Hi Rajaa and others,
After I posted the request, I have been doing some tests and reading the other feedback on the topic and I want to help by suggesting a possible solution.
First, I want to say that I already think the toolset is quite good and it already has great potential to save a lot of time by helping to extract 2d drawings from a 3d model.
I want to add that I am looking to use the ClippingPlane and ClippingDrawings tool for architectural drafting. So, this solution will be biased towards that goal and my workflow.
In my last posts I was thinking of using the Section Style and in particular the Boundary options to transfer linewidth from the 3d geometry to the 2d section drawing. After some thought I think maybe there is a different way to do it. The Boundary options in the Section Style menu mainly seem to affect the display and what is more important for my workflow is the PrintDisplay. For the Display of the working viewport, I do not mind if the lines all have the same width.
With that being said, what I would like to suggest is the ability to set “Color, Linetype, Printwidth, Print Color” for the original 3d geometry and have these settings automatically copied to the lines of the 2d drawing of the section.
Let me explain:
For architectural drafting often line colors correspond with a specific Print Width for different materials this is called a Color Table
I made a simple 3d detail. I assigned the different objects to the correct layer of the Color Table corresponding with the material type. Afterwards I used the ClippingPlane and ClippingDrawing to create a 2d section.
I made a layout and scaled the 2d section to 1:5 scale as is common for details. If you run the command PrintDisplay > State > On or Print the layout to PDF all the lines show up in color.
This is because by default the 2d section lines print “By Display”. If you select them all and set them to “By Layer” you get the settings chosen in the layer ClippingPlane_00Curve.
Printing gives this result:
All 2d section lines are in ClippingPlane_00Curve
Possible Solution:
When the command ClippingDrawing or UpdateClippingDrawings are run the layers of all the 3d geometry that are being cut by the ClippingPlane get separately added to the ClippingDrawing with the same settings as the original layer. And preferably with the print properties set to By Layer not By Display.
Printing would now give this result:
Comparison:
It might seem like a minor improvement, but it would be great if we do not need to do this manual every time we create a new ClippingDrawing or UpdateClippingDrawings.
Disclaimer:
Not sure how easy this would be to implement as in large models hundreds of layers could have to be added/substracted when making changes and updating the ClippingDrawing.
End note:
This is my attempt to suggest an improvement, if the same result can be achieved in a better way that would also be great.