is a compound entity which can be manipulated as a whole.

External References: A list of external drawings which are attached to the current drawing.

Images: A list of images which are attached to the current drawing.

PDF Underlays: A list of PDF documents which are attached to the current drawing.

Dependencies: A list of external files and definitions the current drawing depends on. Missing

definitions are marked.

Page Setups: All print settings (printer, paper size, …) can be saved in a page setup.

Section Planes: Section planes are used to make a cross section in 3D models. The result can

either be viewed in the drawing or saved to a block or a drawing.

3.1.1 Open the Drawing Explorer

1. Do one of the following:

Choose one of the setting categories in the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu.

The Drawing Explorer opens with the details of the of the selected category.

Click the Drawing Explorer icon ( ) on the Standard toolbar.

The Drawing Explorer opens with the details of most recently used category.


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Drawings: A list of all drawings that are currently open.

Open Drawings:

Click a category to see the details of this category in the Details pane.

Click a drawing to switch between drawings.

The number of definitions in each category displays in the Count column.

Click the expand icon (+) to display the category list in the selected drawing.

Folders: A list of your favorite drawing folders. All blocks in the drawings in these

folders can be inserted in the current drawing without opening the containing

drawing.

Sheets: Manages Sheet Sets.

Details: Definitions in the selected category.

Preview: An image of the selected definition (if available).

2. Select a different view mode for the selected category.

3. Click the Detail View icon ( ) to see the details of the definitions.

Click the Icon View icon to see each definition as an icon.

Click the Tree View icon ( ) to see the definitions as a tree structure.


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3.2 Check for missing external definitions

Choose Dependencies… in the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu.

A list of all external definitions and files the drawing depends on displays.

The Not Found icon ( ) indicates a definition is not found.

3.3 Exercise: Exporting a drawing

If a drawing is copied from one computer to another all dependencies need to be copied along with the

parent drawing. The eTransmit function in the Drawing - Explorer Dependencies toolbar leads you

through the procedure to compose the export package.

1. Open drawing Plan_Level0.dwg.

2. Choose eTransmit/eBridge… in the File menu.

The Drawing - Explorer - Dependencies dialog displays.

3. Click the eTransmit icon ( ) in the Details toolbar.

The eTransmit dialog displays showing a list of all files the drawing depends on..

All files are selected to be included in the export.

4. (option) Click the selection box of the files you want to exclude.

5. Click the Transmit button.

The dialog displays, showing the various export options.


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Destination folder: Accept the C:\BricsCAD\Output\ default export folder: If this folder does

not exist yet, it will be created automatically.

Save format: Choose No conversion.

Output: Choose ZIP-file.

Select: All files in one folder.

6. Click the Transmit button.

A message box reports the export.

The Plan_Nivo0.zip file is created in the C:\BricsCAD\Output\folder.

4 View commands

All display commands can be found in the View toolbar.

4.1 The main view commands:

Icon Name Description

Redraw/Regen Redraw/Regen flyout to redraw and regenerate the drawing.

Redraw, Redraw All , Regen, Regen All

Zoom In Zooms in by 50% (0.5)

Zoom Out Zooms out by 50% (0.5)

Zoom

Zoom flyout, holding zoom and pan tools.

Zoom Previous Restores the previous view.


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Icon Name Description

Real-Time Constrained

Sphere

Real-Time Motion flyout.

Set Viewpoint Sets the viewpoint through a dialog box.

Plan View Restores the plan view of the drawing.

Camera Creates perspective views using a camera definition.

Perspective Sets the Perspective mode: Off = isometric; On = perspective

Define View Launches the DView command.

Save/Restore View Launches the –View command to save the current view or to restore a

saved view.

Viewports Divides the drawing screen into two or more viewports. Choose the Single

option to join all viewports.

Paper Space Views Creates layout viewports.

Generate Drafting

Views

Generates standard orthographic and isometric views from a selection of

3D solids in a paperspace layout.

Generate Section Generates a section from an existing standard view in a paperspace

layout.

Update Drafting Views Updates standard views and sections in a paperspace layout.

Export 2D Drafting

Views to Model Space

Exports standard views and sections from a paperspace layout to model

space.

2D Context Restores the 2D context mode in the current viewport.

3D Context Restores the 3D context mode in the current viewport.


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4.2 Display manipulation using the mouse:

Key/ Mouse Button Action Result

Scroll wheel Scroll Zoom in/out (1)

Middle button (2) Press and hold while

moving the mouse.

Pan dynamically

Middle button (2) Double click Zoom extents

Ctrl + Shift + Left button Press and hold while

moving the mouse.

Zoom in/out

Ctrl + Shift + Right button Press and hold while

moving the mouse.

Pan dynamically

Ctrl + Shift + Middle button Press and hold while

moving the mouse.

Rotate dynamically in 3D (3)

Shift + Middle button Press and hold while

moving the mouse

Rotate dynamically in 3D, while preserving

the orientation of the Z-axis (3)

Ctrl + Right button Press and hold while

moving the mouse.

Rotate dynamically around the screen

Z-axis.(3)

(1) The incremental change with each mouse wheel click is defined by the Zoom Factor system variable.

Type ZOOMFACTOR in the command bar to change the variable.

(2) On condition the Middle Button Pan system variable is ON.

Type MBUTTONPAN in the command bar to modify this variable. If Middle Button Pan is OFF, pressing the

scroll wheel displays a context menu with all Entity Snaps (see Module 2: Measuring in a drawing - 1. Entity

Snaps).

(3) Use the Plan View ( ) tool to restore the plan view of the drawing.

4.3 Exercise: View manipulation

1. Open the drawing car_door.dwg.

2. Open the Look From toolbar.

3. Use the tools on the Look From toolbar to restore the various standard views and the four default

isometric views.

4. Use the mouse/keyboard shortcuts..

5. Click the Plan View ( ) tool on the View toolbar to restore top view.


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4.4 Saved Views

You can save the view in the current window as a named view. Saved views can be restored at any time..

4.4.1 To save a view

1. Choose Views… in the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu.

The Drawing Explorer - Views dialog displays.

2. Click the New icon ( ) in the Details toolbar.

The Drawing Explorer window closes.

A prompt menu displays:

The command bar reads: View: ? to list saved views/Save/Window:

3. Choose Save in the prompt menu

or

type S in the command bar, followed by Enter.

The Drawing Explorer - Views dialog reopens.

4. Type a name in the View Name field.

4.4.2 Exercise: To restore a saved view


2. Choose Views… in the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu.

The Drawing Explorer - Views dialog displays.

If necessary click the Detail View icon ( ).

3. Click the empty column in front of the saved view Dining to restore the view.


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4. (option) Click the empty column in front of one of the other saved views.

5. Close the Drawing Explorer - Views dialog.

5 Layer commands

In the Layers toolbars you can find a series of tools to quickly switch layers off, freeze or isolate layers

without knowing the name of the layers..

5.1 To open the Layers toolbar

If the Layers toolbar is not open yet, do the following:

1. Move the cursor over a toolbar, then right click..

A context menu displays.

2. Move the cursor to BricsCAD.

A list with all available toolbars displays.

Toolbars which are already open are marked.

3. Click Layers in this list.

The Layers toolbar displays.

Drag the toolbar to an appropriate place in the BricsCAD application window.


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Command Icon Description

LAYON Sets the display of all layers ON.

LAYOFF Sets the display of the layers of the selected entities OFF.

LAYLCK LOCKS the layers of the selected entities.

LAYULK UNLOCKS the layers of the selected entities.

LAYFRZ FREEZES the layers of the selected entities.

LAYTHW THAWS all layers.

LAYISO Sets the layers of unselected entities OFF or LOCK. Choose SETTINGS, then OFF or

LOCK to set your preference.

LAYUNISO Undoes the actions of the LAYISO command.

Note:

The entities in a block can sit on different layers. Whether Layer commands apply to a block as a whole or to

each layer separately depends on the settings of the Layer commands. The same counts for Xrefs (external

references).

Special settings apply to Paper Space viewports.

5.2 Switching OFF the display of a layer

1. Click the Layers Off icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar.

The LAYOFF prompt menu displays.

The command bar reads: Select an entity on the layer to be turned off or [Settings]:

2. (option) Choose Settings in the prompt menu to adjust the settings for the LAYOFF command.

3. Click an entity in the drawing.

The layer of the entity is switched off.

4. (option) Repeat the previous step to switch off more layers.

5. Right click or press Enter to conclude the command.

5.3 Settings of the LAYOFF command

Viewports:

Vpfreeze: Freezes the layers of the selected entities in the current viewport. This action can only

be undone in the Drawing Explorer/Layers.

Off: Switches the display of the layers of the selected entities off. This counts for model space and

all viewports in all layouts.


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Blocks (including external references):

Block: Switches the display of the layer of the block off. Entities in the block which are not on this

layer remain visible..

Entity: Switches the display of layer(s) of the selected entities in blocks off.

None: No layers are switched off if an entity in a block is selected.

5.4 Switching all layers ON

Click the Layers On icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar.

The display of all layers is switched ON.

Note: FROZEN layers are not affected by the LAYON command. Click the Thaw Layers icon ( ) in the

Layers toolbar bring back such layers.

5.5 Freezing layers

1. Click the Freeze Layer icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar.

The LAYFRZ prompt menu displays.

The command bar reads: Select an entity on the layer to be frozen or [Settings]:

2. (option) Choose Settings in the prompt menu to adjust the settings of the LAYFRZ command.

Settings of the LAYFRZ command

Viewports:

Vpfreeze: Freezes the layers of the selected entities in the current viewport. This action can only

be undone in the Drawing Explorer/Layers.

Freeze: Freezes the layers of the selected entities. This counts for model space and all viewports

in all layouts.

Blocks (including external references):

Block: Freezes the layer of the block. Entities in the block which are not on this layer remain

visible.

Entity: Freezes the layer(s) of the selected entities in blocks.

None: No layers are frozen if an entity in a block is selected.


The layer of the selected entity is frozen. All entities on this layer no longer display.

4. (option) Repeat the previous step to freeze more layers.

5. Right click or press Enter to conclude the command.


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5.6 Thawing all layers

Click the Thaw Layers icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar.

All layers are THAWED.

Note: Layers which are switched OFF are not affected by the LAYTHW command. Click the Layers On

icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar bring back such layers.

5.7 Locking layers

Entities on a LOCKED layer remain visible, but they cannot be modified anymore.

1. Click the Lock Layer icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select an entity on the layer to be locked:


The layer of the entity is LOCKED. The display does not change.

3. (option) Right click to repeat the command.

5.8 Unlocking layers

1. Click the Unlock Layer icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select an entity on the layer to be unlocked:

2. Click an entity on the locked layer.

The layer is UNLOCKED. The display does not change.


5.9 Isolating layers

1. Click the Isolate Layer icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar.

The LAYISO prompt menu displays.

The command bar reads: Select entities on the layer(s) to be isolated or [Settings]:

2. (option) Choose Settings in the prompt menu to adjust the settings of the LAYISO command.

Settings of the LAYISO command

Off: Switches the display of the layers of the other entities OFF.

Lock: Locks the layers of the other entities.

3. Click an entity on a layer you want to isolate.

The selected entity displays in dashed lines.

4. Repeat the previous step to select more entities.


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5. Right click to conclude the command.

Depending on the settings (see step 2):

Only the layers of the selected entities display.

All layers of the other entities are LOCKED.

5.10 Undo the isolation of layers

Click the Unisolate Layer icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar.

The layer state that was active before the execution of the LAYISO command is restored.

6 Layer States

Depending on the complexity of a drawing it might take some time and effort to adjust the display of a

drawing for a specific job. Which layers must be visible? Which layers need to be locked? Maybe you

temporarily want to apply a different color to some layers, … In order to quickly restore these changes, you

can save them in a Layer State, then restore the layer state.

Layer states can be copied between drawings and can be saved to a file, which can then be imported in

another drawing on a different computer.

Remarks:

Before modifying the color setting of layers it is recommended to save the original color settings

in a layer state.

Use saved views to quickly zoom in on a specific area in the drawing.

6.1 Saving a layer state

1. Choose Layer States … in the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu.

2. Click the New icon ( ) in the Details toolbar.

The current settings of the layers are saved to a new Layer State.

If necessary click the Tree View icon ( ) to see the layout below.

3. Click the Name field and type a new name to replace the NewLayerState1 default name.

4. (option) Type description in the Description field.


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5. (option) Check the properties you want to be restored by this layer state.

Click the All Off icon ( ) in the Details toolbar to unselect all properties.

Click the Al On icon ( ) in the Details to select all properties.

Click a checkbox to select/unselect the property.

6.2 Exercise: To restore a layer state


2. Choose Layer States … in the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu.

3. Click the Icon View icon ( ) in the Details toolbar.

4. Double click the layer state NoDim_NoTexts.

Texts and dimensions are not displayed anymore.

5. Click the Tree View icon ( ) in the Details toolbar.

6. Select the layer state Walls, then click the Restore icon ( ) in the Details toolbar.

Interior and exterior walls only display.

7. Select the layer state Black, the Restore icon ( ) in the Details toolbar.

The walls now display in black.

The layer state Black restores the Color property only.

Click the expand icon (+) in front of layer state name, then click the expand icon in front of Layer

Properties to restore to see which properties are restored.

Click the collapse icon (-) to hide the properties list.

8. Select the layer state General, then click the Restore icon ( ) in the Details toolbar in order to restore

all layers using their original colors.

A Regen might be necessary to restore the General layer state.


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7 Paper Space Layouts

In a DWG-drawing the drawing itself sits in Model Space. To print the drawing on a sheet of paper, a layout

is composed in Paper Space. You can create multiple layouts in a drawing

7.1 Checking the properties of a Layout

1. Open the drawing House.dwg.

2. Click the layout tab A2_Level0.

3. Choose Print in the File menu.

The Print dialog displays.

To print a layout as designed by the author of the drawing it is necessary that the Printer / Plotter

Configuration and the Plot Style Table refer to the appropriate settings.

If the Printer / Plotter Configuration is not found, a warning displays when you open the Page Setup

dialog:


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When you click the OK button the Print dialog opens.

Under Printer / Plotter Configuration the default printer settings are selected:

Because the selected printer determines which paper sizes are available it is important that the default

printer supports all of the paper size that are used in the various layouts. Otherwise the drawing

cannot be printed properly.

A missing Plot Style Table is indicated as follows:

In case no Plot Style Table is attached, the plot style table setting reads:

Apart from colors, also line weights are defined in a plot style table (along with a series of other line

properties such as line type, end style, join style …). Without the original plot style table it is often

impossible to print a drawing correctly. In such case it is good practice to set all colors to black and all

line weights to 0.2 mm.

7.2 Paper Space Viewports

A Layout contains one or more Viewports. Each viewport can show a different part of the drawing in Model

Space, on a different scale and using a different layer visibility.

7.2.1 Check the properties of a viewport

Click viewport border.

The properties of the viewport display in the Properties Bar.


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8 External References

Using an external reference or Xref a drawing can be inserted in another drawing. Instead of copying the

drawing, only a reference to the source drawing is saved in the parent drawing. You can attach multiple

drawings to a single parent drawing.

The advantages of Xrefs are:

You limit the size of the parent drawing.

The source drawings can be edited simultaneously.

The parent drawing always shows the latest version of each of the source drawings.

8.1 Exercise: Check for missing external references

1. Open the drawing _Plotsheet.dwg in the House folder.

2. Choose Xrefs… in the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu.

3. (option) Click the Detail View icon ( ).

In the Saved Path column you can see where the various Xrefs were saved at the moment of their

attachment to the parent drawing.

When you open a drawing with Xrefs, BricsCAD searches for the attached drawings in the current folder

of the parent drawing. If an Xref is found here it is shown in the Found Path column.

If the Xrefs are not found in this folder, BricsCAD searches for the folder which is defined in the Saved

Path of the Xref. If an Xref is found here, the content of the Saved Path column and the Found Path

column is identical.

If the Xref is not found, the Found Path column reads: (!Not Found).

4. (option) Click the Icon View icon ( ).

Xrefs which cannot be found display with the Not Found icon ( ).

5. (option) Click the Tree View icon ( ).

Xrefs which cannot be found are preceded by the Not Found icon ( ) in the tree structure.

9 Copying between drawings

To copy entities between drawings the following commands are available:

COPYCLIP, COPYBASE, PASTECLIP, PASTEORIG and PASTEBLOCK

Copyclip and Pasteclip: to paste the selection using a default base point.

Copyclip and Pasteorig: to paste the selection using the coordinates of the source drawing.

Copybase and Pasteclip: to paste the selection using a user defined base point.

Copybase or Copyclip and Pasteblock to paste the selection as a block.

9.1 Selecting entities

9.1.1 Composing a selection set

The first step to copy entities between drawings is to compose a selection set. The fastest method to select

entities are the Window Inside and Window Overlap methods. When no command is active a selection

window is drawn if you click the left mouse button, then move the mouse. When moving the mouse to the

left, the selection window is dashed; click again to select all entities that are inside or overlapped by the

selection window. When moving to the right the selection window is continuous; click again to select all

entities that are completely within the boundary of the selection window. Apart from the selection window


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boundary (dashed or continuous) and color (blue or green) an icon next to the cursor arrow indicates the

selection method: Window Overlap or Window Inside.

Window Overlap Window Inside

You can select entities separately just by clicking.

If the Shift key is pressed when clicking an entity or using a selection window method, already selected

entities are removed from the selection set.

Press the Esc key to clear the selection set.

When you click on overlapping entities, only the top (most recently drawn) entity can be selected. In order to

select the overlapped entity we need to use Selection Preview.

9.1.2 To set Selection Preview

Do one of the following:

Type selectionpreview in the command bar, followed by Enter then type 3 + Enter.

Choose Settings in the Settings menu, then expand the Selection settings group under Program

Options as indicated in the image below.

Entities now highlight when the pick box moves over them.

The PREVIEWEFFECT system variable lets you choose between dashed lines or thickened lines.

9.1.3 To select overlapping entities

1. Open the drawing SelectionPreview.dwg.

2. Make sure SELECTIONPREVIEW system variable is set to 3 (see above).

3. Move the cursor to the intersection point in the center of the square (1).

The vertical line highlights.

4. Press and hold the Shift key, then repeatedly press the space bar.

All overlapping entities highlight one by one.

5. When the entity you want to select highlights, release the Shift key, then click to select the entity.

Green handles display to indicate the entity is selected.

6. Repeat the previous steps to select more entities.


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9.2 Using Copy / Paste to copy entities


2. Click the Qnew icon ( ) in the Standard toolbar.

A new drawing opens. This drawing is a copy of the default Template Drawing as defined by the

BaseFile user preference.

If this user preference is not defined, a window opens where you can select a template drawing. The

default template folder is defined by the TemplatePath user preference (e.g.

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Bricsys\BricsCAD\V10\and_US\templates\). Select a template

drawing, then press the Open button.

3. Make sure you are working in Model Space and the drawing is zoomed out completely (zoom extents).

4. Select the garage: move the cursor above the top left corner of the garage, then click and move the

cursor until the garage is within the boundary of the selection window and click again.

All selected entities display in dashed lines with green grips.

5. Press Ctrl + C (press and hold the Ctrl key then press the C key).

The selection is now copied to the clipboard. The selection set is cleared.

6. Go to the empty drawing: press and hold the Ctrl key, then press the TAB key.

7. Press Ctrl + V (press and hold the Ctrl key then press the V key).

The selection is now attached to the cursor. The base point is the lower left corner of the bounding box

of the selection.

8. Click to paste the selection in the drawing.

9. Choose Save As in the File menu and save the drawing as: CopyAndPaste.dwg.

9.3 To paste the selection at the original coordinates

1. Continue working in the drawings Plan_Level0.dwg and CopyAndPaste.dwg.

2. Go to drawing Plan_Level0.dwg.

3. Select the kitchen (method: see step 4 in the previous exercise).

4. Press Ctrl + C to copy the selection to the clipboard.

5. Go to the drawing CopyAndPaste.dwg (see step 6 in the previous exercise).


Choose Paste to original coordinates in the Edit menu.

Press Ctrl + V then press Enter.

9.4 To paste the selection using a base point



3. Select the hall (method: see step 4 in the previous exercise).

4. Right click and choose Copy with basepoint in the context menu.

The command bar reads: Select base point:

5. Identify the base point.

6. Go to the drawing CopyAndPaste.dwg.


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7. Press Ctrl + V (press and hold the Ctrl key, then press V).

The selection set is attached to the cursor at the base point (see step 5)


9.5 To paste a selection as a block



3. Select the bathroom (method: see step 4 in the previous exercise).


Press Ctrl + C (press and hold the Ctrl key, then press C).

The bottom left corner of the bounding rectangle of the selection will be the origin of the block.

Right click and choose Copy with basepoint in the context menu.

The command bar reads: Select base point:

Identify the base point.

5. Go to the drawing CopyAndPaste.dwg.

6. Choose Paste as block in the Edit menu.

The selection set is attached to the cursor at the base point (see step 4)


8. (option) The block is created in the target drawing with a automatically generated name. Choose

Blocks… in the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu, then select the block to give it an appropriate name.

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Module 2: Measuring in a drawing

1 Entity Snaps

In order to measure accurately you need to click points in the drawing exactly. The drawing aid for this

purpose is called Entity Snaps.

When using Entity Snaps the following attributes help you to exactly select the desired point:

SNAP MARKER (1): displays at the selected point, showing the current entity snap mode.

APERTURE BOX (2): a square box which is attached to the crosshairs. All entities which are

overlapped by the Aperture Box are processed for potential snap points.

TOOLTIP (3): Identifies the current Entity Snap mode.

The appearance of the snap marker is controlled through 3 user preference settings, which can be found in

the Settings dialog under Program Options > Display.

1.1 To open the Entity Snaps toolbar

To open the Entity Snaps toolbar do the following:

1. Position the cursor on top of a toolbar, then right click.


2. In the context menu, position the cursor on BricsCAD.


All open toolbars are marked in the list.

3. Click Entity Snaps in the list.

1.2 Setting the active Entity Snaps

The icons of active entity snaps are pressed in the Entity Snaps toolbar.

To activate an entity snap click the icon in the Entity Snaps toolbar.

A pressed icon indicates the entity snap is active.

Click a pressed icon to deactivate an entity snap..

Click the Clear Entity Snaps icon ( ) to deactivate all Entity Snaps.

If you activate an entity snap while executing a command, all other active entity snaps are temporarily

deactivated until the next mouse click.


27

Alternatively you can set the entity snaps as follows:

Press and hold the Shift key, then right click.

If the MBUTTONPAN system variable is OFF the entity snaps list displays if the middle mouse

button (scroll wheel) is pressed.

To toggle the entity snaps on/off: click the ESNAP field in the Status Bar.

1.3 Entity Snap methods:

Name Icon Mark Description

Nearest Snaps to the nearest point on an entity.

Endpoint Snaps to the nearest endpoint of an entity or polyline segment.

Midpoint Snaps to the midpoint of an entity or polyline segment.

Center

Snaps to the center point of an arc, circle, polygon, ellipse or elliptical

arc.

Snaps to the center of gravity of a closed polyline.

Perpendicular

Snaps to the perpendicular point of another entity. You can snap to an

arc, circle, ellipse, line, polyline, infinite line, ray, spline or edge of a

plane to form a perpendicular alignment with that entity or with an

extension of that entity.

Tangent Snaps to the point on an arc, ellipse, spline or circle that, when

connected to the previous point, forms a line tangent to that entity.

Quadrant Snaps to the closest quadrant (0°, 90°, 180° of 270°) of an arc, circle,

ellipse, or elliptical arc.

Insertion Snaps to the insertion point of an attribute, block or text entity.

Point Snaps to a point entity.

Intersection Snaps to the intersection of any combination of entities.

Apparent

Intersection Snaps to the apparent intersection in the current view of two entities

that do not intersect in three-dimensional space..

Extension Snaps to the extension of an entity or to the intersection of the

extension of two entities..

Clear Turns off all entity snap modes.

From Allows to start drawing at a specified distance from a specified point.

Middle of 2

Points Snaps to the middle of two specified points.


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2 Commands

All measuring commands are grouped on the Inquiry toolbar.

2.1 To open the Inquiry toolbar

1. Position the cursor on top of a toolbar, then right click.


2. In the context menu, position the cursor on BricsCAD.


All open toolbars are marked in the list.

3. Click Inquiry in the list.

2.2 Inquiry commands

3 Units in a drawing

The measuring unit in a DWG is the DRAWING UNIT (DU). The length of one DU is defined by the user. In a

typical building plan in France or Belgium 1 DU = 1 cm, while in the Netherlands 1 DU = 1 mm and in

Germany 1 DU = 1 m. In the US 1 DU = 1 inch.

The results of all measuring commands are expressed in drawing units.

The Insertion Units (INSUNITS) controls the automatic scaling when a drawing is inserted as a block or Xref

in another drawing, which uses a different DU.

3.1 To check the INSUNITS system variable

1. Choose Settings in the Settings menu.

2. Go to Drawing > Drafting > Drawing Units in the Settings dialog.

Command Icon Description

DIST Distance between two points.

AREA

Depending on the option chosen:

The area and perimeter of a zone defined by points.

The total area and perimeter of multiple closed polylines, circles or

ellipses.

The total length of multiple linear entities (lines, polylines, arcs,

splines, …)

ID The coordinates of a point.

LIST All geometric information of one or more entities.

Press F2 to open the Prompt History window.


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3.2 Define the linear unit precision

The Linear Unit Precision (LUPREC) system variable defines the display precision of coordinates, distances,

areas an volumes. You can choose between 0 to 8 decimal places. The LUPREC system variable does not

influence the internal precision of a drawing..

If 1 DU = 1 cm and you set LUCPREC = 2, then the accuracy of the measurement is 0.1 mm.


2. Go to Drawing > Drafting > Drawing Units > Linear Units in the Settings dialog.

3. Type the precision of your choice in the Linear unit precision field.

4 The Prompt History window

The results of all measurement show in the command bar of which the display is usually limited to 3 lines: 1

command line and 2 history lines. Measurement results might take more than 3 lines to display. In such

case, press the F2 function key to open the Prompt History window. Press F2 again to close the window.

4.1 To copy the content of the Prompt History window

If you want to copy some of the measurement results in a text document or a spreadsheet you can copy the

content of the Prompt History window to the clipboard and paste it in your text or spreadsheet document.

1. Click where you want to start copying.

2. Scroll down to the end of the part you want to copy, then press and hold the Shift key and click..

3. Right click and choose Copy in the context menu;

or press Ctrl+C (press and hold the Ctrl-key then type C).

4. Go to the target document and press Ctrl+V (press and hold the Ctrl-key then type V).

5 Measuring distances and lengths

The length of an entity shows in the Properties Bar.

The DIST command measures the distance between two points.

The AREA command can add the lengths of different entities together

5.1 Check the length of an entity

The length of a line, polyline, arc or spline shows in the Properties Bar. Select the entity, then go to

Geometry > Length.


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5.2 To measure the perpendicular distance between a point and a line.

1. Set Endpoint and Perpendicular the Entity Snaps.

2. Click the Distance icon ( ) in the Inquiry toolbar.

The command bar reads: Starting point for distance:

3. Select the punt from which you want to measure.

The command bar reads: Endpoint:

4. Move the cursor to the line you want to measure the perpendicular distance to.

The Perpendicular ( ) snap marker displays.

5. Click to accept the perpendicular entity snap..

The measured distance shows in the command bar.

Distance: the measured distance

Angle in XY Plane: the angle between the measured line and the X-axis.

Angle from XY Plane: the angle between the measured line and the XY-plane.

Delta X: the difference between the X-coordinates of the start point and the endpoint.

Delta Y: the difference between the Y-coordinates of the start point and the endpoint.

Delta Z: the difference between the Z-coordinates of the start point and the endpoint.


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5.3 Adding the lengths of different entities together

1. Click the Area icon ( ) on the Inquiry toolbar.

The command bar reads: Entity/Add/Subtract/<First point>:


2. Choose Add areas together in the prompt menu

or

Type A followed by Enter.

The command bar reads: Adding: Entity/Subtract/<First point>:


3. Choose Add entities to area in the prompt menu

or

Type E followed by Enter.

The command bar reads: Adding area<Select entities>:

Click the first entity.

The length of the entity displays in the command bar: Total length =


4. Repeat the previous step to add more entities.

The total length displays in the command bar.

Right click twice to stop.

5. (option) Press the F2 function key to open the Prompt History window.

5.4 Measuring the distance between virtual points

Using Polar Tracking and Snap Tracking you can measure distances between virtual points.

1. Open the Distance_Virtual.dwg drawing.

We will measure the distance between points 1 and 2.


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2. Set the Endpoint entity snap.

Make sure both Polar Tracking ( ) and Entity Snap Tracking ( ) are active. If necessary

click the POLAR and STRACK fields in the status bar.

3. Click the Distance icon ( ) in the Inquiry toolbar.

4. Hover the cursor above point a until a small +-sign in the snap marker color displays.

5. Hover the cursor above point b until a small +-sign displays, then move the cursor vertically away from

point b. A tracking line displays. When at the height of point a, a second tracking line displays. The

intersection of the tracking lines is marked by an X.

6. Click to accept the point.

7. Hover the cursor above point c until a small +-sign displays.

Hover the cursor above point d until a small +-sign displays then move the cursor horizontally to the

left. A tracking line displays. When right below point a, , a second tracking line displays. The intersection

of the tracking lines is marked by an X.

8. Click to accept the point.

The measurement results of the Distance command display in the command bar.

6 Measuring areas

The AREA command measures areas. You can choose between the following methods:

Pick points to define the area to be measured.

Find the area of a single closed entity.

Adding areas together.

Adding and subtracting areas.

6.1 Measuring an area by picking points

1. Set the appropriate Entity snap modes (e.g. Endpoint and Midpoint).

2. Click the Area icon ( ) in the Inquiry toolbar.


3. Subsequently pick the points that define the area. BricsCAD previews the area with a dashed polygon.

4. Right click to stop picking points.

The area and perimeter displays in the history field of the command bar:


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Exercise:

In the Plan_Level0.dwg drawing measure the area and perimeter of the living/dining room.

The command bar should read:

The area is: 46.74 m²; the perimeter is: 30.16 m.

6.2 Adding areas together

1. Click the Area icon ( ) in the Inquiry toolbar.



2. Choose Add areas together in the prompt menu

or

Type A followed by Enter.

The command bar reads: Adding: Entity/Subtract/<First point>:


3. Choose Add entities to area in the prompt menu

or



Pick a closed polyline, circle or ellipse.

The area and perimeter of the selected entity displays in the command bar:

The command bar reads: Adding area <Select entities>:

4. Repeat the previous step to add more entities.

or

Right click to stop adding entities..


5. (option) Choose Subtract areas in the prompt menu

or

Type S followed by Enter.


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The command bar reads: Subtracting: Entity/Add/<First point>:


6. Choose Subtract entities from area in the prompt menu

or


The command bar reads: Subtracting area<Select entities>:

Pick a closed polyline, circle or ellipse.

The area and perimeter of the selected entity is subtracted from the total length and total area.

The command bar reads: Subtracting area <Select entities>:

7. Repeat the previous step to pick more entities

or

Right click to stop subtracting entities.



Go back to step 3 to add entities.

Go back to step 6 to subtract entities.

Right click to stop.

9. (option) Press the F2 function key to open the Prompt History window.

Exercise:

Open drawing Area.dwg and add the areas of the black entities together, then subtract the areas of the red

entities.

The total area is 264.59 m².

In this case the result of total length does not make sense.

7 Boundary Polyline

The Boundary (or Bpoly) command creates a closed polyline by detecting an area that is defined by linear

entities. You can either select the enclosing entities yourself or click in the enclosed area to let BricsCAD

detect the boundary entities.

The creation of boundary polylines can be used to calculate the perimeter and area of complex shapes.

7.1 Creating a boundary polyline

1. Open the drawing Boundary.dwg.

2. Click the Boundary Polyline icon ( ) in the Polylines flyout of the Draw 2D toolbar


35

The Boundary dialog displays:

3. Click the Pick points in boundaries button.

The Boundary dialog closes temporarily.

The command bar reads: Select a point to define a boundary or hatch area:

4. Click in the drawing at position 1.

The polyline displays in dashed lines.


A second polyline displays in dashed lines.


4 new polylines display in dashed lines.

7. Right click to stop defining boundaries.

The Boundary dialog reopens.

8. Click the OK button.

The polylines are created.

7.2 Creating a boundary polyline using a selection

1. Continue working in the drawing Boundary.dwg.

2. Start the Boundary Polyline command (see step 2 in the previous exercise).

3. Click the New Boundary Set button ( ).


The command bar reads: Select entities:


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4. Select the entities which define area 4, except the blue line and the blue circle.

5. Right click to stop selecting entities.


6. Click Pick points in boundaries button.


The command bar reads: Select a point to define a boundary or hatch area:



Notice that the blue line and the blue circle are ignored.




The polyline is created.

7.3 The boundary polyline command options


2. Start the Boundary Polyline command.




4 polylines display in dashed lines.

5. Press the Esc key or choose Cancel in the prompt menu.


6. Choose the Outer option under Islands.



8. Only 3, instead of 4, polylines now display in dashed lines.

The islands within another island are ignored now.

9. Press the Esc key or choose Cancel in the prompt menu.


10. Choose the Ignore option under Islands.



12. Only one single polyline displays in dashed lines.

All islands are ignored.




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7.4 Boundary Tolerance setting

In case of small gaps between the boundary entities the Boundary Tolerance setting defines the maximal

gap to be bridged automatically. The default value of this setting is 0.1 drawing units.


2. Start the Boundary Polyline command.




No polyline can be created because the top right vertex is no closed.

5. Right click.


6. Type 10 in the Tolerance field.




The Close Gaps question box displays:

Detected gaps can be closed. Do you want to proceed?



10. Right click.




8 Using fields

In the next exercise we will use fields to the display the area and perimeter of a polyline.

1. Open the drawing Fields.dwg.

2. Choose Insert Field in the Insert menu.

3. On the Field dialog, choose Object under Objects.

4. Click the Select button.

The Field dialog closes.

The command bar reads: Select entity:

5. Select the polyline.

The Field dialog reopens.


38

6. Do the following to format the field:

In the Property list select Area.

In the Format options list, select Decimal.

The Precision options list button displays.

Click the Precision options list button and choose 0.

From the Convert option list button select f*x.

Type 0.0001 in the convert field to recalculate the field value, which is expressed cm², to m².


The Field dialog closes.

An Mtext entity (Multiline Text) displays dynamically.

8. Click the place the Mtext entity.

9. Double click the Mtext entity.

The Text Formatting toolbar displays.

10. Add a field to display the Length (perimeter) of the polyline.

11. Select the polyline, then move one or more grips.

12. Regenerate the drawing: type Regen in the command bar or click the Regen tool ( ) on the

Redraw/Regen flyout of the View toolbar.

The fields are recalculated.


39

9 Coordinates

The XYZ-coordinates of the start point and end point of a line, the vertices of a polyline and the midpoints of

arcs, circles and ellipses display in the Properties bar when such entity is selected.

The ID command reads the coordinates of point.

9.1 Reading the coordinates of the vertices of a polyline

1. Select the polyline.

The properties of the polyline display in the Properties Bar.

The X and Y-coordinates of the start point (or the first vertex in case of a closed polyline) show under

Position.

You can read the Z-coordinate in the Elevation field.

2. Click the Vertex field, then click the arrow buttons on the right hand side of the field to read the

coordinates of the next or previous vertex.

9.2 Reading the coordinates of a point

1. Set the appropriate Entity Snap (e.g. Endpoint).

2. Click the ID icon ( ) in the Inquiry toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select point to identify coordinates:

3. Pick the point you want to read the coordinates from.

The coordinates of the selected point display in the history field of the command bar..


9.3 Coordinate systems

In a DWG drawing by default coordinates display in the World Coordinate System (WCS). The nature of the

current coordinate system shows in the ucs icon. If the WCS is active, a W shows in the ucs icon. If a User

Coordinate System (UCS) is the current coordinate system, no W displays.

WCS icon UCS icon


40

The display of the icon is controlled through the UCS icon (UCSICON) system variable. The position of the

ucs icon is defined by the Ucs icon position (UCSICONPOS) system variable.

9.4 Check the UCS icon variables


2. Go to Drawing > Drafting > Drawing Units > User coordinate system in the Settings dialog window.

3. The settings of the UCS icon system variable are:

Show icon: defines whether the icon shows or not

at origin: defines whether the ucs icon shows at the origin of the coordinate system or in a corner

of the drawing window.

If the origin of the coordinate system is not within the current zoom area, the icon shows in the a

corner of the drawing window, as defined by the UCSICONPOS system variable.

4. The UCS icon position system variable defines the corner to display the ucs icon in case the at origin

option of UCS icon system variable is OFF or if the origin of the coordinate system is not within the

current zoom area.

9.5 Moving the origin of the coordinate system

1. Set the appropriate entity snap (e.g. Endpoint).

2. Type UCS followed by Enter.

The command bar reads: Specify origin of UCS … <World>:

3. Pick the point you want to use as the origin of the new coordinate system.

The command bar reads: Point on X-axis or <Accept>:

4. Right click to accept the new ucs.

If the at origin option of the UCS icon system variable is ON, the ucs icon jumps to the new origin

point.

All coordinates now display with respect to the new coordinate system.

9.6 Restoring the WCS

Type UCS then hit Enter twice.

9.7 Reading relative coordinates

1. Open drawing Walls_0.dwg.

We want to read relative coordinates with respect to the bottom left corner of the house, which we will

therefore define as the origin of a new ucs first.

2. Make sure Endpoint entity snap on.

3. Execute the Moving the origin of the coordinate system procedure (see above)

In step 3, pick the bottom left corner of the house as indicated in the image below.


41

.

4. Click the ID icon ( ) in the Inquiry toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select point to identify coordinates:

5. Pick the top right corner of the house.

The (relative) coordinates display in the command bar.

6. Right click to repeat the ID command and read the coordinates of other key points of the house.

10 Reading the properties of a selection

The LIST command displays the properties of one or more entities in the Prompt History window.

1. Click the List entity info icon ( ) in the Inquiry toolbar.

The command bar reads: Sort/Tracking/<Select entities to list>:

2. Pick the entities you want to list the properties of.

Right click to stop picking entities.

The Prompt History window opens.

3. Press the F2 function key to close the Prompt History window.


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11 Creating Dimensions

11.1 Terminology

In BricsCAD there are 5 dimension entity types: linear, arc, angular, radial, diametric and ordinate.

When creating dimensions you can either identify an entity or click points.

11.1.1 Dimensions toolbar

1. Stacked baseline dimension +

2. Radial dimension

3. Angular dimension

4. Aligned linear dimension

5. Ordinate dimension

6. Center mark

7. Vertical linear dimension

8. Diametric dimension

9. Rotated linear dimension

10. Leader with text

11. Continued horizontal linear dimension +

12. Arc Length dimension

11.1.2 Dimension Style

Dimension entities are created on the current layer using the current dimension style, which defines the

appearance of the dimension block. A dimension style is a collection of settings and definitions for all parts

of the dimension block: dimension line, extension lines, arrows, dimension text, etc. Each drawing can have

multiple dimension styles of which only one can be the current dimension style.

See the BricsCAD Help for more information about dimension styles.


43

11.1.3 Dimension block

Dimension entities are created as a dynamic block composed of a dimension line, arrows, extension lines

and dimension text.

1. Dimension text prefix (d=)

2. Dimension text (258)

3. Tolerance (±1)

4. Dimension text suffix (cm)

5. First arrowhead

6. Second arrowhead

7. Dimension line

8. First extension line

9. Second extension line

10. Extension line extend

11. Extension line offset

12. Arrow size

13. Text offset

11.1.4 Associative Dimensions

BricsCAD creates associative dimension entities which will be updated automatically if the dimensioned

entity is modified or moved. If necessary you can force associative dimensions to update using the

DIMREGEN command.


44

11.2 Exercise: Floor levels in a cross section

1. Open the drawing Section.dwg.

2. Zoom in on the blue circle.

3. Click the ID Coordinates icon ( ) in the Inquiry toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select point to identify coordinates

4. Snap to the finished floor level of the ground floor.

The command bar reads: X=3140.79 Y=1713.31 Z=0.00

Since this is a 2D drawing, the Z-value is of no importance. Vertical distances are measured along the Y-

axis. We will therefore define a user coordinate system (UCS) of which the origin is on the finished floor

level of the ground floor..

5. Type ucs in the command bar, followed by Enter.



7. Right click or press Enter to accept the new ucs.

Only the origin point of the coordinate system has been redefined..

8. Right click the dimension style field in the Status Bar, then choose LEVEL in the context menu to make

it the current dimension style.

In this dimension style Dim scale linear is set to 0.01. As a result of this the dimension text is

expressed in meters, while the drawing unit equals 1 cm in this drawing. The prefix of the primary units

is a plus-sign (+).

Click the Ordinate icon ( ) in the Dimensions toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select point for ordinate dimension.


The ordinate dimension is attached to the cursor.

10. Move the cursor, then click to place the ordinate dimension.

Make sure no point is snapped when placing the dimension.

11. Right click to repeat the command and dimension the other floors.

12. Right click the dimension style field in the Status Bar, then choose LEVEL MINUS in the context menu

to make it the current dimension style..

In this dimension style Dim scale linear is set to 0.01. As a result of this the dimension text is

expressed in meters, while the drawing unit equals 1 cm in this drawing. The prefix of the primary units

is a minus-sign (-).

13. Dimension the underground floor levels.

45

Module 3: Printing

1 General information

Apart from the drawing itself, two external files are needed to print a drawing properly.

printer settings in a PC3-file (Printer Configuration version 3)

pen settings in a CTB-file (Color TaBle) or STB-file (Style TaBle)

If these files or not found BricsCAD will use standard settings.

1.1 Printer Configuration and Plot Style files

BricsCAD searches the plotconfig folder in the Roamable Root Folder for Printer Configuration files

(*.pc3) and the plotstyles folder for Plot Style files (*.ctb or *.stb).

On Windows XP:

On Windows: Vista, 7 and 8

1.2 General procedure to print a DWG

Open the drawing.

Click the Model tab or one of the Layout tabs.

Choose Print in the File menu.

The Print dialog window displays:


46

1. Select <None> or a Page Setup from the list.

If a page setup is selected, the settings in the page setup are loaded in the Print dialog. Click the

Preview button to control whether these settings apply to the current layout or model space

view.

If you selected <None> or if you want to change one or more settings, follow the various steps

below.

2. Choose a Printer configuration.

3. Choose a Plot style table.

4. Choose a Paper size. Available sizes depend on the selected printer or plotter.

The image reflects the position and orientation of the drawing on the selected paper size.

5. Select a Paper size unit: Inches of Millimeters.

6. Choose the Drawing orientation: Portrait of Landscape.

7. Specify the Plot Offset.

8. Choose the area to be printed.

9. Specify the relationship between Printed Millimeters (one mm on paper) and the Drawing Unit.

(length of one drawing unit). When printing from Model Space the plot scale is defined here. When

printing a Layout specify how many mm equal one drawing unit.

Module 3: Printing

47

10. Set the Plot options.

Make sure the Plot with plotstyles is selected, otherwise screen colors will be used instead of the

settings of the selected Plot style table..

11. This setting is disabled when printing a Paper Space layout and applies to printing Model Space that

contains 3D solids only. Select an option in the Shade Plot list button.

12. (optional) Check the Print to file option to create a plot file for the selected printer in step 2.

13. Specify the Number of copies.

Preview: Displays the Print Preview window.

Zoom in/out using the scroll wheel; use the scroll bars or press and hold the middle mouse

button to pan.

Click the Print button to start printing.

Click the Print Settings… button to return to the Print dialog window.

Apply: Updates the layout according to the changes in the settings.

Print: Start printing.

Cancel: Closes the Print dialog window. All changes are neglected, except if you have pressed the Apply

button first.

1.3 Define a Page Setup

A page setup contains all print settings. A page setup applies to either model space or a paper space layout.

1. Choose Page Setup … in the File menu.

The Drawing Explorer – Page Setups dialog displays.

2. Click the New icon ( ).

The Drawing Explorer – Page Setups dialog closes.

The New Page Setup dialog displays.

3. Choose For model space or For paper space.

4. Type a name for the new Page Setup in the Name field.

5. Click the Create… button.

The Page Setup dialog displays.

This dialog is identical to the Print dialog on the previous page, except for the ‘Print’ and the ‘Print to

File’ buttons and the ‘Number of Copies’ field.

6. Define the page setup as described in steps 2 through 11 on the previous page. .

7. Click the OK button to save the page setup.

The Drawing Explorer – Page Setups dialog displays.


48

The different types of page setups have their own icon:

: Current settings for the model space and different layouts in the drawing. The Base on

column indicates which page setup is used..

: Model Space page setups.

: Paper Space page setups.

Double click its icon to edit a page setup..

1.3.1 Creating a page setup for Model Space

Although it is recommended to use a paper space layout to print a drawing, it is possible to print from

model space. If the drawing unit is different from inches or millimeters some calculations are needed to

correctly define the Scale fields. Another problem might be the scaling of the various dashed linetypes. A

rule of thumb is to set the LTSCALE system variable equal to the print scale: e.g. if you print at as scale of

1/50, set LTSCALE = 50.

1. Press the list button, then choose a printer./ plotter configuration:

2. Choose a paper size.

The available paper sizes depend on the selected printer / plotter configuration.

3. Choose which part of the drawing you want to print:

View: Current View (the part of the drawing that is currently displayed or one of Saved

Views.

Extents: Everything in model space.

Limits: The part of the drawing within the current limits, which are defined by the LIMITS

system variable.

Window: The part of the drawing defined by a rectangle. Click the arrow button to define

the rectangle in the drawing.

Module 3: Printing

49

4. Plot Scale: do one of the following:

Choose Fit print area to size of page to fill the selected paper size.

Set the scale as Printed Millimeter = Drawing Units.

E.g. if 1 DU = 1 cm set 1 printed millimeter = 5 to print at a scale of 1/50.

5. Select a style table in the Plot style table list.

6. Choose a Drawing Orientation: Portrait or Landscape.

7. (option) Define the Plot Offset

8. Set the Plot options.

9. Click the Preview button to check the result.

The Print Preview dialog shows exactly how the final print looks like.

Use the scroll wheel to zoom.

Press and hold the middle mouse button to pan or use the scroll bars.

10. Click the Print Settings button to return to the Page Setup dialog.

1.3.2 Define a page setup for Paper Space

A drawing has at least one layout and each layout can have one or more viewports. Each of the viewports

can show a different part of the drawing at a different scale.

You can add titles, title blocks, drawing borders, company logos and any other information needed on a

paper copy of your drawing. All these elements are part of the a specific layout and therefore are not visible

in other layouts or in model space.

In order to have all paper sizes available when creating paper space setups it is recommended to install a

pdf-printer such as PdfCreator or CutePDF.

To correctly print dashed linetypes the LTSCALE (Linetype Scale) and PSLTSCALE (Paper Space Linetype

Scale) need to be defined correctly. E.g. for drawing using 1 DU = 1 cm.

If PSLTSCALE is ON, set LTSCALE corresponding the selected scale: e.g. if you print at scale

1/50 set LTSCALE = 50.

If PSLTSCALE is OFF, set LTSCALE = 1.

Defining a paper space page setup is different from model space page setup for the following settings:

Plot Area is set to Layout.

Scale: define how many printed millimeters equal 1 the drawing unit (DU). In drawing

using 1 DU = 1 cm: 10 printed millimeters = 1 Drawing Units

1.4 Printing a layout

1. Open the Plan_Level0.dwg drawing.

Click the A2_Level0 layout tab.

This layout contains one viewport and uses the A2_Landscape page setup


50

2. Choose Print Preview… in the File menu.

The Print Preview opens.

3. Click the Print Settings… button on the Print Preview dialog window.

The Print dialog window displays.

4. Check the Plot scale settings in the Layout.

In a layout this is the relationship between Printed Millimeters (one mm on paper) and the Drawing

Unit. (length of one drawing unit). The final plot scale is set in the Scale property of each of the

viewports.

5. Close the Print dialog window.

6. Click the edge of a viewport to select it..

The properties of the viewport show in the Properties Bar.

7. Check the Scale settings of the viewport.

8. Click the A4_Level0 layout tab.

Notice the display differences compared to the A2_Level0 layout.

The drawing displays in black.

A different title.

No dimensions.

No dashed lines representing the first floor walls.


10. Under Plot style table the Display plot styles option is checked. As a result the color settings in

Monochrome.ctb are used in the display of the layout.

11. Uncheck the Display plot styles option then press the Apply button.

The layout displays in screen colors.

12. Check the Display plot styles option again then press the Apply button.

The layout displays in black.

13. Double click inside the viewport.

The viewport edge displays in bold. The workspace field in the Status Bar reads: M:A4.

Model Space is the current workspace in the A4 layout.

14. Double click outside the viewport.

The viewport edge displays normal. The workspace field in the Status Bar reads: M:A4.

Module 3: Printing

51

Paper Space is the current workspace in the A4 layout..

15. Double click again inside the viewport.

16. Choose Layers in the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu.

17. Click the Curr column title twice and use the scroll bar to go to the top of the list.

The layers WALLS FIRST FLOOR and DIMENSIONS are Frozen ( ) in the Current viewport and

therefore do not display.

Click in the Curr column of the DIMENSIONS layer: the Thawed icon ( ) replaces the Frozen icon ( ).

If the Regen On/Off button ( ) displays in a ‘pressed’ state, the viewport display is updated

automatically. Otherwise, press the Regen button ( ) to apply the changes.

The DIMENSIONS layer now displays.

18. Click on the Details layout tab.

This layout contains 5 viewports on a A0 sheet. The four larger viewports each show a different part of

the house plan on a 1/20 scale. The smaller viewport in the middle shows the complete plan on a 1/100

scale, without text, dimensions and hatching.

The display of the viewport Garage is rotated 90°.



20. Click the Preview button.

The Print Preview dialog opens.

Using the definitions in Monochrome.ctb the layout is printed in black.

All line weights are set to ByLayer > Default.

The Default Lineweight is set through the LWDEFAULT system variable.



22. Choose BricsCAD.ctb in the Plot style table list.

The layout will now be printed in color.

2 Pen Assignments

The pen assignments in the CTB (Color TaBle) or STB (Style TaBle) file which is selected in the Page Setup or

Print dialog, determine the line weights and colors of the printed drawing.

2.1 Check the settings in a CTB


Click on the A2 layout tab.

2. Choose Print or Page Setup in the File menu.


52

3. Click the Edit plot style icon ( ) under Plot style table on the Print dialog.

The Plot Style Table Editor dialog displays.

4. Click the Form View tab on the Plot Style Table Editor dialog.

5. Click a color in the Plot Styles list to see the settings for the selected color.

6. Close the Plot Style Table Editor and Print dialogs.

3 Layouts

3.1 Adding a new layout


2. Move the cursor to one of the layout tabs, then right click.

A context menu displays:

3. Choose New in the context menu.

A new layout tab is added.

4. Click the newly added layout tab.

A new layout contains a single viewport showing the complete drawing.

Module 3: Printing

53

5. Double click the layout tab.

The Rename Layout dialog displays:

6. Type an appropriate name in the Name field and click the OK button.

The new name shows on the layout tab.

7. Choose Page Setup in the File menu.

The Page Setup dialog displays.

This dialog window is almost identical to the Print dialog.

8. Do the following:

Choose a printer.

Choose Millimeters as the unit for the paper size.

Select the A4 paper size.

Under Plot Area, choose Layout.

Under Scale: set 10 Printed Millimeters = 1 Drawing Units

Under Plot Style Table select Monochrome.ctb.

Under Paper Orientation choose Landscape.

Click the OK button.

The Page Setup dialog closes.

The settings are applied to the layout.

9. To adjust the dimensions of a Paper Space viewport:

Do one of the following

Select the viewport.

9 green grips display: the 4 grips in the corners and the 4 grips on each side can be dragged to

adjust the dimensions of the viewport. Drag the central grip to move the viewport.


Type the dimensions in the Height and Width fields in the Properties Bar.

All dimensions are expressed in Drawing Units (see step 8: 10 mm = 1 DU).

Press the Esc key to unselect the viewport.

10. To define the scale of the viewport:


The properties of the viewport display in the Properties Bar.

Select a scale in the Standard Scale list

or

Type the scale as a decimal number in the Custom Scale field.

The display in the viewport is adjusted instantly.

Press the Esc key to unselect the viewport.


54

11. Do one of the following to switch to Model Space.

Double click inside the viewport

Right click the Workspace field in the Status Bar, then choose Model Space in the context menu.

12. To adjust the part of the drawing that displays in the viewport:

Press and hold the mouse wheel (or middle mouse button) to pan.

If necessary, repeat step 9 to adjust the dimensions of the viewport.

13. Do one of the following to switch back to Paper Space.

Double click outside the viewport

Right click the Workspace field in the Status Bar, then choose Paper Space in the context menu.

14. Select the viewport and choose Yes at Display Locked in the Properties Bar.

It is now no longer possible to modify the display in the viewport.

The size and position of the viewport can still be edited.

3.2 Adding a viewport in a layout

1. Continue working in the drawing Plan_Level0.dwg.

2. Click the Paper Space Views icon ( ) in the Views toolbar.

The command bar reads: Viewports: ON/OFF/Lock/Fit/2/3/4/Object/Polygonal<First corner>:

3. Click to define the upper left corner of the viewport.

A rectangle displays dynamically.

4. Click to define the lower right corner of the viewport.

5. Repeat steps 9 through 14 in the previous exercise to adjust the dimensions and the scale of the

viewport.

3.3 Controlling the display in a viewport

3.3.1 To switch off the display of certain layers in a viewport:

1. Double click inside the viewport: the bold viewport edge indicates the viewport is current.

2. Click the Freeze Layer icon ( ) in the Layers toolbar.

3. Choose Settings in the prompt menu (or type S + Enter).

4. Choose Viewports in the prompt menu (or type V + Enter).

5. Choose VPFreeze in the prompt menu (or type V + Enter).

6. Click an entity on the layer you want to switch off .

7. (option) Repeat the previous step to freeze more layers in the current viewport.

8. (option) Click inside another viewport to make it the current viewport, then click the entities of which

you want to switch off the display.

9. Right click to stop.

10. Double click outside a viewport to return to Paper Space.

Module 3: Printing

55

3.3.2 To control which layers are frozen in a viewport:

1. Double click inside the viewport: the bold viewport edge indicates the viewport is current.

2. In the Tools > Drawing Explorer menu, choose Layers.

The Drawing Explorer - Layers dialog opens.

If necessary click the Detail View icon ( ).

3. The Frozen icon ( ) in the Curr column indicates a layer is frozen in the current Paper Space viewport.

4. The Thawed icon ( ) in the Curr column indicates the layer is thawed in the current Paper Space

viewport.

5. (option) Click the icon in the Curr column to toggle the visibility of a layer in the current Paper Space

viewport.

3.3.3 To rotate the display in a Paper Space viewport:

1. Make sure that the display of the viewport is not locked and VPROTATEASSOC is ON.

2. Select the viewport, then right click and choose 2D Rotate in the context menu.

The command bar reads: Rotation point.

3. Use the Center ( ) entity snap to select the center point of the viewport as the rotation point.

The command bar reads: Copy/Base angle/<Rotation angle> <0>:

4. Type the rotation angle, then press Enter.

The content of the viewport is rotated over the specified angle.


56

4 To print a series of drawings or layouts.

The Publish command uses a Sheet List (= list of model space or paperspace layouts) to print multiple

drawings in one go. In a Sheet Set layouts from different drawings can be added. Each layout is called a

Sheet. Sheets can be grouped in subsets. A sheet set, subsets and sheets have a number of properties

which can be added to a title block, which allows to automatically fill in data such as the project name,

owner, architect, …

4.1 Printing a Sheet List

1. Open the drawing House.dwg (in the folder Exercises) and _Plotsheet.dwg (in the folder

Exercises/House)

Close all other drawings.

2. Choose Publish in the File menu.

The Publish dialog displays, showing a list of all layouts and model spaces in the drawings that are

currently open.

If the PUBLISHALLSHEETS system variable is OFF, only layouts from the current drawing are loaded.

3. Options:

Click the Save Sheet List ( ) button to save the list as a *.dsd (Drawing Set Description) file.

Click the Load Sheet List ( ) button to load a *.dsd file.

You are prompted to add the content of the *.dsd file to the current list or to replace the current

list with the content of the *.dsd file..

Click the Add Sheets ( ) button add more layouts.

Click the Remove Sheets ( ) button to remove the selected layouts from the list.

In the Number of copies field you can define how many copies need to be printed..

Select the Include plot stamp option to add a header and footer. Click the Define plot stamp

( ) button to set the plot stamp texts.

4. Click the Publish button to start printing the sheet set.

Module 3: Printing

57

4.2 Working with Sheet Sets

The creation and management of Sheet Sets is done in the Drawing Explorer.

Choose Sheet Sets… in the Tools menu to open the Sheet Sets manager.

The following tools are available:

Create a new sheet set.

Open a sheet set.

Import a Sheet Set in XML format.

Export the current Sheet Set in XML format.

Print the currently selected Sheet Set, Subset or Selection.

Export the currently selected Sheet Set, Subset or Selection using eTransmit

Load a previously save sheet selection.

Manage the Custom Properties of a Sheet Set.

4.2.1 Creating a Sheet Set

1. Open the Sheet Sets manager and click the New Sheet tool ( ).

The Create New Sheet Set dialog displays.

2. Choose Use Existing Drawings and click the Next button.

3. Click the Select Folder button

4. Select a drawing folder in the Browse for Folder and click the OK button.

All drawings in the selected folder and its subfolders are listed in a tree structure.

5. Right click in the tree, then select an option:

Select None: No layouts are selected. A subset is created for each subfolder.

Select All: All layouts are selected.

Select First Layout of Every Drawing: Only the first layout in each drawing is selected.

6. Click the Next button.


58

7. Click the Browse for Folder button, Select a folder and type a name in the File Name field and click the

Save button.

8. (Option) Type a description in the Description field.


10. An overview of the sheet set being created displays.

11. (option) Click the Back button to make corrections in a previous step.

12. Click the Finish button to create the sheet set.

The newly created sheet set is loaded in the Sheet Set manager.

59

Module 4: 2D-drafting in BricsCAD

1 System variables and user preferences

The behavior of certain commands and the screen display is defined by a number of system variables and

user preferences. In BricsCAD all settings are grouped in the Settings dialog box.

1.1 The Settings dialog box

Choose Settings in the Settings menu or click the Settings icon ( ) in the Standard toolbar to open the

Settings dialog box.

1. Class: Drawing, Dimensions or Program Options

2. Category

3. Sub-category

4. Group (expanded)

5. Title and the current value of a setting

6. Option list

7. Internal name: system variables are in capital letters, user preferences are not.

8. Title

9. Help text.

10. Preview (if applicable)


60

11. Type ( = read-only; = user-defined)

12. Where is the setting saved?

= in the drawing

= registry (system variable) ; = registry (user preference)

= not saved

= the setting only exists in BricsCAD (not in AutoCAD).

1.2 User Profiles

All settings that are saved in the registry can be saved in a User Profile including the location of all open

toolbars. The management of all user profiles is done in the User Profile Manager.

Choose User Profile Manager in the Tools menu:

The current user profile is ticked in the list.

See the BricsCAD Help under User Guide / Customizing BricsCAD / User Profile Manager to learn more

about the User Profile Manager.

2 Creating a new drawing

A new drawing is created as a copy of a template drawing, which have the *.dwt extension. As a matter of

fact a template drawing is not different from a normal *.dwg drawing. You can create your own template

drawings by changing the *.dwg extension to *.dwt.

1. Choose New in the File menu. The Select Template dialog displays. The folder which is defined by the

TemplatePath user preference opens. By default this is:

C:\Users\<UserNamme>\AppData\Local\Bricsys\BricsCAD\V11\and_US\templates

2. Choose a template in the list and click the Open button.

A copy of the selected template is opened as Drawing1.dwg.

3. Save the drawing under a different name.

Module 4: 2D Drafting

61

3 Layer management

Layer management is done in the Drawing Explorer - Layers.

3.1 To open the layer explorer


Type Layer in the command bar, then press Enter.

Choose Drawing Explorer > Layers in the Tools menu.

Click the Layer tool ( ) in the Standard toolbar.

3.2 Creating a new layer

1. Open the Drawing Explorer - Layers dialog box.

2. Click the New icon ( ) in the toolbar.

A new layer is added.

3. Define the settings for the new layer:

Layer Name: Type a name.

Description: (optional) Describe the content of the layer.

On/Off: This setting controls whether the content of the layer displays or not. Please

notice that the content of layers that are OFF is recalculated e.g. when performing a zoom

extents..

Freeze: This setting controls whether the content of the layer displays or not. As different

from layers that are OFF, layers that are FROZEN are not recalculated e.g. when

performing a zoom extents.

Lock: Entities on a locked layer cannot be modified. You can draw on a frozen layer

though.

Color: Click in the Color column, then click the Index Color or True Color tab on the Color

dialog box. Index Colors can be printed in any other index color depending on the assigned

CTB (color table). True colors always print as is.

Linetype: The default linetype is Continuous. Select a linetype from the list or choose

Load… to load a new linetype definition from a *.lin file.

Lineweight: The default lineweight is Default. Choose a different lineweight from the list.

Lineweights display on the screen only if the LWT field in the status bar is ON. Click the

LWT field to toggle this setting.

Plot Style: This setting determines which plotstyle is use for the content of the layer. In

CTB drawings this setting is not editable and matches the color setting. In STB (Style Table)

files: select a plot style.

New VP: Determines whether or not the content on the layer displays in a new paper

space viewport.

Material: Sets the material for solids on this layer in rendered display modes.


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3.3 Merge Layers.

To simplify a drawing it might be necessary to merge the content of one or more layers into a single layer.

Empty layers will be automatically removed from the drawing.

1. Open the Drawing Explorer - Layers dialog box.

2. Select the layer(s) you want to remove:

Click the first layer.

Press and hold the Ctrl-key to select more layers.

To select a series of layers: select the first layer, then press and hold the Shift-key and select the

last layer.

Press Ctrl + A to select all layers.

Press and hold the Ctrl-key to unselect a layer.

Click a layer that is not selected yet to clear the selection.

Layers 0 and DEFPOINTS are system layers and cannot be removed. Do not include them in the

selection.

3. Right click and Choose Merge to… in the context menu.

The Merge Layers dialog box displays:

4. Choose layer in the list.

5. Click the Merge button.

The content of the selected layers is moved to the selected layer. The empty layers are removed from

the drawing.

4 Drawing entities

4.1 2D Entities

1. Open the drawing Entities.dwg which shows an overview of the main 2D entity types in a DWG.

2. Choose Images in the Settings menu.

In this drawing exist two images: gearbox.png and logobricscad.png.

3. Click the checkbox in the Loaded column to toggle the display of an image.

4. Click the LWT-field in the Status Bar to toggle the display of lineweights.


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4.2 Setting the ByLayer property

It is recommend to set the Color, Linetype and Lineweight properties ByLayer.

4.3 Setting the current layer

New entities are created on the current layer.

To set the current layer, do one of the following:

Right click the Layer field in the Status Bar, then select a layer.

In the Entity Properties toolbar: click a layer in the list.

Click the Layer field in the Properties Bar, then select a layer.

4.4 Drawing 2D entities

Most commands in BricsCAD have multiple options. Such options display in the command prompt in the

command bar and in the Prompt Menu. The default options displays between arrow brackets (<>) at the end

of the command prompt. Click in the prompt menu to select an option or type the capitalized letter of the

option in the command bar. The PROMPTMENU system variable determines whether the prompt menu

displays or not.

Example: the prompt menu and command prompt of the Polyline command:

Arc/Distance/Follow/Halfwidth/Width/<Next point>:

All tools for drawing 2D entities sit in the Draw 2D toolbar and in the Draw menu.

A small black arrow in the bottom right corner of an toolbar icon indicates that a toolbar flyout is available.

Press and hold the left mouse button to see the hidden tools. The most recently selected tool on a flyout

remains visible in the parent toolbar.


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4.4.1 General procedure to draw 2D entities

1. To launch the command, do one of the following:

Click the icon.

Choose the command in the Draw menu.

Type an alias (e.g.. L for Line, PL for PolyLine)

2. Enter points to draw the geometry.

Carefully read the prompts in the command bar.

4.5 Drawing accurately

The following drawing aids are available to draw accurately:

GRID: evenly spaced points or lines (depending on the GRIDSTYLE system variable).

SNAP: evenly spaced magnetic points.

The Snap option (synced with snap) of the Grid synchronizes the GRID and SNAP settings.

ORTHO (Orthogonal): forces the cursor to move horizontally or vertically.

POLAR (Polar Tracking): displays tracking lines (default 90°) and forces points to lie on the

tracking lines.

ESNAP (Entity Snap): magnetic points on entities (endpoints, midpoints, perpendicular, …)

STRACK (Snap tracking): combines POLAR TRACKING and ESNAP.

DYN (Dynamic Dimensions): displays dynamic dimension entry fields.

Click the corresponding field in the status bar to toggle these settings.

Please notice that POLAR and ORTHO cannot be active simultaneously.

4.5.1 Polar Tracking (POLAR)

If POLAR is ON, tracking lines display from the previously entered point if the cursor is positioned

approximately near the defined angle (or a multiple). You can then type the distance from the previous

point. Place the cursor on the POLAR field in de Status Bar, then right click and choose Settings in the

context menu:

f


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4.5.2 Entity Snap (ESNAP)

ESNAP allows to force a point to lie on magnetic points on existing entities. Click the ESNAP field to toggle

the setting.

The effect of clicking a button on the Entity Snaps toolbar is different whether a command is active or not. If

you click a button:

When a command is active: the selected entity snap applies to the next point only. Other entity

snaps are temporarily disabled.

Alternatively you can press and hold the Shift-key, then right click to select a temporary entity snap

in a context menu.

When no command is active: toggles the selected entity snap.

4.5.3 Snap Tracking (STRACK)

STRACK combines ESNAP and POLAR. STRACK allows to define points with respect to a snap point on an

entity. To activate such reference point do the following:

1. With an appropriate esnap active, move the cursor over a snap point on an entity.

2. Slightly move the cursor until a small, red + marker displays, which indicates the snappoint is

recognized as a snap tracking point.

3. When moving the cursor away from the tracking point, a tracking line displays.

4. Type the distance from the tracking point, then press Enter.

You can also identify multiple tracking points. Depending on the position of the cursor, tracking points

display from one or more of the identified tracking points. The intersection of such tracking lines can then

be selected as the next point.

4.5.4 Using a UCS (user coordinate system)

All actions in BricsCAD are executed in the XY-plane of the current UCS (User Coordinate System). By default

the WCS (World Coordinate System) is the current coordinate system. In general, for 2D drafting, the WCS

suffices. In some cases it might be necessary to move the origin or rotate the coordinate system.

To move the origin of the coordinate system:

1. Type ucs at the command prompt.

c: Specify origin of UCS or …

2. Click a point to define the new origin.


3. Press Enter or right click to stop the ucs command.

The origin of the coordinate system has been moved.


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4.5.5 Dynamic Dimensions

Dynamic dimensions help you to enter distances and angles while drawing entities.

Click the DYN-field in the Status Bar to toggle dynamic dimensions.

The background of the active field is blue. Type the desired value in the active field, then press the TAB-key

to jump to the next field.

Settings for Dynamic Dimensions can be found in the Settings dialog box under Drawing / Drafting /

Dynamic Input.

4.6 Drawing Lines

In BricsCAD there are two types of lines: single segment lines ( LINE) and multiple segment ( POLYLINE).

Polylines can be composed of line and or arc segments.

Rectangles (c) and polygons ( ) are created as a closed polyline.

The PEDIT ( ),command edits a polyline:

add or remove vertices

join different polylines

The EXPLODE ( ) command breaks up a polyline in separate lines and arcs.

4.7 Drawing Circles and Arcs

The CIRCLE ( ) command draws circles. The default procedure is to specify the center first, then the

diameter. Other options are available in the command prompt. The dimensions of a circle can be modified

in the Properties bar.

The ARC ( ) command draws arcs. The default procedure is, specify three points: start, second point,

endpoint. The dimensions of an arc can be modified in the Properties bar.

The Turn arc into circle option of the CIRCLE command converts an arc into a circle.


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4.8 Exercise: Tangram

A tangram is a tradition Chinese puzzle composed of 7 pieces: the tans. These pieces are:

5 triangles,

1 square

1 parallelogram

Using these pieces a large number of different shapes can be composed. The basic rule is that all pieces

must be used.

1. Click the Qnew tool ( ) in the Standard toolbar.

2. Choose Default-cm.dwt as the template in the Select Template dialog box

3. Save the drawing as Tangram.dwg.

4. Add the Construction layer.

Set the Color property to Blue.

5. Make the Construction layer current.

6. Click the Rectangle tool ( ) in the Draw 2D toolbar

Use the Dimensions option of the command to draw a square of 100 x 100.

Move the bottom left corner of the rectangle to the origin of the WCS.

7. Click the Line tool ( ) in the Draw 2D toolbar and divide the square as indicated in the images below.

Use Esnaps to draw the lines accurately.

Step 1 Step 2

8. Create the Pieces layer.

Set the Color property to Red.

9. Make the Pieces layer current.

10. Click the Boundary tool ( )in the Draw 2D toolbar. Choose the Pick points in boundaries option and

click in each of the areas as indicated in the image below.


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An already selected area is marked.

Right click when all areas are identified.

11. Click the OK button on the Boundary dialog box.

The seven pieces of a Tangram puzzle now exist on the Pieces layer..

12. Switch off the display of the Construction layer.

5 Manipulate commands

Manipulate commands, such as move, copy, mirror, rotate, … need a selection set to be composed first. See

‘Composing a selection set’ in module 1.

5.1 Moving and copying

The MOVE ( ) command and the COPY ( ) command prompt you to define a start point first, then you

are prompted for an endpoint or to type a distance.

The COPYMODE system variable determines whether you can paste only one or multiple copies.

See also Copying between drawings in Module 1.

5.2 Mirroring

The MIRROR ( ) command mirrors the selection set about an axis, which is defined by two points. You are

prompted to delete or keep the original.

5.3 Rotating

The ROTATE ( ) command rotates the selection set around a point. The rotation angle is calculated counter

clockwise, starting from the positive X-axis. After identifying the rotation point, different options are

available:

Copy: keeps the original.

Base angle: allows to specify two points which define the base for the rotation angle.

Rotation angle: type the rotation angle in the command bar.

5.4 Parallel Copy (Offset)

The OFFSET ( ) command creates a line which is parallel to the original line, polyline, circle, arc, ellipse,

elliptical arc, spline, ray or xline. If the OFFSETERASE system variable is ON, the original line is deleted. The

command options are:

Through point: the parallel copy passes through the specified point

Erase: sets the OFFSETERASE system variable;

<Distance> <0>: Type the distance in the command bar or specify two points in the drawing.

5.5 Arraying

The ARRAY ( ) command creates multiple copies of a selection set in a rectangular or polar array.

When creating a Rectangular Array you are prompted to specify the number of rows and columns and the

vertical spacing between the rows (A) and the horizontal spacing between the columns (B).

Click the button ( ) next to a field to specify two points in the drawing..


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Click the button ( ) between the two offset fields to define the so called ‘spacing rectangle’: the height and

width of the rectangle define the row and column spacing.

The Polar option needs a center point first. You can then choose to either fill a specified angle with a

number of items or to place a number of items with a specified angle between each item. An additional

option is to rotate the items around the polar center or to keep the original orientation.


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Rotated items (left) or not rotated (right)

The base point option allows to specify the reference point for the rotation (see image below).

base point = red point, center point = red cross


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5.6 Grip editing

When an entity is selected a number of green grips display. When you click on a grip it turns red, indication

the grip is active. You can now drag the grip to a different location. If you press and hold the Shift-key when

selecting grips, you can select multiple grips, you can then drag one of the active grips. Other grips move

along with the one being dragged.

When dragging a grip the GRIP_STRETCH is executed by default. Pressing the space bar cycles through the

other grip edit commands: MOVE, ROTATE, SCALE and MIRROR.

See the command bar for the various command options.

5.6.1 Exercise: Grip editing

1. Open the drawing Grip_Editing.dwg.

Check the POLAR setting in the Status Bar.

2. Select the rectangle.

3. Press and hold the Shift key, then select the grips 1 and 2.

Both grips turn red.

4. Click one of the active grips (hot grips) and move cursor horizontally to the right. A blue tracking line

displays, the current distance and angle display next to the cursor.

5. Type 50 and press Enter.

The selected grips have been moved over a distance of 50 DU to the right..

6. Open the drawing Move_Rotate.dwg.

7. Use Grip editing to put all tangram puzzle pieces in their original position to form a square.

8. Click the down arrow button (1) in the Current Layer field of the Entity Properties toolbar and click the

Frozen icon ( ) of the Convex1 layer (2) and the Thawed icon ( ) of the Base layer (3). Click in the

drawing to apply the changes.


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9. Use Grip editing to rearrange the tangram puzzle pieces to form a triangle.

10. Freeze layer Convex1 and thaw layer Convex2 .

Use Grip editing to rearrange the tangram puzzle pieces to form a diamond.

11. Freeze layer Convex2 and thaw layer Man.

Use Grip editing to rearrange the tangram puzzle pieces to form a running man.

6 Edit commands

6.1 Trim

Using the TRIM ( ) command you can use linear entities to trim other linear entities. The command

prompts you to first select the cutting entities, then the entities to trim. An entity can be a member of both

selections.

The command options are: Fence/Crossing/Edge mode/Projection/eRase/Undo

Fence: trims all entities that cross a temporary line.

Crossing: trims all entities that cross a temporary rectangle.

Edge mode: if Edge mode = Extend, also entities that are cut by the extension of the cutting

entities are trimmed. If Edge mode = No extend only entities that are intersected by the

cutting edges are trimmed.

Projection: allows trimming when the cutting entities and are not lying in the same plane

as the entities to trim.

Erase: Deletes the selected entities.

Undo: Undoes the previous step in the TRIM command.

shift-select to extend: press and hold the Shift key to switch to the EXTEND ( )command.

6.2 Extend

Using the EXTEND ( ) command you can extend open linear entities to a boundary. The command

prompts you to first select the boundary entities, then the entities to extend. An entity can be a member of

both selections.

The command options are: Fence/Crossing/Edge mode/Projection/eRase/Undo

Fence: extends all entities that cross a temporary line..

Crossing: extends all entities that cross a temporary rectangle.

Edge mode: if Edge mode = Extend, entities can be extended to the extension of the

boundary entities. If Edge mode = No extend entities are extend only if the endpoint of the

extension lies on a boundary entity.


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Projection: allows extending when the boundary entities and are not lying in the same

plane as the entities to extend.

Erase: Deletes the selected entities.

Undo: Undoes the previous step in the EXTEND command.

shift-select to trim: press and hold the Shift key to switch to the TRIM ( ) command.

6.3 Stretch

The STRETCH ( ) command stretches a selection of linear entities over a specified distance by moving the

points that lie within a specified boundary.

The command options are:

Crossing window: all points within a temporary rectangle defined by two points are

selected.

Crossing polygon: all points within a temporary closed polygon defined by two points are

selected. Click to define vertices of the polygon. Right click to stop.

Remove: Selects points to be removed from the selection.

Add: Adds points to the selection.

6.4 Fillet and chamfer

The FILLET ( )command fillets intersections; joins intersecting lines with an arc of any suitable radius. The

CHAMFER ( ) command Fillets intersections; joins intersecting lines with an arc of any suitable radius.

Settings for the Fillet and Chamfer commands are defined in the Settings dialog under: Drawing > Drafting >

Entity Modification > Chamfer/Fillet

The TRIMMODE system variable determines whether the chamfered or filleted entities are trimmed or not.

6.5 Exercise: Edit and manipulate commands

1. Open the drawing Modify.dwg.

2. TRIM / EXTEND:

Extend the black lines to meet the red lines using the Extend ( )command.

Trim the shorter parts of the black lines using the Trim ( ) command.

3. OFFSET ( ): Create a parallel copy of the line, circle and square.

4. MIRROR ( ):

Mirror the entities at the left about the red axis to form a Christmas tree.

Mirror the poyline at the right about the red axis to create a rectangle.

5. STRETCH ( ): Stretch the entities over a distance of 20. Select the points lying within the dashed red

rectangle.


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6. ARRAY ( ):

Create a rectangular array of squares: 4 row, 3 columns, spacing = 15.

Create a polar array of rectangles: 12 rectangles on the circle (360°) and rotated.

7. PEDIT ( )/ ROTATE ( : Join the entities to form a single polyline using the Joint option of the Pedit

command. Rotate the polyline 45° CCW around its bottom endpoint.

8. SCALE ( ):

Scale the entities by a factor of 5 about the center point.

Scale the triangle so that its base side has a length of 90 using the Base options of the

Scale command.

9. FILLET ( )/SCHAMFER ( ):

Create a chamfered square using the 4 lines inside the square.

Create a filleted square using the 4 lines outside the square.

Chamfer the 4 corners of the square using the Polyline option of the Chamfer command.

10. LENGTHEN ( ):

Use the Dynamic option of the Lengthen command to lengthen one of the lines and one of

the circles. Notice that the entity is lengthened at the endpoint closest to the selected point

on the entity. The command remains active until you right click, allowing you to lengthen

multiple entities.

Use the Increment option of the Lengthen command to lengthen a line or a circle with 30.

Notice the lengthening is applied to endpoint closest to the selected point on the entity.

6.6 Using the Quad to manipulate entities

The Custom command group of the Quad cursor menu allows to manipulate entities. The Quad display

and format is controlled through a series of user preferences.

Right click the QUAD field in the Status Bar and choose Settings in the context menu to access the Quad

settings:

6.6.1 Customizing the Quad

1. If necessary click the QUAD field in the Status Bar to activate the Quad cursor menu.

2. Choose Customize… in the Tools menu.

The Customize dialog box displays.

3. Click the Quad tab on the Customize dialog box.


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4. Expand the All Entities node in the Custom command group.

5. Under Available tools, expand the Modify tools.

6. To add a tool to the Custom command group: select the tool in the Available tools list, then press and

hold the left mouse key and drag the tool to the All Entities commands.

Existing tools and the node title highlight.

7. Release the left mouse button to add the tool:

Above the currently highlighted tool.

At the end of the list if node title highlights.

6.6.2 Using the Quad


Move the cursor to the entity you want to manipulate.

The entity highlights.

Compose a selection set, then move the cursor over an entity in the selection set.

The Quad displays as a single icon (= most recently used command with this entity type).


Right click to launch the previous command.

Move the cursor to the icon to expand the Quad: depending on the value of the QuadWidth user

preference more icons display (default = 4), then click an icon to launch the command.


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Move the cursor over the blue field to further expand the Quad.

All Quad command groups for the current workspace display. The first command group is

expanded then click an icon to launch a command or move the cursor to a different command

group, Command groups expand when you place the cursor on their blue title bar.

The number of available command groups and the number of commands within a command group

depend on the entity type under the cursor.


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6.7 Creating hatches and fills

In BricsCAD the following hatch and fill types exist: linear hatch, pattern hatch, solid fill and gradient fill.

The HATCH ( ) command creates hatches and solid fills, while the GRADIENT ( ) command creates

gradient fills. Both commands share the same dialog box.

6.8 Linear Hatch

Set the hatch type to User Defined.

Properties of a linear hatch are:

Angle: the angle of the hatch lines with respect to the X-axis of the active coordinate system.

Spacing: distance between the hatch lines.

Cross hatch: a second linear hatch perpendicular to the specified angle.

6.9 Pattern Hatch

To create a pattern hatch, the hatch type must be set to either Predefined or Custom.

If type is set to Predefined, hatch patterns in default.pat are used if the drawing units are Imperial units

(MEASUREMENT = ON); if the drawing is in metric units (MEASUREMENT = OFF), patterns in iso.pat are used.


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These pattern files hold multiple pattern definitions and sit in the Support folder of the Roamable Root

folder:

C:\Users\<CurrentUser>\AppData\Roaming\Bricsys\BricsCAD\V13\and_US\support

If Type is set to Custom *.pat files that have only one pattern definition are used. These pattern files must sit

in on of the folders pointed to by the SRCHPATH system variable.

The properties of a pattern hatch are:

Name: name of the hatch pattern.

o Click the browse button next to the Name field to open the Hatch Pattern Palette

dialog box. Double click a pattern to select it.

o Choose the Solid pattern to create a solid fill in the current color.

Scale: scaling of the pattern

Angle: angle of the pattern with respect to the X-axis of the current coordinate system.

6.10 Gradient Fill

The properties of a Gradient Fill are:

Gradient Name: Click a type

One Color: gradient between one color and black or.

Two Color: two color gradient.

Centered: symmetrical gradient

Angle: angle of the gradient with respect to the X-axis of the current coordinate system.


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6.11 Creating a hatch or fill

1. Click the Hatch ( ) or the Gradient ( ) tool in the Draw 2D toolbar.

The Hatch and Gradient dialog box displays.

2. Choose either the Hatch or Gradient tab.


Set the properties in the left hand pane of the Hatch and Gradient dialog box.

Click Inherit Properties to copy the properties of an existing hatch or fill. The Hatch and

Gradient dialog box closes temporarily.

4. (option) Select Specified Origin to choose an origin for the hatching. By default the origin of the current

coordinate system is used.

5. Specify the area to hatch or fill:

(option) Boundary Set: Click the New button to select the boundary entities of the hatch

area..

(option) Set the Islands option.

(option) Specify the Boundary Tolerance in. This is the maximum gap in the boundary that

will be closed automatically.

Choose Pick point in boundaries: the Hatch and Gradient dialog box closes temporarily.

Click in the areas to be hatched.

Right click to return to the Hatch and Gradient dialog box.

6. (option) Choose Associative to link the hatch to its boundary.

7. (option) Choose Create separate hatches to create separate hatches if multiple boundaries are selected

in step 5.

8. (option) Set the Draw order.

6.12 Editing a hatch or gradient fill

6.12.1 To edit a hatch or gradient fill in the Properties Bar

1. Open the drawing HatchEdit.dwg.

2. Select the linear hatch.

The hatch properties display in the Properties Bar.

3. Apply the following changes:

Spacing: 4

Double: Yes

Island detection: Outer.

4. Press the Esc-key to clear the selection.


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5. Select the pattern hatch.

The hatch properties display in the Properties Bar.


Pattername: Click the Browse button ( ) then double click BLOCKS in the Hatch Pattern

Palette dialog box.

Origin point: Click the Select in drawing button ( ) and snap to the bottom left corner of

the square.

7. Select the Gradient .

The gradient properties display in the Properties Bar.


Gradient name: Linear

Gradient angle: 45°

9. All hatches in this drawing are associative.

Select the boundary of the linear hatch and move one of the grips.

Select the linear hatch an set the Associative property to No.

10. Select the boundary of the linear hatch and move one of the grips.

11. Click the Match tool ( ) in the Standard toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select entity to copy properties from:

12. Select the linear hatch.

The command bar reads: Select entities to copy properties to:

13. Select the pattern hatch.

6.12.2 Using the Hatch Edit command

1. Do one of the following

7 Creating dimensions.

See module 2.


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8 Texts

In BricsCAD two types of text entities exist:

Text: single line texts using the same font and text style

Mtext: multiline text which can have multiple text styles and fonts.

8.1 Text Styles

Each text entity uses a Text Style.

Choose Drawing Explorer > Text Styles… in the Settings menu to open the Drawing Explorer -

TextStyles dialog box to create or edit text styles.

If the Height property of a text style is 0 (zero) the text height can be set to any height.

The Current Style is marked with a blue bullet. Click the empty box in front of text style to make it current.

8.2 Creating texts

Click the Text tool ( ) in the Draw 2D toolbar to create a single line text entity using the Current Style. You

are prompted to define the text height and rotation angle. Either type the desired values in the command

bar or click two points in the drawing.

Click the Mtext tool ( ) in Draw 2D toolbar to create a multiline text. After defining the width of the text,

the Mtext toolbar displays. Type the text, then click outside the text box to stop.

8.3 Editing texts

The DDEDIT command edits both single line and multiline texts. Double click a text entity to start editing.


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9 Using Fields

A Field is a variable text entity. Fields can be placed in a Table or Mtext or as an Attribute in a Block.

The following categories are available:

Date and Time

Document properties

Hyperlinks

Object properties (length, area, color, linetype, layer, …)

Plot related properties (date, plotter name, paper orientation, …)

Variables

Sheet Set properties

9.1 Setting the document properties

1. Choose Drawing Properties in the File menu.

The Drawing Properties dialog box displays.

2. In the Summary tab you can define the default properties:

3. In the Custom tab you can create new properties.

Click the Add button.


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Type a name in the Name field type the appropriate text or value in the Value field.

Click the OK button to save the new property.

9.2 General procedure to insert a field

1. Click the Insert Field button ( ) in the Draw 2D toolbar, in the Mtext toolbar or in the Define

Attribute dialog box.

The Field dialog box displays.

2. Choose a category in the Field names list.

3. Under Field names select a field.

If necessary click the expand button (+) of a category.

4. (Option) Set the desired Format.


The Field dialog box closes and the field moves dynamically with the cursor.

6. Click to insert the field..

9.3 Updating Fields

If the value of a variable has been changed, the corresponding fields are updated depending on the value of

the FIELDEVAL system variable.


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9.4 Fields in Blocks

There are two ways to use fields in a block definition:

As a Mtext entity: the field will be updated according to the current value of the variable.

As an Attribute: the field displays the value of the variable at the moment the block is

inserted. The field will not be updated if the value of the variable is modified.

10 Blocks

Blocks are compound entities composed of multiple entities.

The following rules apply to entities in blocks:

Entities in blocks are placed on the same layer as the original entity, except for entities on

layer 0, which are placed on the block layer.

Entities with a specified Color, Linetype or LIneweight keep these properties in the block.

Entities with a Color, Linetype or LIneweight ByLayer inherit these properties from the layer

they are created on.

Entities with a Color, Linetype or LIneweight ByBlock inherit these properties from the block

layer.

10.1 General procedure to create a block

1. Select the entities.

2. Choose Create Block in the Tools menu.

The Block Definition dialog box displays.


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3. Type a name for the block in the Name field.

4. (option) Type description in the Description field.

5. Click the Pick Point button to define the origin of the block..

The Block Definition dialog box closes temporarily.

6. Choose an option to be applied to the selected entities:

Retain: keep the entities in the drawing.

Convert to block: convert the entities to a block

Delete: delete the entities.

7. Set the Behavior properties of the block.

Scale uniformly: If on, the block is equally scaled in the X,- Y- and Z-direction. If off, the

block can be scaled differently in the X,- Y- and Z-direction.

Allow exploding: If on, the EXPLODE command can reduce the block into its constituent

parts. If off, the block cannot be exploded.

8. Block units: Choose a unit for the block according to the drawing unit. This setting is imported to

automatically scale the block when it is inserted in a drawing that uses a different drawing unit than the

source drawing.

10.2 Attributes in blocks

Attributes are used to define a variable text entity in a block. Such variable text can be different in each

instance of the block. The DDEDIT command allows to edit the value of block attributes.

Attributes have the following properties (flags):

Invisible: the attribute does not display.

Constant: the attribute cannot be modified.

Verify: the attribute text has to be explicitly confirmed.

Preset: the attribute as a default value, which can be modified afterwards.

Lock Position: the position of the attribute in the block is at a fixed position. The width of

an Mtext cannot be changed.

Multiple Lines: creates an Mtext attribute.


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When placing a block with attributes you are prompted in the command bar to enter the value of each

attribute, except for attributes that have a Constant value or attributes of which the value refers to a field.

10.2.1 Define attributes

1. Choose Define Attributes… in the Tools menu.

The Define Attribute dialog box displays.

2. Set the Tag, Prompt and Default properties of the attribute.

3. (option) Click the Insert field button ( ) as Default value.

The Field dialog displays to let you select a field.

4. Set Attribute Flags.

5. Click the Define in Drawing button ( ) to set the Insert Coordinates.

6. Set the Text properties.

7. Click the OK button to create the attribute.

8. (option) Right click to create another attribute.

10.2.2 Editing attributes in a block

The BATTMAN (Block Attribute Manager) command edits the properties attributes in a block definition.

1. Choose Attributes > Block Attribute Manager… in the Tools menu.


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The Block Attribute Manager dialog box displays.

2. Select the block in the Block list or click the Select Block button to select the block in the drawing.

The attributes of the selected block display in the Block Attribute Manager dialog box

3. Choose the attribute you want to edit.

The properties are grouped under three tabs:

Attribute: attribute properties

Properties: layer, color, …

Text options: text style, justification, …

4. Effect of the buttons at the bottom of the Block Attribute Manager dialog box:

Apply: saves the changes in the block definition.

The Block Attribute Manager dialog box remains open.

Sync: applies the changes to the various block instances in the drawing.

The Block Attribute Manager dialog box remains open.

OK: saves the changes in the block definition. Existing blocks in the drawing are not

updated.

The Block Attribute Manager dialog box closes.

Use the ATTSYNC command to update existing blocks in the drawing.

Cancel: changes are not saved.

The Block Attribute Manager dialog box closes.


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10.3 Placing blocks

1. Click the Insert Block tool ( ) in the Draw 2D toolbar.

The Insert Block dialog box displays.


Click black down arrow at the right hand side of the Name field to select a block definition

in the current drawing.

Click the Browse button to insert an drawing.

3. Set the insertion options:

Insertion Point: Choose Specify On-Screen to specify a point in the drawing.

Scale: Choose Uniform Scale and type the desired scale in the X-field.

Rotation: Choose Specify On-Screen to specify the rotation angle in the drawing.

4. Click the OK button to insert the block.

The command bar reads: Insertion point for block:

5. Specify the insertion point.

Depending on the selected insertion options you are prompted to specify the scale and rotation angle..

6. If the block contains attributers and depending on the ATTDIA and ATTMODE system variables you are

prompted to specify the value of the various attributes in the command bar or in a dialog box. If the

ATTREQ system variable is OFF, the block is inserted using the default value for all attributes.

To set the system variables:.

Choose Settings in the Settings menu go to Drawing / Drafting / Entity Creation / Attributes


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10.4 Inserting blocks from the Drawing Explorer

The Drawing Explorer allows to place blocks from the current drawing and from other drawings.

10.4.1 Inserting blocks from the current drawing

1. Choose Drawing Explorer > Blocks in the Tools menu.

The blocks in the current drawing display as a list (Detail View) or as thumbnails (Icon View). A preview

of the currently selected block displays in the Preview pane.

2. To set the Insert options, do one of the following

Select a block, right click and choose options… in the context menu.

Choose Options in the Settings menu.

Set the options, then click the OK button.

3. Double click a thumbnail image of the block (In Detail view, double click the block number).

The Drawing Explorer – Blocks dialog box closes.

The selected block moves dynamically with the cursor.

The command bar reads: Multiple blocks/Scale/<Insertion point for block>:

4. Click to define the insertion point of the block.

Depending on the selected insertion options (see step 2), you are prompted to define the scale and/or

rotation of the block.




10.4.2 Inserting blocks from other drawings

To be able to insert blocks from other drawings it is necessary to identify the folders of such drawings first:

1. Open the Drawing Explorer.

2. Click the Folders tab in the Drawings panel at the right.

3. Click the Add Local Folder button.

The Browse for Folder dialog box displays.

4. Choose the folder you want to add, then click the OK button.

All drawings in the selected folder are listed.

5. Click the expand icon (+) of a drawing, then click the Blocks icon ( ).

If Icon View is chosen, thumbnails of all blocks in the selected drawing display.

To insert a block:

6. Double click a thumbnail image of the block (In Detail view, double click the block number).

The Drawing Explorer – Blocks dialog box closes.


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The selected block moves dynamically with the cursor.

The command bar reads: Multiple blocks/Scale/<Insertion point for block>:

7. Click to define the insertion point of the block.

Depending on the selected insertion options (see step 2), you are prompted to define the scale and/or

rotation of the block.




10.5 Editing blocks


If the block does not contain attributes, double click the block.

Type Refedit in the command bar, the press Enter.

Select the block in the drawing.

The Reference Edit dialog box displays.

2. Click the OK button on the Reference Edit dialog box.

The Ref Edit toolbar displays.

The rest of the drawing fades.

Other blocks of the block definition being edited disappear.

3. Apply the changes.

4. Click the Refclose and Save tool ( ) on the Ref Edit toolbar.

The rest of the drawing displays normally again and the changes are applied to all instances of the

block.

11 Inserting external references

In BricsCAD drawings, images and pdf’s can be inserted in a drawing as an external reference. The external

reference is not part of the drawing as such, only the path to the referenced document is saved in the

drawing. When opening a drawing that contains external references, BricsCAD searches for the documents

in the drawing folder. If the document is not found there, BricsCAD searches in the path that is saved in the

drawing. If the document is not found there either, the missing document is reported as ‘not found’.

The procedure for inserting an external reference drawing is identical to inserting a block.

11.1 Inserting a PDF underlay

1. Open the drawing PDF_Underlay.dwg.

2. Choose Attach PDF in the Insert menu.

The Select PDF Underlay File dialog box displays.

3. Select Plan_Nivo0.pdf in the Exercises folder, then click the Open button or double click the pdf.

The Attach PDF Underlay dialog box displays:


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4. Set the Scale option to Specify On-Screen.


The command bar reads: Insertion Point:

6. Specify the insertion point in the drawing.

The command bar reads: Scale factor <1.00>:

7. Click to specify the dimensions of the pdf underlay.

8. Click the frame of the pdf underlay.

The properties display in the Properties Bar.

9. Set the Rotation property to 90°

In the following steps we will adjust the scaling of the PDF underlay.

10. Zoom in on the upper right corner of the PDF underlay.

11. Select the PDF underlay and click the Scale ( ) button in the Modify toolbar

The command bar reads: Base point:

12. Click a point in the PDF underlay.

This is the reference point for the scaling.

The command bar reads: Copy/Base scale/<Scale factor> <1.00>:

13. Choose the Base scale option in the command bar or choose Base in the prompt menu.

The command bar reads: Base scale <1.00>:

We will now identify a known length in the PDF using two points.

Make sure the Endpoint entity snap is active.

14. Snap to the points 1 and 2 in the PDF underlay.


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The command bar reads: New scale <1.00>:

15. Type 440 then press Enter.

The PDF underlay scaled correctly now.

11.2 Inserting an image.

1. Open the drawing Image.dwg.

2. Choose Attach Raster Image in the Insert menu.

The Select Image File dialog box displays.

3. Select DEME.png in the Exercises folder, then click Open button or double click the image file.

The Attach Raster Image dialog box displays:

4. Set the options as indicated in the image above.


The command bar reads: Insertion Point:

6. Specify the insertion point in the drawing.

The command bar reads: Scale factor <1.00>:

7. Click to specify the dimensions of the image.


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In the following steps we will use 2 points at a known distance from each other to adjust the scaling of the

image. The INSUNITS (insertion units) system variable in this drawing is meters.

8. Zoom in on the bottom right corner or the image.

9. Select the image, then click the Scale ( ) button in the Modify toolbar

The command bar reads: Base point:

10. Click a point in the image.

This is the reference point for the scaling.

The command bar reads: Copy/Base scale/<Scale factor> <1.00>:

11. Choose the Base scale option in the command bar or choose Base in the prompt menu.

The command bar reads: Base scale <1.00>:

We will now identify a known length in the image using two points.

12. Click the two points that delimit the 20 m length..

The command bar reads: New scale <1.00>:

13. Type 20 then press Enter.

The image is correctly scaled now..

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Module 5: Advanced Features

1 Working with 2D Constraints

2D constraints allow to create parametric drawings by applying geometric and dimensional constraints.

All tools for working with constraints sit on the 2D Constraints toolbar.

1.1 Dimensional Constraints

See the BricsCAD Help und User Guide / Drawing Accurately / Parametric Constraints / Using Dimensional

Constraints.

1.2 Geometric Constraints

See the BricsCAD Help under User Guide / Drawing Accurately / Parametric Constraints / Using Geometric

Constraints.

1.3 Exercise: Using 2D Constraints

1. Open the drawing 2DConstraints.dwg.

In this drawing exist 2 arcs, 2 circles and 4 lines (see image below).

We will apply the following geometric constraints:

Coincident ( ): to make the endpoints of the arcs and the lines coincident.

Parallel ( ): to make the lines parallel two by two.

Concentric ( ): to make an arc and a circle concentric (twice).

Tangent ( ): to make the lines tangent to the arcs.

Fix ( ): to lock the position of the bottom left angle.

Vertical ( ): to force two lines to be vertical.

Horizontal ( ) to force two lines to horizontal.


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Equal (): the radius of the two arcs and the two circles must be equal.

2. Make sure the Endpoint entity snap ( ) is active.

3. Click the Coincident ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select first point or [Entity/Autoconstrain] <Entity>:

4. Snap the endpoint of a line, then the nearest endpoint of an arc.

The line is now connected to the arc and the symbol displays near the line and the arc.

5. Repeat this three times for each endpoint of the four lines.

Hover over a constraint symbol to highlight the entities it applies to.

6. Click the Parallel ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select first entity:

7. Select the first pair of lines to make them parallel.

8. Repeat this for the second pair of lines.

9. Click the Concentric ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.


10. Select the first arc and the nearby circle.

11. Repeat this for the second arc and circle..


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12. Click the Tangent ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.


13. Select the first arc, then one of the connected lines.

14. Repeat this for each line that is connected to an arc.

15. Click the Fix ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select point or [Entity]:

16. Snap to the bottom left angle of the drawing.

17. Click the Vertical ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select an entity or [2Points] <2Points>:

18. Click the leftmost line.

19. Click the Horizontal ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select an entity or [2Points] <2Points>:

20. Click the bottom line.


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21. Click the Equal ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select first entity or [Multiple]:

22. Select the two arcs.

23. Repeat this for the two circles.

We will now apply dimensional constraints to control the dimensions of the bracket:

Linear ( ): the length of the two legs.

Diameter ( ): the diameter of the arcs and the circles.

24. Click the Linear ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Specify first constraint point or [Entity] <Entity>:

25. Right click to choose the Entity option.

The command bar reads: Select an entity:

26. Select the bottom line.

The dimension line displays dynamically.

27. Click to place the dimension line.

The command bar reads: Dimension text <110.00>:

28. Type the desired length: 170.

The dimension text of the dimension reads: d1=170

29. Repeat the previous steps to dimension the leftmost line.

Set the length of this line 120.

The dimension text of the dimension reads: d2=120

30. Click the Diameter ( ) tool in the 2D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select arc, circle or curved polyline segment:

31. Select the rightmost arc.

The dimension line displays dynamically.


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32. Click to place the dimension line.

The command bar reads: Dimension text <35.795137>:

33. Type the desired diameter: 40

The dimension text of the dimension reads: dia1=40.

34. Repeat the previous step to dimension the rightmost circle.

Set the diameter to: dia1*0.5

The dimension text of the dimension reads: dia2= dia1*0.5

The diameter of the circles will be calculated as half the diameter of the arcs.

We can now change the dimensions of the bracket by the following variables:

d1: horizontal length

d2: vertical length

dia1: width of the legs

Editing the parameters:

35. Place the cursor on a toolbar, then right click and select Mechanical Browser in the context menu.

The Mechanical Browser displays:


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36. If necessary, expend the Parameters group, then select a parameter, e.g. d1.

The current value of the selected parameter displays in the Expression field.

37. Type the desired value in the Expression t field, then press Enter to update the model.

1.4 The 2D Constraint Bars

The constraints bars next to each entity indicate which constraints are applied to the entity.

1. When opening a drawing the constraint bars are hidden by default.

To display the constraints bars do the following:

Click the 2D Constraints Bar icon ( ) on the 2D Constraints toolbar.


Select the entities you want to see the constraint bars of or choose Select All Entities to

display all constraint bars.

The command bar reads: Select option to [Show/Hide/Reset] constraints <Show>:

Press Enter to accept the default option (Show).

Constraintbars display next to each constraint entity.

2. Hover the cursor over a constraint to highlight the entities it applies to.

3. If necessary you can drag a constraint bar to a more appropriate position.

4. To restore the default positions of the constraint bars do the following:

Click the 2D Constraint Bar tool ( ) on the 2D Constraints toolbar.


Select the entities you want to see the constraint bars of or choose Select All Entities to

display all constraint bars.

The command bar reads: Select option to [Show/Hide/Reset] constraints <Show>:


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Choose Reset in the prompt menu or type R.

5. To hide a constraint bar, do one of the following:

Click the Close icon.

Right click, then choose Hide in the context menu.

Right click then choose Hide All in the context menu to hide all constraint bars.

6. To remove a constraint: hover over a constraint (the affected entities highlight), then right click and

choose Delete in the context menu.

2 Using fields in title blocks

Using drawing and sheet set properties in fields title blocks can be filled out nearly automatically.

Small projects, such as a family house, are usually drawn in a single drawing with multiple layouts. In large

projects multiple drawings are used, each containing one or more layouts, which can then be grouped as

sheets in a sheet set. Apart from the default drawing, sheet set and sheet properties, such as the project

name and description, custom properties, such as name and address of the owner and the architect, can be

defined.

The creation of a title block consists of the following steps:

1. Drawing the layout of the title block: borders, logos, labels, …

2. Adding attributes with fields to define the variable content of the title block.

2.1 Title blocks in a small project

2.1.1 Defining custom drawing properties

1. Open the drawing Template_SmallProject.dwg.

2. Open the Foundation layout.

The title block looks like this:

If the FIELDDISPLAY system variable is ON, fields display on a gray background, which is not printed.

The FIELDEVAL system variable defines when fields are updated. The options are: commando’s REGEN,

SAVE, ETRANSMIT, PLOT / PRINT and/or when opening the drawing.

The UPDATEFIELD command prompts to select the fields to be updated.

Hyphens (----) display in fields that refer to a property which is not specified yet.

3. In the File menu choose Drawing Properties…

The Drawing Properties dialog box opens.


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4. Click the General tab to see the default drawing information.

Fields on the General tab cannot be edited.

5. Click the Summary tab to see the default editable drawing properties.

Fill out the following fields:

Title: House

Subject: Family House

Author: Bricsys

Click the OK button to confirm.

6. Click the Regen tool ( ) in the Redraw/Regen toolbar

or

Type regen in the command bar.

The content of the title block is updated.

7. Reopen the Drawing Properties dialog box.

8. Click the Custom tab to see the custom properties.

9. Do one of the following to edit an existing custom property:

Select the property, then click the Edit button.

Double click the property.

The Custom Property dialog box displays:

10. Type a new name in the Value field, then click the OK button.

11. Define the other custom properties as indicated in the image below.


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12. Click the OK button on the Drawing Properties dialog box.

13. Choose Settings in the Settings menu, then lookup the FIELDEVAL system variable under Program

Options / User Preferences.

The FIELDEVAL system variable defines when the fields in a drawing are updated.

The value of the FIELDEVAL system variable is saved in the drawing and therefore might vary between

drawings.

14. Do one of the following to update the custom drawing properties fields in the various title blocks:

Save the drawing.

Execute the REGEN command.

2.1.2 Create a custom property

1. Open the drawing Template_SmallProject.dwg.

2. Choose Drawing Properties… in the File menu.

The Drawing Properties dialog box displays.

3. Click the Custom tab.

4. Click the Add button.

5. Type a name in the Name field.

6. Type the definition in the Value field.


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The new property is added and can now be used in a field.

2.1.3 Composing the title block

In a title block we will create three types of texts:

Ordinary texts (texts)

Attributes

Fields

In the title block in the drawing Template_SmallProject.dwg exist:

1. Attributes:

Remark

Revision

Number

Scale

Title

2. Drawing property fields:

Summary/Subject

Custom/Architect

Custom/ArchitectAddress

Custom/Owner

Custom/OwnerAddress

Custom/SiteAddress

Custom/SiteReference

Custom/ProjectNumber

3. Fields:

Date/SaveDate

2.2 Title blocks in a large project

A large project consists of a large number of drawings in different folders. Based on this folder structure, we

will create a sheet set with layouts of the project drawings.

2.2.1 Creating the sheet set

1. Click the Sheet sets… tool ( ) in the Standard toolbar.

The Drawing Explorer – Sheet Set dialog box displays.

2. Click the New Sheetset icon ( ) in the Drawings panel.

The Create New Sheet Set dialog box displays.

3. Choose Use Existing Drawings then click on the Next button.

4. Click on the Select Folder… button and select the folder ..\Exercises\House.


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5. Select the layouts you want to include in the sheet set.

Do the following:

If you immediately click the Next button, all layouts are included in the sheet set.

Right click for a context menu:

Keep the Ctrl-key pressed to add or remove a layout.


7. Type House in the Save sheet set file as field and click the Browse button ( ) to select a folder.

The Save new sheet set as dialog box displays.

8. Select the ..\Exercises\House folder and click the Save button.

9. (Option) Type a description in the Description field.

10. (Option) Click the Browse button ( ) to select a template drawing for new layouts.


An overview of the structure of the new sheet set displays.


Click the Back button to make corrections in one of the previous screens.

Click the Finish button to create the sheet set.

The new sheet set opens in the Drawing Explorer – Sheet Set dialog box. Click the sheet set name to see

the sheet set properties.


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Click on the name of a subset to see the subset properties.

Click on the name of a sheet (layout) to see the sheet properties.

In the Preview panel a thumbnail image of the layout displays.


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2.2.2 Defining custom sheet set and sheet properties

1. Open the sheet set House.dst.

2. Click the Custom Properties… icon ( ) in the Sheets toolbar in the Drawing Explorer dialog box..

The Custom Properties dialog box displays.

3. Click the Sheet Set tab then click the Add… button.

.

Type a name for the new property in in the Name field. The Value field can be left empty. We will

fill this out later in Drawing Explorer dialog box.

Add the following properties:

Contractor

ContractorAddress

ContractorCity

Architect

ArchitectAddress

ArchitectCity


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ArchitectPhone

Owner

OwnerTitle

OwnerAddress

OwnerCity

SiteAddress

SiteCity

SiteReference

4. Click the Sheet tab then click the Add… button to add the following Sheet properties:

Date

Remark

PaperSize

Printer

Scale

2.2.3 Specifying sheet set and sheet properties

1. Click the sheet set name to specify the sheet set custom properties:

2. Click a sheet name to specify the sheet properties:

2.2.4 Composing the title block

The title block we are composing must be useable in all drawings of different projects. Therefore we will use

fields in attributes to add the sheet and sheet set properties.


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In this title block we will add:

Texts for the labels

Attributes:

Text attributes

Fields

In the drawing TitleBlocks.dwg the overall layout of a title block is already prepared. To be able to add the

sheet set and sheet properties, the layout of this drawing must be added to the House.dst sheet set first.

1. Open the House.dst sheet set.

2. Right click the sheet set name and choose New Sheet(s)… in the context menu.

3. Choose Import layouts from existing drawings.

4. Select TitleBlocks.dwg and click on the OK button.

5. Double click the TitleBlocks – DETAIL sheet to open the drawing TitleBlocks.dwg.

We will now add the sheet set and sheet properties as fields in attributes.

6. Choose Attributes > Define Attributes in the Tools menu.

The Define Attribute dialog box displays:

7. Type a name for the attribute in the Tag field then press the TAB-key to go to the next field.

8. (option) Type a prompt in the Prompt field then press the TAB-key to go to the next field.

9. Delete the default text Value in the Default field.


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10. Click the Insert Field button ( ) next to the Default field.

The Define Attribute dialog box closes.

The Field dialog box displays.

11. Expand Sheet Set fields list.

12. To select a Default Sheet Set field:

Select the field in the list.

The current definition of the selected field displays in the Value field in the Field dialog box.

If the field is not specified yet, dashes (---) display in the Value field.

(option) Select a format for the field in the Format options list.

13. To select a Custom Sheet Set field:

Select CurrentSheetSetCustom in the list (1).


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Open the Custom property list (2).

Select a property in the list (3).

The current definition of the selected field displays in the Value field in the Field dialog box.

If the field is not specified yet, dashes (---) display in the Value field.

14. Click the OK button to confirm.

The Field dialog box closes.

The Define Attribute dialog box reopens.

15. Define the text properties:

Text Style

Justification

Height

Rotation

16. To specify the insertion point:

Click the Pick Point button ( ).

The Define Attribute dialog box closes.

The command bar reads: Select insertion point:

Specify the insertion point in the drawing.

In TitleBlocks.dwg snap to the endpoint of the construction lines to define the insertion point of

an attribute.

The Define Attribute dialog box reopens.

The coordinates of the insertion point display in the x-, y- and z-fields.

17. Click the OK button to create the attribute.

18. Press Enter to define the next attribute .


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The complete title block:

1. CurrentSheetSetCustom/Architect

2. CurrentSheetSetCustom/ArchitectAddress

3. CurrentSheetSetCustom/ArchitectCity

4. CurrentSheetSetCustom/ArchitectPhone

5. CurrentSheetSetDescription

6. CurrentSheetSetCustom/SiteCity

7. CurrentSheetSetCustom/SiteAddress

8. CurrentSheetSetCustom/SiteReference

9. CurrentSheetSetCustom/OwnerTitle

10. CurrentSheetSetCustom/Owner

11. CurrentSheetSetCustom/OwnerAddress

12. CurrentSheetSetCustom/OwnerCity

13. CurrentSheetSetCustom/Owner

14. CurrentSheetSetCustom/Architect

15. CurrentSheetSetCustom/Contractor

16. CurrentSheetTitle

17. CurrentSheetIssuePurpose

18. CurrentSheetSetProjectNumber

19. CurrentSheetCategory

20. CurrentSheetCustom/Scale

21. CurrentSheetCustom/Date

22. CurrentSheetCustom/PaperSize

23. CurrentSheetNumber

24. CurrentSheetSetSheetCount

2.2.5 Creating the title block as a dwg block

1. Continue working in the drawing TitleBlocks.dwg.

2. Switch off the display or freeze the Construction Lines layer.

3. Choose Create Block in the Tools menu.

The Block definition dialog box displays:


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4. Type TitleBlock in the Name field.

5. (option) Type a description in the Description field.

6. Click the Select entities button.

The Block definition dialog box closes.

7. Select all visible entities, then right click to conclude the selection.

The Block definition dialog box displays.

The number of selected entities is indicated.

8. Click the Pick point button ( ) to specify the Base Point of the block in the drawing.

9. Snap to the bottom right corner of the outer border of the title block.

10. Choose Retain to keep the selected entities in the drawing.

11. Choose Centimeters in the Block unit list button.

12. Click the OK button to create the block.

2.2.6 Making the title block available in other sheet sets

1. Remove the drawing from the sheet set:

Select the layout of TitleBlocks.dwg in the House.dst sheet set.

Right click, then choose Remove Sheet in the context menu.

2. Save the TitleBlocks.dwg in a folder where you save the drawings with your default blocks (see 11.4.2

Inserting blocks from other drawings in Module 4).

3. You can now insert the title block in each of the layouts of a sheet set wherein the same custom sheet

set and custom sheet properties exist.

All fields in the title block will be filled out automatically.

Fields that are not specified yet display with hyphens (----).

2.2.7 Using a Sheet set as a template

One of the options to create a new sheet set is Use Template, which makes a copy of an existing sheet set

and saves it to a different location. In the process all custom properties (CurrentSheetSetCustom and

CurrentSheetCustom) are copied along.


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To save a sheet set as a template

1. Create a folder for your sheet set templates.

2. Copy House.dst to this folder.

3. Rename the sheet set, e.g.: TemplateSheetSet.dst.

4. Click the Sheet Set tool ( ) in the Standard toolbar.

5. Click the Open Sheet Set icon ( ) in the Drawing Explorer dialog box and open the template sheet

set.

6. Remove all sheets from the sheet set and its subsets:

To select a series of sheets: select the first sheet, then press and hold the shift key and select the

last sheet.

Right click and choose Remove Sheets in the context menu.

To define the Sheet Set Template Path

In BricsCAD the SheetSetTemplatePath user preference defines the sheet set template folder.


2. Go to Program options/Files and select Sheet Set template path.

3. Click the Browse button ( ) and select your sheet set template folder.


To create a new sheet set from a template sheet set

1. Click the Sheet Set tool ( ) in the Standard toolbar.

2. Click the New Sheet Set… icon ( ) in the Drawing Explorer dialog box.

3. Choose Use Template in the Create New Sheet Set dialog box and choose a template sheet set.


5. Type a name for the new sheet set in the Save sheet set file as: field, then click the Browse button

( ).

6. Select the folder to save the new sheet set in, then click the Save button.

7. (option) Type a description in the Description field.

8. Click the Next button then click the Finish button.


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The new sheet set opens.

9. Click the name of the sheet set and define its default and custom properties.

10. To add sheets, right click to display a context menu.

Choose:

New Subset to add a subset.

New Sheet(s)… to add sheets to the sheet set or the currently select subset.

11. Select each sheet and define the default and custom properties.

12. Open a sheet (double click or right click and choose Open in the context menu).

13. Click the Folders tab on the Drawing Explorer dialog box, then insert the title block from

TitleBlocks.dwg.

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Module 6: Direct Modeling in BricsCAD

This module can be executed with BricsCAD Platinum only.

1 Basics

Direct modeling operations are executed dynamically using the mouse and dynamic dimensions. On of the

key features of direct editing capabilities in BricsCAD consists in preserving the design intent through a

series of user-defined implicit or explicit 3D dimensional and geometrical constraints. 3D dimensional

constraints (Distance, Radius and Angle) applied to faces and edges give user full parametric control over

the solid model, different configurations and scales of the model can be obtained simply by changing the

parameter of a dimensional constraint. Geometrical constraints (Coincident, Tangent, Parallel and others)

define how these changes influence the geometry of the model. However, not all the geometrical

constraints need to be defined manually since most of them can be preserved by the automatic design

intent recognition options, such as tangent surfaces, coincident planes, equal radius etc.

Direct modeling commands can be easily accessed from the Quad cursor menu, while holding your focus on

the 3D model.

Direct modeling operations apply to all ACIS solid geometry, whether created in BricsCAD or imported, and

can be combined with regular solid modeling operations, e.g. SOLIDEDIT.

1.1 Direct Modeling toolbar

Direct Modeling commands:

Icon Command Applies to Description

dmPushPull Planar, cylindrical, spherical,

conical and toroidal faces of a

solid.

Closed 2D entities, attached to a

solid.

Faces: adds volume to, or removes

volume from the solid by cursor

movement or direct distance input.

Closed 2D entity (If attached to a face of a

solid): creates a solid by extruding the 2D

entity. The height of the extrusion is

specified by cursor movement or direct

distance input. Depending on the

extrusion direction the newly created

solid is unified with or subtracted from

the existing solid the 2D entity was

attached to.

dmMove Cylindrical, spherical, conical and

toroidal faces of a solid.

Linear and circular edges of a

solid.

Solids.

Moves the selected geometry using a

vector in the XY- plane of the current

UCS. When a face or an edge of a solid is

moved, adjacent faces and edges are

adjusted to preserve the correct solid

topology.


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Icon Command Applies to Description

dmRotate Planar, cylindrical, spherical,

conical and toroidal faces of a

solid.

Solids.

Rotates the selected geometry around an

axis. When a face of a solid is rotated,

adjacent faces and edges are adjusted to

preserve the correct solid topology.

dmFillet Sharp edges of a solid. Creates a fillet between adjacent faces

sharing a sharp edge(s).

dmChamfer Sharp edges of a solid. Creates a chamfer between adjacent

faces sharing a sharp edge(s).

dmExtrude Closed 2D entities. Creates solids by extruding the selected

2D entities.

dmRevolve Closed 2D entities. Creates a solid by revolving a 2D entity

about an axis.

dmDelete Faces of a solid.

Closed 2D entities.

Solids.

Deletes the selected entities.When faces

of a solid object are deleted, the gap is

filled by extending the adjacent faces.

1.2 Design intent recognition toolbar

The tool buttons on the Design Intent toolbar reflect the current value of the DMRECOGNIZE system

variable. Click a button to set the related design intent, the button is in a pressed state now. Click the button

again to unselect the design intent.

Icon Design Intent Applies to

Tangent Surfaces Tangency between curved surfaces and between planar and

curved surfaces.

Coincident Surfaces Faces lying in the same plane.

Parallel Surfaces Parallel faces.

Perpendicular Surfaces Perpendicular faces.

Perpendicular Cylinders Cylindrical surfaces perpendicular to a planar face.

Coaxial Surfaces Cylindrical an conical surfaces.

Equal Radius Cylindrical surfaces (including fillets) and spheres.

Switch All Off Switches design intent recognition off, while preserving the

current settings.

Module 6: 3D Modeling

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1.3 3D Constraints toolbar

Icon Command Description

Tools

bmBrowser Toggles the display of the Mechanical Browser.

dmUpdate Forces 3D constraints to updated.

SettingsSearch Displays the design intent recognition options in the Settings dialog.

Geometrical Constraints

dmFix3d Applies a fixed constraint to a solid or to an edge or a face of a solid.

dmCoincident3d Applies a coincident constraint between two edges, two faces or an

edge and a face of two different solids.

dmConcentric3d Applies a concentric constraint between two cylindrical, spherical or

conical surfaces.

dmParallel3d Applies a parallel constraint between two faces of a solid or of

different solids.

dmPerpendicular3d Applies a perpendicular constraint between two faces of a solid or of

different solids.

dmTangent3d Applies a tangent constraint between a face and a curved surface of

different solids.

dmRigidSet Defines a set of entities or subentities as a rigid body.

Dimensional Constraints

dmDistance3d Applies a distance constraint between two subentities of a solid or of

different solids.

dmRadius3d Applies a radius constraint to cylindrical surfaces or circular edges.

dmAngle3d Applies an angle constraint between to faces of a solid or of different

solids.


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2 Creating the model

In the next few exercises we will create a 3D model from scratch:

Build a rough model, without taking care of the exact dimensions.

Edit the dimensions of the model.

Apply 3D constraints to create a parametric 3D model.

If possible, commands are chosen in the Quad cursor menu.

2.1 Basic model

1. Open the drawing DirectModeling.dwg.

2. Click the Mechanical Browser tool button ( ) on the Mechanical toolbar.

Dock the Mechanical Browser dialog at the left side of the screen.

3. Create a 100 x 100 mm rectangle.

Use the Dimensions option and insert the rectangle with its bottom left corner at the origin (0,0,0).

4. Move the cursor over an edge of the rectangle and select the Extrude tool ( ) in the Direct Modeling

command group of the Quad.

The rectangle is extruded dynamically. The current extrusion height displays in the dynamic dimension

field.

5. Type 10, then press Enter.

A 100 x 100 x 10 mm box is created.

6. Create a 100 x ±10 mm rectangle on top of the box as shown in the image below:

Use the Endpoint entity snap at point 1 and the Nearest esnap at point 2.


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7. Move the cursor over an edge of the rectangle; and select the PushPull tool ( ) in the Direct

Modeling command group of the Quad.

The rectangle is extruded dynamically.

8. Click when the extrusion height is about 70 mm.

Because we used the PushPull tool to extrude this rectangle, the new solid is unified with the first

solid.

9. Create a rectangle on top of the horizontal leg as indicated in the image below.

Tip: Click the Esnap field in the Status Bar to temporarily switch off the entity snaps.

10. Move the cursor over an edge of the rectangle. The Quad displays the PushPull icon ( ).

11. Right click and move the cursor down.

The rectangle cuts through the solid.

12. Create a circle as shown in the image below.

Click the Esnap field in the Status Bar to switch entity snaps on again.

Snap to the midpoint (1) and endpoint (2) .


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14. Right click and move the cursor down.

The circle cuts through the solid.

15. Create another rectangle; dimensions as indicated in the image below.

Use the Nearest esnap at point 1.



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17. Right click and move the cursor up.

The rectangle is extruded. Click a point to define the extrusion height.

The box is unified with the main volume automatically.

18. Create a circle in the front face of the previous extrusion (see image below).

Use the Midpoint esnap to define the midpoint of the circle.

19. Move the cursor over the edge of the circle. The Quad displays the PushPull icon ( ).

20. Right click and move the cursor backwards.

The circle cuts through the solid.

21. Select the top left edge of the vertical leg and select the Fillet tool ( ) in the 3D Modeling command

group of the Quad.


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A fillet is created dynamically. The current fillet radius displays in the dynamic dimension field.


23. Repeat the previous steps to create an equal fillet at the top right edge (see image below).

2.2 Fixing the overall dimensions

We will first fix the overall dimensions using 3D constraints.

1. Select the L-form side faces of the model.

First select the visible face: click when the face highlights.

Move the cursor to the obscured face: the top face highlights. Press the TAB key and click when

the obscured face highlights.

2. Select the Distance tool ( ) in the 3D Constraints command group of the Quad.


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The command bar reads: Enter distance value <100.000>:

3. Press Enter to accept the 100 mm distance.

4. Select the top and bottom face of the model. Press the TAB key to select the obscured bottom face.


The command bar reads: Enter distance value <xx.xxx>:


7. Select the front and back face of the model. Press the TAB key to select the obscured back face.


The command bar reads: Enter distance value <xx.xxx>:

9. Repeat the previous steps to apply a distance constraint between the front and back face of the model.

Accept the current value of 100 mm.

10. The three distance constraints show in the Mechanical Browser.


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Select Distance_1 in the tree.

Click the Name field, then rename the constraint: Width

Rename Distance_2: Height

Rename Distance_3: Length

2.3 Editing the dimensions of the 3D model

Using the PushPull command and Design Intent Recognition it is easy to edit the dimensions of all

features of the model, while keeping its overall shape.

1. Apply the following settings:

Press the Tangent Surfaces tool button ( ) on the Design Intent toolbar.

Switch off all entity snaps.

2. Select the inner rectangular side face of the bottom slot, then select the PushPull tool ( ) in the Quad

cursor menu.

The face moves dynamically; the relative displacement displays in the dynamic dimension field.

3. Press the TAB key to calculate the displacement with respect to a different reference face.

When the nearest L-shaped outside face is selected as the reference face, type 40 and press Enter.


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4. Select the obscured inner rectangular face of the bottom slot: press the Tab key to highlight the face,

then click and select the PushPull tool ( ) in the Quad cursor menu.

The face moves dynamically; the relative displacement displays in the dynamic dimension field.

5. Press the TAB key to calculate the displacement with respect to a different reference face.

When the nearest L-shaped outside face is selected as the reference face, type 40 and press Enter.

6. Use the PushPull tool ( ) to set the thickness of the horizontal and vertical leg of the model 15 mm.


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7. Adjust the following dimensions:

Length of the box: 30 mm

Diameter of the circular hole: 15 mm

2.4 Applying 3D Constraints

We will now add more constraints, in order to control the dimensions of all features through constraints.

1. Check the Tangent Surfaces, Coincident Planes and Equal Radius options on the Design Intent

toolbar.

2. Select the top and bottom face of the horizontal volume, then choose the Distance tool ( ) on the 3D

3D Constraints command group in the Quad.

Remember to press the TAB key to select the obscured bottom face. Click to select an obscured face

when it highlights.


3. Press Enter to accept the current value.

The Distance_4 dimensional constraint is added in the Mechanical Browser.

4. Rename the Distance_4 dimensional constraint: TH, which can be remembered as ‘Thickness

Horizontal’.

5. Repeat the previous steps to apply a dimensional constraint between the front and back face of the

vertical volume. Accept the current value.

6. Rename the constraint TV (Thickness Vertical).

7. Select the TV dimensional constraint In the Mechanical Browser and type TH in the Expression field.

Apply the next series of constraints using the following procedure: (1) select the entity or entities, (2) select

the constraint in the 3D 3D Constraints command group in the Quad.

8. Select the cylindrical surface of the horizontal slot, and apply a Radius constraint ( ).

Accept the current value.

9. Rename the constraint RH (Radius Horizontal).


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10. Apply distance constraints between the L-shaped faces and the nearest inner face of the horizontal

slot. Rename the constraints W1 and W2.

11. Select the W1 constraint and type (Width-2*RH)/2 in the Expression field.

12. Select the W2 constraint and type W1 in the Expression field.

The position of the slot is now forced to the center of the horizontal leg of the model.

13. Apply Fix constraints ( ) to the vertical edge a the origin (0,0,0) and to the bottom face of the model.

14. Apply dimension constraints to control the dimensions of the box. Accept the current dimensions and

rename the constraints as follows:

Width: BW (Box Width)

Length: BL (Box Length)

Height: BH (Box Height)

15. Apply a Distance constraint ( ) between the L-form side face of the model and side face of the box:

BD (Box Distance).

16. Edit the BD constraint and type (Width-BW)/2 in the Expression field.

The position of the box is now forced to the center of the model.

17. Apply a Radius constraint ( ) to the hole in the vertical volume: RV (Radius Vertical).

18. Apply a Distance constraint ( ) between the cylindrical face of the hole in the vertical volume and the

top face of the horizontal volume: HV (Hole Vertical distance).

19. Edit the HV constraint and type BH in the Expression field.

The vertical position of the hole in the vertical volume is now controlled by the height of the box.

20. Edit the BH constraint and type 2*RV in the Expression field.

The height of the box now equals the diameter of the hole.

21. Apply a Distance constraint ( ) between the cylindrical face of the hole and the L-shaped side face of

the model: HH (Hole Horizontal distance).

22. Edit the HH constraint and type Width/2 in the Expression field.

The horizontal position of the hole in the vertical volume is now controlled by the width of the model.


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We will now create a parameter T (Thickness) to control the thickness of the horizontal and vertical legs of

the model.

23. Place the cursor on the Component node in the Mechanical browser and right click.


24. Choose Add new parameter in the context menu.

A Parameter node is created in the Mechanical Browser holding one parameter.

25. Select the parameter, then type T in the Name field and 15 in the Expression field.

26. Edit the TH and TV constraints and type T in the Expression field.

27. Click the Sort button ( ) on the Mechanical Browser dialog box to sort the constraints alphabetically.

2.5 Editing the parametric model

The following parameters can be used to edit our 3D Model:

Parameter Controlled Feature

Length Distance between the back and front face of the model

Width Distance between the L-shaped faces of the model

RH Width of the slot in the bottom leg

RV Radius of the hole in the vertical leg

T Thickness of the legs

Select a parameter, then type a value in the Expression field.

The 3D model updates.

Constraints that are not satisfied after changing a controlling parameter display in magenta. The 3D model

is not updated.


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3 Creating drawing views

3.1 The Generated Views toolbar

The tools on the Generated Views toolbar allow to create default orthographic and isometric views of the

3D model in a paperspace layout. Section views can then be created in the paperspace layout. When the 3D

model is modified, all generated drawing views and section views are updated automatically if the

VIEWUPDATEAUTO system variable is ON.

Icon Toolname Command Description

Generate Drawing Views ViewBase Generates associative orthographic and standard

isometric views of a 3D solid model in a paper space

layout.

Generate Section View ViewSection Creates a cross section view based on a standard

drawing view generated by the VIEWBASE command

in a paper space layout.

Update Views ViewUpdate Updates a selection of drawing and/or section views

when the VIEWUPDATEAUTO system variable is OFF.

Export Drawing Views to

Model Space

ViewExport Exports the content of drawing views and sections

obtained by VIEWBASE and VIEWSECTION to the

Model Space of the drawing.

3.2 Generating drawing views

1. Click the Generate Drawing Views tool button ( ) on the Generated Views toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select objects or [Entire model] <Entire model>:

2. Right click to accept the default option (Entire model).

The command bar reads: Enter new or existing layout name to make current <Layout1>:

3. Right click to create the drawing views in Layout1.

The command bar reads:

Select position for base view [Scale/Tangent edges/Orientation/Projection type/Isometric style/Exit]

<Exit>:

4. Choose Scale in the prompt menu or type S to select the Scale option.


Adjust view scale [fit 4 views/9 views/Standard scales/Custom/Exit] <fit 4 views>:

5. Choose Standard scales in the prompt menu or type S.

The command bar reads: Enter the scale number <1>:

The VIEWBASE scale list displays.

6. Select scale 2: 1:2 in the scale list or type 2.

The base view (front view) displays dynamically.


Select position for base view [Scale/Tangent edges/Orientation/Projection type/Isometric style/Exit]

<Exit>:


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7. Click to place the base view.

The command bar reads: Select position for projected view [Exit] <Exit>:

Place the views as shown in the image below:

Move the cursor to the right, then click to place the left view.

Move the cursor to the left , then click to place the right view.

Move the cursor above the base view, then click to place the bottom view.

Move the cursor below the base view, then click to place the top view.

Move the cursor diagonally with respect to the base view to place 4 isometric views.

3.3 Generating sections

1. Click the Generate Section tool button ( ) on the Generated Views toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select drawing view:

Viewport borders highlight when the cursor is inside the viewport.

2. Click inside the base view (front view).

The command bar reads. Specify start point of section line:

3. Use entity snap tracking to define the section line AA as indicated in the image below.

After specifying the end point of the section line the section view displays dynamically.

4. Click the place the section AA at the right hand side of the left view (see image below).

5. Create a second section BB.


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6. Select section BB an place the section below section AA.

3.4 Editing the layout

The geometry of the drawing and section views is created on dedicated layers:

1. Switch on the display of the Bm_Isometric_Hidden layer to display the hidden lines in the isometric

views.

2. Set the Lineweight property of the BM_Ortho_Visible to 0.35 mm.

3. Add dimensions.

4. Choose Print Preview in the File menu.


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3.5 Exporting drawing views to model space

If you need to further detail the generated drawing views, they can be exported to model space as blocks.

1. Click the Export to Model Space tool button ( ) on the Generated Views toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select drawing views/<All views>:


Click inside the viewports you want to export, then right click.

Press Enter to export all views.

The command bar reads: Remove exported views? <No>/Yes:

3. Right click to accept the default answer: keep the exported viewports in the layout.

The display switches to model space and the exported views display dynamically.

The command bar reads: Select position for exported views:

4. Click to insert the views.

Each view is created as a block, which can then be exploded for further editing.

Exported views are no longer updated when the 3D model is modified.

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Module 7: Assembly design and kinematic analysis

This module can be executed using BricsCAD Platinum only.

Assembly design is a typical application where constraints are commonly used. Since V13, BricsCAD

Platinum allows users to assemble mechanisms and run kinematic analysis.

This tutorial shows you how to start working with assemblies in BricsCAD. You will learn how to assemble

the different parts in a 3D model, which lets you control the final result. There are two approaches in MCAD

(Mechanical Computer-Aided Design) to build an assembly: top-down and bottom-up. In the top-down

approach, you start with an empty assembly and the geometry of each component is then created, one by

one, in the assembly. In the bottom-up approach, each component is first created as a single entity. All

components are then inserted into the assembly. The position of each component is controlled through 3D

constraints.

We will now assemble a simplified - in comparison with a real-world engine – model of a piston engine.

1 Preparing for the exercise

1.1 Toolbars and settings

1. Make sure the Mechanical and 3D Constraints toolbars are open.

2. Make sure that the Quad cursor menu is active.

Click the Quad field in the Status bar if necessary.


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3. Make sure that the Exclude entities in Xrefs option of the PREVIEWFILTER system variable is switched

OFF.

4. Open the Mechanical Browser dialog box.


Click the Mechanical Browser tool button ( ) on the Mechanical toolbar.

Choose Mechanical Browser in the Mechanical menu.

Type bmbrowser in the command bar.

1.2 Creating the assembly drawing

1. Click the New Component tool button ( ) on the Mechanical toolbar.

A new drawing of the name Component_1.dwg is created and Component_1 is added in the

Mechanical Browser.

2. In the bottom part of the Mechanical Browser, click the Name field and rename the main component:

Piston Engine.

The drawing name automatically matches the main component name.

3. Save the drawing.

2 Composing the assembly

2.1 Adding the components

1. Click the Insert Component tool button ( ) on the Mechanical toolbar.

The Insert Mechanical Component dialog displays.

2. Open the [BricsCAD Installation folder]\Samples\Mechanical\piston folder.

3. Select the crankshaft.dwg, then double click or click the Open button.

The component is attached to the cursor with its origin point.

Dynamic dimensions display: Distance from the origin of the current coordinate system and angle from

the X-axis.

4. We will consider the crankshaft as the anchor component of the assembly, and therefore insert it at

the origin (0,0,0). Make sure the insertion point is exactly at 0,0,0, otherwise the kinematic analysis in

step 6 might fail.

5. Use the tools on the Look From toolbar to adjust the view orientation.

6. Repeat the previous steps to insert the other components: cylinder (1), piston (2), pin (3) and

connecting rod (4).

Module 7: Assembly Design

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2.2 Positioning the components

1. Click the Fix tool button ( ) on the 3D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select an edge, face or 3D solid:

2. Move the cursor over the crankshaft, then do one of the following:

Hit the TAB key until the whole solid is selected.

Press and hold the Shift key, then hit the TAB key.

The position of the crankshaft is now locked, as indicated in the Constraints tree in the Mechanical

Browser.

Clicking the constraint highlights the solid, face or edge it applies to.

3. Click the Coincident tool button ( ) on the 3D Constraints toolbar.

The command bar reads: Select a pair of subentities:

4. Move the cursor over two planar faces of the crankshaft (1) and the connecting rod (2) as indicated in

the image below. Hit the TAB key until the correct face highlights, then click and move the cursor to the

second face.


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5. Click the Concentric tool button ( ) on the 3D Constraints toolbar.


6. Move the cursor over two cylindrical faces of the crankshaft (1) and the connecting rod (2) as

indicated in the image below. Hit the TAB key until the correct face highlights, then click and move the

cursor to the second face.

The connecting rod is automatically moved to the right position according to our design intent.


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8. Move the cursor over two cylindrical faces of the piston (1) and the pin (2) as indicated in the image

below. Hit the TAB key until the correct face highlights, then click and move the cursor to the second

face.

9. Click the Tangent tool button ( ) on the 3D Constraints toolbar.


10. Move the cursor over two cylindrical faces of the piston (1) and the pin (2) as indicated in the image

below. Hit the TAB key until the correct face highlights, then click and move the cursor to the second

face.


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11. Click the Coincident tool button ( ) on the 3D Constraints toolbar.


12. Move the cursor over two planar faces of the connecting rod (1) and the piston (2) as indicated in the

image below. Hit the TAB key until the correct face highlights, then click and move the cursor to the

second face.


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14. Move the cursor over two cylindrical faces of the connecting rod (1) and the pin (2) as indicated in the


second face.



16. Move the cursor over two cylindrical faces of the piston (1) and the cylinder (2) as indicated in the


second face.


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17. After applying the previous constraint it might be necessary to correct the position of the cylinder.

Move the cursor over the cylinder, then choose Move ( ) in the Quad cursor menu.

The command bar reads: Enter base point <0,0,0>:

18. Use an entity snap (e.g. Endpoint) to specify the base point for the move operation on the cylinder.

The cylinder now moves dynamically with the cursor.

19. Hold down the Shift key to move the mouse cursor along the Z-axis.

Click to position the cylinder as shown in the image below.


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3 Kinematic Analysis

3.1 Preparing for the kinematic analysis

The piston is correctly positioned inside the cylinder and connected to the crankshaft by the connecting rod.

We will now fix the distance between the cylindrical face of the crankshaft and the lower face of the cylinder

by applying a dimensional constraint.

1. Click the Distance tool button ( ) on the 3D Constraints toolbar.


2. Select the cylindrical face of the crankshaft (1) and the lower planar face of the cylinder (2) as

indicated in the image below:


A dynamic distance entry field displays.

3. Type 110 in the dynamic entry field.

The lower face of the cylinder is now fixed at a distance of 110 from the cylindrical face of the

crankshaft.

We will fix the cylinder at its current position:



5. Move the cursor over the cylinder, then hit the TAB key until the body of the cylinder highlights as a

whole (see image below).


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In step 4.1 we have applied a fixation constraint to the body of the crankshaft, which removes all degrees of

freedom from the crankshaft. To make it possible to rotate the crankshaft around its axis, it is necessary to

remove this constraint and replace it by two fixation constraints: one to the cylindrical face of the crankshaft

and one to its planar outer faces.



7. Move cursor over the cylindrical face of the crankshaft, then click (see image below)

8. Repeat the previous steps for the planar outer face of the crankshaft (see image below).


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9. Select the Fix constraint applied in step 4.1 in the Constraints tree in the Mechanical Browser.

Right click and select Delete in the context menu.

3.2 Kinematic Analysis

In this assembly the crankshaft is the driving component. To run the kinematic analysis we will rotate the

crankshaft around its axis, which in this case is the Y-axis of the WCS.

1. Move the cursor over the crankshaft, then choose Rotate ( ) in the Quad cursor menu

The command bar reads: Select axial entity or define axis by [2Points/Xaxis/Yaxis/Zaxis] <2Points>:


Type Y, then press Enter.

Choose Y axis in the prompt menu.

The command bar reads: Pick start point in the rotation plane:

3. Pick a point in the drawing, then move the mouse to define the rotation angle.

The piston and the connecting rod move dynamically along with the rotation of the crankshaft, while

the cylinder stays at its fixed position.


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Documents

V14 Basic Training - ELPROCAD - BricsCAD · 1 The BricsCAD application window 1. Menu bar 2. Toolbar (docked) 3. Drawing windows 4. Viewports 5. Properties bar 6. Toolbar (floating)