Hi,
I am new to the forum. I cant find the tool that lets me draw a line and while the line is being drawn it lists the length of the line as you go. Not the measurement when you have finished clicked. So I I want to draw a 17mm line, it will list the line length as I build up to 17mm.
thx Vera
Rhino Options > Modeling Aids > Cursor ToolTips > check “Enable cursor tooltips” and at least “Distance”.
You can also observe status bar, fourth field (13.13 in my example below).
If you need a fix lenght, type the numer for “End of line”.
thank you both for responding. it did work and thanks. is there
Just a little FYI on measuring diagonals using the grid and orthographic viewports or construction planes. When you look at your diagonal line in any of the viewports except perspective, which are Front, Right, Top. If you read how many units to the right, and how many up, this is kinda what aligned dimension does for that viewport. The example Miko has above is about 11 units to the right(a little more), and 7 units up. 11squared +7squared=170square root=13.03 So if you were using whole units with grid snap, the aligned dimension computes that same equation.a2+b2=c2
But it tells you in that same box the exact values
11.09squaredx7.04square=172.5497square root=13.135817
But the aligned dimension will only give you the length of what is in that view, and that equation will only give you what is in the construction plane/view/orthographic viewport. So, for 3 points line(cant think of technical description) or one that doesn’t stick to 2d, a different measuring tool is needed.
So, cursor tooltip is new to me, I just tried it, cool, thank you peeps. ANyways, ona 3d line even in perspective view, when you choose aligned dimension, and snap end to end of it, the cursor will say 34.75, but when you click to dimension it, it will only give you 34 or what is (projected that orthographic viewport) when you go to dimension it.
So, keep this in mind when dimensioning, and you got the equation of what aligned dimension does just in case and for double checking, etc.
thinslicevolta, what do you mean by “aligned dimension”?
The length shown by the cursor tooltip and in the status bar is the true length of the line, not the length of the line projected onto a construction plane. The formula for the true length is:
square root ((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2 + (z2 -z1)^2)
If you want to draw a line with a length of 17 mm you can also Just pick the first point of the line, Type 17 enter and your line will always be 17mm long.
I think your math savvy is great. I have none… so I am learning
from scratch…so I will print this out and go over it a bit at a time.
What I would like to ask of you, from the point of view of a designer, (which I
am guessing you are etc), is if someone is to start from the beginning to work
up to some real level of proficiency, what kind of path should they take to be
well rounded and not say eccentric. Would you study courses of a certain