magnifiCAD
v1.1
User's Manual
------------------------------------------------------
Copyright (C)1995 Anders Granli. All rights reserved.
magnifiCAD was developed by Anders Granli.
This manual was created with WordWorth 3.1
CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction
1.1 System Requirements
1.2 Registration
1.1 Drawing elements and their representation
2.0 Screen Elements
2.1 Tools Palette
2.2 Project Window
The Project Window Border
The Coordinates and Snap Bar
The Drawing Field
3.0 Types of drawing tools
3.1 The drawing modifiers
The Element Generation Modifiers
The Self/Copy Modifiers
3.2 The drawing operators
Geometric Transformations
Attribute Assignment
4.0 Generating elements
4.1 Object types
Line objects
Enclosure objects
4.2 Drawing Lines
Polylines
Polycurves
Clockwise Arcs
Counter-clockwise Arcs
4.3 Drawing Circles and Ellipses
Circles
Circle/Ellipse/Arc Options Requester
Ellipses
4.4 Drawing Polylines
Rectangle
3 Point Rectangle
Polygon
The Polygon Options Requester
4.5 Drawing Text
Text
5.0 Picking
5.1 Prepick and Postpick
5.2 The Pick Tool
Pick
5.3 Unpicking
6.0 Delete
6.1 The Delete Tool
Delete
7.0 Topological levels
7.1 Element level
7.2 Segment level
7.3 Point level
7.4 Editing objects at different levels
8.0 Geometric Transformations
8.1 The Self/Copy Modifiers
Self
Copy
8.2 The Geometric Transformations
Move
Rotate
Scale
Mirror
8.3 Transforming Objects
9.0 Element Attributes
9.1 Setting the element attributes
Color
Line Style
Line Weight
Hatch
Layer
Set All
10.0 Symbols
10.1 Creating and Placing Symbols
Create Symbol
Place Symbol
10.2 Exploding Symbols
Explode Symbol
11.0 The Snap Modes
11.1 Grid snap
11.2 Directional snap
No Directional Snap
Orthogonal
Orthogonal 45°
11.3 Object snap
No Object Snap
Point
Midpoint
12.0 The Menus
12.1 Project Menu
New
New Window
Open...
Save
Save As...
Close
Print Setup...
The Print Setup Requester
Print
About
Quit
12.2 Edit Menu
Cut
Copy
Paste
Select All
12.3 View Menu
Zoom In
Zoom In By Factor
Zoom All
Zoom Out By Factor
Pan
Redraw
Save View
Views...
Coordinates and Snap Bar
Text Information Bar
Tools Palette
Color Palette
Hatch Palette
12.4 Information Menu
Project...
The Project Requester
Layers...
The Layers Requester
Entities...
The Entity Info Requester
Select Font...
12.5 Symbols Menu
Place Symbol...
Create Symbol...
Explode Symbol
12.6 Settings Menu
Show Grid
Create Icons
Workbench Open/Close
Screen Mode...
Colors...
The Color Settings Requester
Grid...
The Grid Settings Requester
Units...
The Units Settings Requester
Zoom...
The Zoom Settings Requester
Load Settings...
Save Setting
Save Settings As...
12.7 Lines Menu
12.8 Help Menu
Help
Using MagnifiCAD Help
Index
What's New?
APPENDICES
Appendix A Using MagnifiCAD with other programs
Supported File Formats
AutoCAD DXF 2D
Appendix B Speed Issues
Appendix C Keyboard Shortcuts
Appendix D Index
1.0 Introduction
Welcome to MagnifiCAD. MagnifiCAD is a computer-aided
design program, which allows you to produce drawings in 2D
with the help of a variety of tools. MagnifiCAD supports
different line styles, hatching, colors, editing elements at
different topological levels (element, segment and point), and
can exchange files with other CAD packages supporting the
DXF file format.
1.1 System Requirements
MagnifiCAD requires:
· An Amiga with Workbench 3.0 or above,
preferrably with a 68020 processor.
· 1MB memory.
The size of the projects is limited only by how much free
memory you have in your Amiga.
1.2 Registration
MagnifiCAD is a ShareWare program and may be distributed
freely. No charge may be taken other than the cost of
distribution. This version was released 23.01.96, and is
restricted to 2D drawing. To become a registered user of
MagnifiCAD and get the latest version, please send £13/$20
to:
Anders Granli
Øvre Møllenberg Gate 64
N-7043 Trondheim
NORWAY
phone: +47 73522846
e-mail: granli@stud.unit.no
www: http://www.stud.unit.no/~granli/
Comments, wishes for the next version & bug reports for this
version are welcome, preferrably by e-mail. For more
information about registration, printed manuals for the
program and the next version of MagnifiCAD, please mail me.
1.3 Drawing elements and their representation
MagnifiCAD has four different types of drawing elements:
polylines, arcs, text and symbols.
The polylines and the arcs are the common drawing elements,
they are the real elements that make up a drawing. The other
two types, text and symbols, play a supporting role in a
drawing.
A polyline is a series of connected line segments, and may be
open or closed. A polyline may consist of only one line
segment. A special polyline type, the rectangle, is constrained
to preserve its rectangular shape.
An arc is represented by the parameters that are used to
generate it, not by line segments such as in polylines. An arc
can be open (a partial circle) or closed (a full circle or ellipse).
Text elements consists of a character string and can only be
placed horizontally.
Symbols are elements composed of several other elements and
are useful for repetitions. When the symbols are created, they
are placed in a library of symbols, from which they may be
retrieved and repeatedly placed in a drawing as many times
as necessary.
2.0 Screen Elements
The default MagnifiCAD screen setup consists of two windows:
the Tools Palette and a Project Window. In addition to these,
other palettes can also be displayed.
2.1 The Tools Palette
The tools palette contains all the tools you use to draw and
modify entities.
2.2 The Project Window
The Project Window consists of several components, such as:
The Window Border - where the projects name and the
current layer will be displayed, and where you can resize and
move the window as a normal Intuition window.
The Coordinates and Snap Bar - where you can see the
current coordinate, the angle, and select different types of
snaps to be applied to the input points.
The Text Information Bar - where you get information about
the drawing operations.
The Drawing Field - where the projects elements will be
shown.
The Project Window Border
The border of the project window contains the name of the
current project, the current working layer, and scrollers used
to move the current view. There are two scrollers, one for
vertical and one for horizontal movement.
The Project Window Coordinates and Snap bar
The coordinates and snap bar contains information about the
current input point and the tools to affect the input points.
Coordinates
The coordinate gadgets shows the coordinates of the current
position on screen. This will be absolute values, except when
in the middle of a drawing operation, when the coordinates
will be relative to the first input point. The user can also type
in values in these gadgets, instead of using the mouse to select
points.
The angle gadget shows the current angle. This angle will be
measured from the rightmost end of a circle, except when in
the middle of some drawing operations, when it will be
measured from the line between the first and second input
point.
Snap gadgets
The snap modes determine how the input points will be
selected. The modes are divided into three groups, called Grid
Snap, Directional Snap and Object Snap. See section 10.0 for
more information about snap types.
The Project Window Text Information Bar
The Text Information Bar is where you get information about
the current operation. Messages will be shown, explaining
what the next mouse click will do, and what modes are active.
The Project Window Drawing Field
The drawing field is where you build up your project or
drawing. The current drawing mode is selected and shown in
the Tools Palette.
The current coordinate is shown and the snap mode is selected
in the Coordinates and Snap Bar.
3.0 Types of drawing tools
The tool palette contains all the tools you need to draw. The
tools are divided into modifiers and operators.
The modifier tools are the element generation modifiers, the
topological levels and the self/copy modifiers.
The operators are the element generation tools, pick/delete
tools, geometric transformations and attribute assignments.
3.1 The drawing modifiers
The modifier groups occupy one row in the tools palette each.
The Element Generation Modifiers
These modifiers occupy the first row of the tools palette. They
determine which type of element the drawing operators will
generate. The two types are Line mode and Enclosure Mode.
The Topological levels
The topological levels are on the 7th and 8th row of the tools
palette. They determine what topological level to work at, i.e.
element, segment or point. All transformations done to the
selected elements, segments or points are affected by the
topological levels.
The Self/Copy Modifiers
These modifiers occupy the tenth row of the tools palette.
They determine whether geometric transformations will be
applied to the original object or a copy of the object.
3.2 The drawing operators
The second group in the tools palette contains the drawing
tools. These generate line or enclosure elements, depending
on the active element generation modifier.
Draw Polyline
These tools draw open or closed polylines. This may be
polylines or polyarcs.
Draw Polygon
These tools draw polygons. This may be rectangle, 3-point
rectangles or n-sided polygons.
Draw Arc
These tools draws open or closed arcs. This may be arcs,
circles or ellipses.
Pick
This tool is used to select elements. It allows elements to be
prepicked, so that an operation may be applied to an element
afterwards.
Delete
This tool is used to delete elements.
Geometric Transformations
These tools is used to apply geometric transformations to
elements. The available transformations are move, rotate,
scale and mirror. They operate either on the selected elements
or copies of these. This is determined by current state of the
Self/Copy modifiers.
Attribute Assignment
These tools are used to assign attributes to drawn elements.
The available attributes are color, line style, line weight, hatch
and layer.
4.0 Generating elements
The drawing tools are used to create different drawing
elements.
4.1 Object types
Line objects
When Line Mode is selected, all elements will be generated
with simple lines making up the element.
Enclosure objects
When Enclosure Mode is selected, all elements will be
generated with two parallell lines all the time, making a kind
of enclosure.
This is very useful for drawing walls etc.
4.2 Drawing Lines
Polylines
It draws a sequence of lines, linked to each other, by selecting
a sequence of points. After the first point is selected, the first
line segment will be rubberbanded. The next selected point
will end the first segment and begin rubberbanding another.
The sequence is terminated by double-clicking the mouse.
Double-clicking to end the polyline will draw an open shape,
with the endpoint where you double-clicked the mouse. You
can hold down either of the shift keys on your keyboard while
double-clicking to make a closed shape.
The point where you double-clicked will then be joined to the
starting point of the polyline, closing the shape.
Polycurves
This tool is used to draw curved lines. It is used just like the
Polyline tool, except that the line drawn is a smooth curve
through the points defined.
The Polycurve can not be closed like the polyline.
Clockwise Arcs
It draws an arc using three input points. The first point is the
center of the arc. The second point defines the start point and
the thrid defines the end point of the arc.
A circle will be rubberbanded when you have selected the
center, and it will change to an arc when you select the start
point.
The number of segments the arc consists of, can be changed
in the Circle/Ellipse/Arc Options requester.
Counter-clockwise Arcs
The counter-clockwise arcs is drawn as the clockwise arcs,
except that they are drawn in counter-clockwise direction.
The number of segments the arc consists of, can be changed
in the Circle/Ellipse/Arc Options requester.
4.3 Drawing Circles and Ellipses
Circles
It draws a circle from two input points. The first point is the
center, and the second point is the radius. The circle is
rubberbanded after you have selected the center point.
The number of segments the circle consists of, can be changed
in the Circle/Ellipse/Arc Options requester.
The Circle/Ellipse/Arc Options Requester
This requester handles the options for the circle, ellipse and
arc tools.
# Of Segments The number of segments required can be
entered in this numeric field. The number must be greater than
6. The default number of sides is 48.
Ellipses
It draws an ellipse from two input points. The first point is the
center, and the second point is any point on the circumference
of the ellipse. After the center point is selected, the ellipse is
rubber-banded.
The number of segments the ellipse consists of, can be
changed in the Circle/Ellipse/Arc Options requester.
4.4 Drawing polygonal Polylines
Rectangle
It draws a rectangle from two input points that represents two
diagonally opposite corners of the rectangle. After the first
point is selected, the rectangle will be rubber banded until you
select the second point.
The input points can be any pair of opposite corners of the
rectangle. The rectangle may be a square or a plain
rectangle.
The sides of the rectangle are restricted to being parallell with
the x and y axes of the coordinate system.
3 Point Rectangle
It draws a rectangle from three input points. The first point is
represents one corner of the rectangle, the second determines
the angle of one of the rectangle sides, and he third is the
corner point opposite of the first.
The rectangle will be rubber-banded after selecting the first 2
points.
The rectangle may be a square or a plain rectangle.
Polygon
It draws a polygon from two input points. These points
represent the center og the polygon and the radius of the
circle the polygon is inscribed in.
When you select the center point, the polygon will be rubber
banded until you select the radius and direction. By default
this tool creates a hexagonal shape.
The number of sides the created polygon will have can be
changed in the Polygon Options requester. You invoke this
requester by holding down either of the shift keys while
selecting this tool.
The Polygon Options Requester
This requester handles the options for the polygon tool.
# Of Segments The number of sides required can be entered
in this numeric field. The number must be greater than 2. The
default number of sides is 6.
4.5 Drawing Text
Text
The Text Tool draws text. You specify one input point, which is
the start position of the text. When selected, a requester will
pop up and let you type the text. Press Return and OK in the
requester, and the text will be displayed.
The Text can be moved and copied as other elements, but not
rotated, scaled or mirrored. It will always be drawn parallell
with the x-axis.
The Font and String can be changed in Entity Info requester.
5.0 Picking
When the user wants to edit an object, that is, apply a
transformation or delete it, the object must be picked.
5.1 Prepick and Postpick
An object may be prepicked or postpicked. Using Prepick,
select the object (using the Pick Tool) first, and then apply the
operation. With Postpick, you can select an operation, and
then pick the objects to be affected.
5.2 The Pick Tool
Pick
The Pick Tool allows you to select elements on screen by
various methods.
You can select one or more elements with this tool.
· Clicking on any part of an element selects it.
· Clicking on any part of an entity, while holding down the
SHIFT key, selects this in addition to any already selected
elements.
· Clicking outside any element deselects all elements.
· Clicking and holding down the left mouse button while
dragging the mouse produces a rectangle. All elements within
this selection rectangle will be selected when you release the
button.
When an element is selected, it is higlighted in the current
selection color.
5.3 Unpicking
To unpick or deselect objects, click outside any objects in the
project window while in Pick Mode.
The elements are also unpicked when selecting a new
topological level.
6.0 Delete
Delete is used when an element is to be erased from the
project.
6.1 The Delete Tool
Delete
This tool deletes the selected element or elements.
It works with both the prepick and postpick methods. With the
postpick method, the Delete Tool is selected first, and then the
entities are selected and deleted.
With the prepick method, all the elements are selected first,
and when the Delete Tool is selected, all selected elements are
deleted. Selected elements can also be deleted by pressing the
'Del' button on the keyboard.
7.0 Topological levels
Topological levels are used for editing or erasing
parts of an element. All transformations done to an
element is affected by the current topological level.
7.1 The Element Level
At element level, all operations work on the whole
element. When picking, the whole element is picked,
and when transforming, the whole element is
transformed.
7.2 The Segment level
At segment level, all operations work on a segment,
or more specifically a line, of the element.
7.3 The Point level
At point level, all operations work on a point in the
element.
8.0 Geometric Transformations
The Geometric Transformations operate on an element to
change its geometry. The Self/Copy modifiers and the
Topological levels affect the transformations.
8.1 The Self/Copy Modifiers
The Self/Copy modifiers control whether the transformations
are applied to the selected object or to a copy of it.
Self
When the Self mode is active, all geometric transformations
will be applied to the selected element.
Copy
When the Copy mode is active, all geometric transformations
will be applied to a copy of the selected element.
A new copy of the selected element is made for each
subsequent mouse click.
8.2 The Geometric Transformation Tools
Move
The Move Tool allows you to move one or more entities. The
entities must be pre-picked with the pick tool.
To move the selected entities, select a point as your reference.
This point can be anywhere, but preferably it is one of the
entities points. When this point is selected, you can drag the
entity or entities to the destination point and click to move.
Rotate
The Rotate Tool allows you to rotate one or more entities. The
entities must be pre-picked with the pick tool.
To rotate the selected entities, select a point as your
reference. The entities will be rotated around this point. When
selected, you can drag the entities to their new positions and
click to end the operation.
Scale
The scale tool lets you scale the elements, making them bigger
or smaller. The elements must be pre-picked using the Pick
tool.
To scale a selected element, select one point as the point to
scale from (a fixed point). Then drag out a line to use as
100%, and select a new point. The element will now be
rubberbanded and is scaled according to your movement of
the mouse. Click once when the right scale is shown.
Mirror
The mirror tool lets you mirror an element around a line. The
element must be pre-picked using the Pick tool.
You must select two points, defining a line in the direction you
want the element to be mirrored. It will be mirrored around a
line at a 90 degree angle to the line you define.
When you have selected the two points, the element will be
rubberbanded, following your mouse movements. Click once
to mirror the element when it is in the right position.
8.3 Transforming Objects
All elements support the transformations above, except the
Text and Symbol elements. These can only be moved, not
rotated, mirrored or scaled. If a rotation is applied to a Text
element, only the starting point of the Text will be
rotated/moved.
9.0 Element Attributes
All the drawing elements have attributes that can be set and
changed. These attributes are color, line style, line weight,
hatch and the layer they are in.
Some elements are affected by all these attributes, and some
are affected by some of them, as shown in the table below.
Color Style Weight Hatch Layer
Polyline o o n/a o o
Polycurve o o n/a o
Rectangle o o n/a o o
Polyform o o n/a o o
Circle o o n/a o
Ellipse o o n/a o
Arc o o n/a o
Text o n/a o
Symbol o n/a o
9.1 Setting the element attributes
When new elements are drawn, they will have the attributes
currently set. These attributes are color, line style and line
weight. They will also be placed in the currently active layer.
The hatch attribute must be set explicitly, as it will always be
cleared when a new element is created. After an element has
been drawn, these attributes may be changed by using the
attribute setting tools, found at the bottom of the Tools
Palette.
Color
This tool changes the color of the selected element to the
current selected color.
The currently selected color can be changed by selecting a
new color in the Color Palette.
Line Style
This tool changes the line style of the selected element to the
current selected line style.
The currently selected line style can be changed in the Line
Menu.
Line Weight
This tool changes the line weight (or line width) of the selected
element to the current selected line weight.
The currently selected line style can be changed in the Line
Menu.
Hatch
This tool allows you to hatch elements on screen by selecting
them by the same methods as in Pick.
The elements will be hatched with the currently selected hatch
type, which can be selected in the Hatch Palette.
Layer
This tool lets you change the layer of the selected element to
the current layer.
The current layer can be changed in the Layers requester.
Set All
This tool lets you change all the attributes of an element.
This means that the Color, Line Style, Line Weight, Hatch and
Layer of the entity will be set to the current values.
10.0 Symbols
Symbols are used in a drawing to represent elements that are
repetitioned. They can be used to standard symbolic
representation like doors, windows, furniture, etc. in
drawings.
Symbols are not affected by the hatch attribute, and they may
not be rotated.
10.1 Creating and Placing Symbols
Create Symbol
This creates a symbol from the currently selected entities. This
tool works only with prepicked elements.
The symbol will be saved in a symbol file with the name the
user supplies.
Place Symbol
This tool is used to place a symbol in a project. A requester
appears and lets the user select the appropriate symbol. This
symbol is loaded and the user may move it around and place
it in the project window.
10.2 Exploding Symbols
Explode Symbol
This tool is used to explode a symbol into its different
elements. A symbol must be selected for this tool to be
effective. When selecting this tool, the symbol will replaced by
the individual elements that forms the symbol. These elements
can then be edited by themselves.
11.0 The Snap Modes
The Snap modes determine what happens to the input
coordinates, if they are adjusted (snapped), and to where.
When an input point is snapped, the actual coordinate
recorded is changed to fit the current snap mode.
11.1 Grid snap
The grid snap snaps the input point to the closest point on the
reference grid.
Grid Snap Switch
Toggles the grid snap mode on and off. When Grid Snap
mode is on, snapping occurs to the closest point on the
reference grid, as defined in the Grid Settings requester.
Note that this mode may be overruled by the directional or
object snap modes.
11.2 Directional snap
The directional snap modes snaps the input coordinate to the
closest direction (by angle).
None
Turns off any directional snap.
Note that the directional snap modes may be overruled by
the object snap modes.
Orthogonal
When orthogonal snapping is active, snapping occurs to a
line parallell with either the x or y axis.
Note that the directional snap modes may be overruled by
the object snap modes.
Orthogonal 45
When orthogonal 45 snapping is active, snapping occurs to a
line 45 degrees to either the x or y axis.
Note that the directional snap modes may be overruled by
the object snap modes.
11.3 Object snap
The object snap modes snaps to the closest point in an
element.
None
Turns off any object snap.
Point
When snap to point is active, snapping occurs to the closest
point which is in an element.
Note that the object snap modes overrules all other snap
modes.
Midpoint
When snap to midpoint is active, snapping occurs to the
closest midpoint which is on a line in an element.
This mode will also snap to the center of circles, ellipses and
arcs.
Note that the object snap modes overrules all other snap
modes.
12.0 The Menus
From the menus the user can access all the functions not
covered in the tools palette.
12.1 Project Menu
The Project Menu contains everything that has to do with
opening and closing projects and files.
New
This opens a new project. If the current open project is
changed, you will be asked if you want to save before
opening a new project.
New Window
This opens a new window unto the current project.
NOT AVAILABLE IN THE CURRENT VERSION.
Open...
This displays the filerequester and lets the user select a new
project to load.
If the current open project is changed, you will be asked if
you want to save before opening a new project.
Close
Closes the current project.
If the current open project is changed, you will be asked if
you want to save before opening a new project.
Save
Saves the current project with the current filename.
Save as
Opens a save requester and allows you to type in a new
name for this project, and saves it under this name.
Print Setup...
Displays the Print Setup requester and lets you print the
current project.
The Print Setup Requester
This requester lets you change the print setup settings.
Print Scale - The scale of the printed drawing.
Print Direction - Sets the printing to either Landscape or
Portrait.
Print Type - Determines what part of the project that is to be
printed. If Extents, everything will be printed. If Current View,
the part of the project that is shown in the project window will
be printed.
Options:
Print Grid - If checked, print the reference grid.
Print Axis - If checked, print the reference axis.
Print Border - If checked, a thin border will be printed around
each page when printing.
Print - Print with the current options.
Preview - Show a preview of the printout.
Print
Prints the current project with the selections set in the Print
Setup requester.
About
This displays the 'About' requester, where you can see the
program credits and information about how much memory
that is available.
Quit
This quits MagnifiCAD.
If the current open project is changed, you will be asked if
you want to save before the program ends.
12.2 Edit Menu
The items in the Edit Menu lets you cut and paste elements in
a project and between different projects. It also has an item
for selecting all elements in a project.
Cut
This deletes the selected elements from the project and stores
them in the clipboard, ready for a Paste operation. The
clipboard can hold any number of elements.
If there are old elements in the clipboard (from another Cut or
Copy operation), they will be replaced by the new elements.
Copy
This copies the selected elements into the clipboard, replacing
anything already there. It is the same as Cut, except it does
not delete the elements from the project.
Paste
This pastes a copy of the elements in the clipboard into the
project. The elements to be copied will be follow the position
of the mouse until the mouse is clicked to position them. The
elements will not be removed from the clipboard, so the Paste
command can be used many times to paste many copies of
the same elements into the project.
The contents of the clipboard will not be deleted when closing
a project and opening a new one, so it can be used for
copying elements from one project to another.
Select All
This selects all the elements in a project. Elements in a layer
that is not shown will not be selected.
12.3 View Menu
The items in the view menu lets you change the view you have
of the project, zoom in and out, and save a specific view for
later.
Zoom In
This lets you zoom in by drawing a rectangle which defines
the bounds of the zoom.
Zoom In By Factor
This calculates a new view based on the values in the Zoom
Settings requester.
It zooms in by the number set in the Zoom Factor gadget in
the Zoom Settings requester.
Zoom All
This zooms out until all elements are fully visible in the current
project window.
Zoom Out By Factor
This calculates a new view based on the values in the Zoom
Settings requester.
It zooms out by the number set in the Zoom Factor gadget in
the Zoom Settings requester.
Pan
This lets you move the current view by drawing a line with the
length and direction that the view moves.
Redraw
This redraws the project with the current view.
Save View
This lets you type in a name for the current view and saves it
in the view list.
Views...
Shows the view list and lets you select a new view.
Coordinates and Snap Bar
Show or hide the Coordinates and Snap Bar. When the
Coordinates and Snap Bar is shown, this item will be marked.
Text Information Bar
Show or hide the Text Information Bar. When the Text
Information Bar is shown, this item will be marked.
Tools Palette
Show or hide the Tools Palette. When the Tools Palette is
shown, this item will be marked.
Color Palette
Show or hide the Color Palette. When the Color Palette is
shown, this item will be marked.
Color Palette
This requester lets you select the current color. Select a color
to make it the current selected color.
Hatch Palette
Show or hide the Hatch Palette. When the Hatch Palette is
shown, this item will be marked.
Hatch Palette
This requester lets you select the current hatch. There are 16
different hatches available, from plain solid to a brick-like
hatch.
Select the one you require by clicking on it. It will be
depressed to show that it is selected.
12.4 Information Menu
The Information Menu contains items that shows the user
information about the project, its layers, and its elements.
Project...
This displays the Project requester. In this requester you can
change the name of the project and the file type.
The Project Requester
This requester lets you change the project name and file type.
Name - The project's name.
File Type - The file type the project is saved in. The file types
currently supported are:
MagnifiCAD
AutoCAD DXF 2D
For more information about these filetypes, see Appendix A.
Creation Date - the creation date of the project will be shown
here. This can not be edited.
Preferences File - the preferences file that will be loaded when
this project file is loaded. Edit this field by selecting the
'Change...' gadget and selecting a new Preferences file from
the requester. To remove an attached prefs file, select 'OK'
with a blank line in the 'File' gadget.
Calculate Statistics - the statistics for the project (number of
elements, segments and points) will be calculated when
clicking this gadget.
Layers...
This displays the Layers requester. In this requester you can
change number, name and status for each layer.
You change the active layer by clicking in the list of layers.
The Layers Requester
This requester shows the layer list of the current project. You
can add or delete layers, and change layer attributes.
Layer List:
List - The list of the project's layers.
Add - Add a new layer to the layer list.
Delete - Delete the currently selected layer.
Current Layer:
Number - The layers number.
Name - The layers name.
State - The layers state, either Show or Hide. When Show is
selected, the layer's entities will be drawn.
Entities...
This displays the Entity Info requester, which shows
information about the selected entity. You can change
information from this Entity Info requester.
If there is more than one entity selected, selecting this item will
do nothing.
The Entity Info Requester
This requester shows some information about the selected
entity.
All entities:
Type - This shows the entity type. This can not be changed.
Layer - This shows the current layer the element is drawn in.
Type in a new existing layer number to change the element's
layer.
Text:
String - The text that is drawn. This can be changed by editing
the string.
Change Font... - Set a font specifically for this element. The
font will be selected from the fonts requester.
Symbol:
Name - The name of symbol. This can be changed by typing a
new name.
Select Font...
This displays the font requester and allows you to change
another font than the default one to use as the selected
entities text.
12.5 Symbols Menu
The Symbols menu contains items to let you create, place and
explode symbols.
Place Symbol
Shows a requester, allowing you to choose the symbol you
want to place in the project.
The symbol automatically follows the mouse pointer so you
can move it around the screen and place it wherever you like.
Create Symbol
This saves the selected entities as one symbol, with the
filename you enter in the save requester.
Explode
A symbol must be selected for this option to have any effect.
The symbol will be exploded into its different entities.
12.6 Settings Menu
The items in the settings menu lets you change all the settings
in MagnifiCAD, and save this in a preference file.
Show Grid
Selecting this item will toggle it on or off. When on, the grid,
as defined by Set Grid, will be displayed.
Create Icons?
Selecting this item will toggle it on or off. When on, an icon of
the appropriate type will be created for each file you save.
Workbench
Select this item to Open or Close the Workbench screen. The
state of the Workbench screen will be tracked by the
checkmark.
The Workbench Screen can be closed to save memory.
Be aware that selecting this item doesn't always mean that the
Workbench screen actually will be closed or opened.
Screen Mode...
This displays the screenmode-requester and lets the user
change screen resolution and depth (number of colors on
screen).
The screen modes currently supported by MagnifiCAD is:
· HIRES
· HIRES INTERLACE
· SUPERHIRES
· SUPERHIRES INTERLACE
Both PAL and NTSC modes are available.
Colors from 16 to 256 is supported.
Colors...
This shows the Color Settings requester and lets you edit the
color values.
The Color Settings Requester
This requester shows the color settings.
Color Wheel - drag the knob around the edit the current
color.
Color Slider - drag the knob up (to make the color brighter)
or down (to make the color darker).
Color Palette - select a color here to make it the current color
to edit.
Grid...
This shows the Grid Settings requester and lets you change the
grid settings.
The Grid Settings Requester
This requester shows the grid settings.
Grid Spacing - The spacing of the points or lines in the
reference grid. If the spacing equals less than 2 pixels on the
screen in the current view, they will not be drawn.
Type - When set to Dot grid, only the points in the reference
grid will be drawn. When set to Line grid, continous lines will
be drawn as the reference grid.
Units...
This shows the Units Settings requester and lets you change
the units settings.
The Units Settings Requester
This requester shows the Units settings.
Units - The base units which all measures are made in. The
base unit is used when calculating scale.
Zoom...
This shows the Zoom Settings requester and lets you change
the zoom settings. They affect how the view is zoomed when
using one of the zoom commands.
The Zoom Settings Requester
This requester shows the zoom settings.
Zoom Factor - This is the factor that is used in calculating new
views when selecting Zoom In By Factor or Zoom Out By
Factor.
Always Zoom By Factor - When checked, the Zoom Factor is
used in all zooming operations, i.e. Zoom All and Zoom In.
These operations will then always scale by Zoom Factor.
Load Settings...
This lets you change the settings by loading a previously saved
settings file from disk.
Save Settings
This saves the settings in the currently defined file.
Save Settings as...
This saves the settings in a file with a filename selected by the
user.
12.7 Lines Menu
In this menu you can select the current Line Style and the
current Line Weight (LINE WEIGHT NOT SUPPORTED IN
THIS VERSION).
A selection mark will show the current Line Style and the
current Line Weight.
12.8 Help Menu
In this menu you can get help from the online help included in
MagnifiCAD.
Help
This opens the online help and displays the main help page.
From this page you can select different topics.
Using MagnifiCAD Help
This shows the 'help about help' page, where the different
ways of getting help are listed.
Index
This shows the help index, with an entry for all topics and
keywords on which there is information in the online help
section.
What's New?
Selecting this item will show a list of all the new features in this
version, and any bug-fixes from earlier versions.
Appendix A: Using MagnifiCAD with other CAD programs
MagnifiCAD can be used in conjunction with other CAD type
programs, both on the Amiga and on other platforms. Use
one of the supported file formats to transfer a project into
another program.
Supported File Formats
The only currently supported file format is the DXF drawing
files.
AutoCAD DXF 2D
MagnifiCAD reads and writes AutoCAD DXF files. This is the
most standard filetype for CAD drawings, and may be
imported into a variety of packages.
The supported entities are:
LINE
POLYLINE
CIRCLE
ARC
TEXT
MagnifiCAD reads the HEADER section, the TABLES section
(currently, the only table supported is LAYER), and the ENTITY
section, and skips the rest.
Appendix B - Speed and Memory Issues
MagnifiCAD is supposed to work decently on an unexpanded
A1200, but it will be rather slow. To speed things up a bit,
there are several things that can be done.
· Select the normal HIRES screenmode, without interlace, and
16 colors.
· Close the color and hatch palettes.
MagnifiCAD runs with just 300K free memory, but allocates
memory for each element added to a project. An unexpanded
A1200 has 2 megabytes of memory. This should be enough
for a quite large project. If you run out of memory, try closing
other programs that are running and choose a screenmode
with low resolution. Printing with high resolution printer
settings requires much memory.
The amount of free memory available can be checked by
choosing About in the Project menu.
Appendix C - Keyboard Shortcuts
All keyboard shortcuts consists of pressing the Amiga Key(A)
and another key, as shown in the table below.
Key (A+) Does
A Save as... (Project Menu)
C Copy (Edit Menu)
E Entity Info (Information Menu)
H Help (Help Menu)
I Zoom In (View Menu)
L Layers (Information Menu)
N New (Project Menu)
O Open (Project Menu)
P Print (Project Menu)
Q Quit (Project Menu)
R Redraw (View Menu)
S Save (Project Menu)
U Zoom Out (View Menu)
V Paste (Edit Menu)
W Views (View Menu)
X Cut (Edit Menu)
Appendix D - Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
X
Y
Z