Move 3D element relative to 2D object

[Anonymous]

I've been an ArchiCAd user for 10 years now and am just now trying to learn how GDL works. I have a part that works great except for one item. When the item is placed correctly in 2D it is actually floating 11" away from where it should be in 3D. How do I move the 3D info to the proper location relative to the 2D info? This is an exit sign with lots of 2D symbols so starting over with the object on the origin would be VERY painful. Any help is MUCH appreciated!

[Erich]

This sounds as though you made the 3D portion by saving out model elements. Regardless, at the front end of your script you will need an ADD command (or one of it's variants ADDx, ADDy, ADDz). If you scripted the 3D from scratch then this should be fairly simple to determine how far to move the 3D elements. If you saved from model elements there is likely a series of MUL commands somewhere in the first few lines of the 3D script. The amount you add will need to take these multiplications into account. Note that these MUL commands allow the part to be scaled with changes to the X, Y, or Z coordinates of the part.

To help you align things you can also place a temporary command:

PROJECT2 3, 270, 2

at the front of the 2D script. This will then drawn a the overhead projection of the 3D elements in the floor plan view. You can use this to see just how far things are off. When done comment out the PROJECT2 command by adding an exclamation mark at the start of the line.

[Erika Epstein]

It's good to also put one point of the object on 0,0,0. This minimized the programs work not having to make additional moves to get to the start of the object. It also makes your work easier when you construct the 2D and 3D from the same start point of 0,0,0.

David Nicholson-Cole's GDL cookbook is available here. He does a great job of taking you through the basics and is helpful for people of all skill levels.

Andrew Watson's GDl Handbook is also quite good, but I feel is written for more advanced GDL users (I'm not one of the latter). You can purchase his through Cadimage's new website.

[Anonymous]

It WORKED!!!!!! This is GREAT! Thank you so much for your help. Erika, do you know Jon Califf? If so he speaks highly of you, anyway David's Cookbook is AWEsome. So much info that I was having trouble getting to the answer to my one small problem and you and Erich have cleared the fog. MUCH appreciated!

[Erika Epstein]

Thank you, yes I know Jon well, how nice of you to pass along his comments.
Glad I could help.

Does he know you as op or art?

[Anonymous]

Erika, I am Tim White and am working on obtaining the commission to work on a project in the Santa Monica Mountains and may be in need of even more assistance from you. Thanks again!