AC15: 3D Build Elevation

[Anonymous]

Maybe there is a way to do this AC15

I worked with a cad program that let the user set the build elevation by clicking on a vertex of 3D object

Example:

Go to 3D view and select the build elevation set tool and then click a vertex of a 3D object. The program wide build elevation was now that height above or below zero

Go to 2D view and select slab tool and set the tool to either index the top of the slab or the bottom of the slab to the current build elevation. Draw the slab.

A use might be in modeling a slab sitting on a 42" high pony wall that separates a kitchen from an eating area

In such a case the build elevation would be set to the top of the wall and slab index would be set to the bottom of the slab

3 quick steps to set a slab bottom to the chosen elevation

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Is there a method to quickly set the build elevation of tool in use via a 3D view ?

Oneway

[sinceV6]

If I understand correctly, what you are trying to achieve can be done via the coordinates palette, specifically the Z coordinate.

If you need to know some element or node elevation (z position), just point to it with tracker or coordinates palette enabled. They will show you the info you're after (z).

You can then type this value in the Z coordinate input box and the working plane will be moved to that value, so if you type 2, the next slab you draw will be 2 (units) above the specified option (project zero, user origin, reference levels) as specified in the palette. This will work in 2D and 2D windows.

Hope this was you were after.
Best regards.

[Karl Ottenstein]

What you are calling the 'build elevation' in the 3D window corresponds to the user origin. Just move your mouse to a hotspot that you want to be the new working origin - the top of that pony wall for example - and press alt-shift (Windows) or option-shift (Mac) and the 3D cursor will be placed there. Any elements you now model will have their heights relative to that point.

This works in all versions of AC. The new thing in 15 is that the 3D grid can display itself at that height with guidelines.

Cheers,
Karl

[sinceV6]

or.... what Karl said

I have not used ALT-SHIFT for a long time... I really had forgotten about it.