This is a brief description of all pull down menus available. This is in no way a tutorial or even a full description. Please refer to the main manual for a tutorial and all the details including the license agreement. The latest version, registration as well as the 150 page manual are available from Klex Software at the address above for the shareware price of $40.
*****
The Menu
Standard menu.
About CompuGraph...
This is just the regular copyright notice.
Desk Accessories
All your desk accessories are available for you.
*****
The File Menu
Standard file menu.
New...
Create a new CompuGraph file and then open it.
Open...
Open an existing CompuGraph file and it will default to the last window you worked with.
Save as PICT file...
Save the current window to disk in PICT format. Files of this kind can be read from applications that work with PICT file format. This is a very convenient way to prepare a drawing.
Save to Clipboard
Save the current window to the clipboard in PICT format. You can now share this image with other applications that can read PICT or PNTG file formats. You can even put your image in the scrapbook and store it as a library file.
Quit
Quits CompuGraph and returns back to the Finder.
*****
The Edit Menu
Standard edit menu plus CompuGraph additions.
Undo
This option is active for desk accessories only.
Cut
Cut the active line or the active group out of the current window. The line or the group will remain in any other window in which they existed, and in the Master Window.
Copy
This option is active for desk accessories only.
Paste
Paste the group to the current window.
Clear
Clears the group completely out of the file. Even in the Master Window, the group will be gone. You can not paste it back to any window.
Intersection...
Select two points on a primary line to define a primary chord. Then select two points on a secondary line to define a secondary chord. An intersection point will be added to the secondary line.
Set units...
The first choice is between metric and English system. And the second choice sets the accuracy of any measurement or print output. Once these parameters are set, they will stay with the file until changed again.
Pack Data...
After selecting this option all lines which were only in the Master Window will be cleared. After using this option all lines will be renumbered and no cleared line will show up in the line list anymore.
*****
The View Menu
The view operations menu.
Standard/Plan
The standard Plan View. The X,Y axis is shown and the Z axis is the missing coordinate.
Standard/Side
The standard Side View. This is a bottom view to the Plan View.
Standard/Rear
The standard Rear View. This is a right view to the Side View.
Standard/Front
The standard Front View. This is a left view to the Side View.
Orthogonal/Top
The top view of any rotated view.
Orthogonal/Bottom
The bottom view of any rotated view.
Orthogonal/Right
The right view of any rotated view.
Orthogonal/Left
The left view of any rotated view.
Along a Chord...
Define a chord by selecting any two points. The view will be rotated so you will lock along that chord. This option is used in drafting to create auxiliary views.
Perp to Chord...
Define a chord by selecting any two points. The view will be rotated so you will lock perpendicular to that chord. This option is used in drafting to create auxiliary sections.
Rotate...
You can rotate the display by using this option. It is a 2D rotation and positive angles are counterclockwise.
Switch...
'Switch’ switches the current window’s rotation, scale and perspective to a different window’s rotation, scale and perspective. Select the other window from the list.
Dynamic...
The position of the mouse will control the dynamic rotation of your window in 2 ways. First the cursor location on the screen will determine in which direction your window is going to be pushed. For example, if you position the mouse in the middle right hand side, the window will rotate around the vertical axis to the right. Second, the distance of the cursor from the center of the screen will determine the rotation speed. The closer you come to the center the slower the rotation will be.
Animation...
Choose between three animation features and tell CompuGraph if it should record the frames as PICT files so they can be used later by other applications like for example MacDraw, VideoWorks or any other application capable of reading PICT files.
1. there is swing. Select a screen position with your cursor.
2. there is zoom. A zooming animation.
3. there is walk. A combination of swing and zoom.
All three animation features work in the following way: First select which of the three you want and in how many frames the animation should be done (2-32). Select ‘Record as PICTs’ if you want each frame saved to disks as a PICT file. You need to select a screen position to define the rotation direction, for ‘swing’ and ‘walk’ only, . This is not necessary for the ‘zoom’ feature, because no rotation is performed. The next step is done by your Macintosh. The computer will precalculate the frames and then display them rapidly for the animation. An automatic animation is performed. Now at any time, you can jump into the horizontal scrollbar with your mouse and take over the animation. Move the mouse back and forth and you will see how the display changes accordingly. You are performing a manual animation. As soon as you let the mouse button go, the window rotation and/or scale will change to the last frame selected.
Perspective...
Technical drawings are usually not drawn in a perspective way. However some users like to display the window in a perspective way for it’s special effects. That’s why CompuGraph has a switch built in so you can simply select perspective ‘on’ or ‘off’. In case you would like the perspective ‘on’, you will have to key in the eye point distance, this being the distance from the viewers eye to the 3D center of the window. This menu is for display purposes only; some menus are inactive with this option turned on!
Undo
Whenever you have changed the rotation, scale or perspective of the active window, ‘Undo’ will revert that action and bring back the previous rotation, scale and perspective.
Store
‘Store’ saves current window’s rotation, scale and perspective to the disk. That makes the current rotation, scale and perspective the ‘Restore’ condition.
Restore
‘Restore’ reverts the current window’s rotation, scale and perspective to the last version saved to disk.
*****
The Window Menu
The window operations menu.
Add...
Adds a window to the list. Give it a name and you get a new empty window in default rotation plan view without any line, or a copy of the existing window if you wish.
Delete...
Delete any window from the list. If the selected window is the current window the system will default to the ‘Master Window’.
Choose...
In case you want to work with a different window select this option to choose a new window from the list.
Reorder...
‘Reorder’ allows you to reorganize the window list. First select the target window. Then select the window you want to move. The window you want to move will be placed after the target window. Select the windows from the list.
Rename...
‘Rename’ allows you to rename a window’s current name, after you selected the window from the list.
Show/Hide Trihedron
The trihedron is the three dimensional cross hair in the bottom left corner of your window, showing the current rotation of the window by displaying a reference X,Y,Z axis. In certain cases you might want to display it or not. This menu option is like a toggle switch, turning the trihedron on or off. The default is a displayed trihedron. If displayed the trihedron is always shown in a non- perspective view.
*****
The Group Menu
Group a list of lines, up to 32, together to a group and then work with that group using the group menus. This option is dimmed if no group is active or if a line is activated.
Style...
Select one of the four available size/pattern combinations for the entire group.
Blink
Every line in the group will blink once, to have a visual check which lines are in the group.
Release
The group will be released and the group options will not operate anymore unless a new group is being created.
Undo
Whatever change was done to the active group last, using options from the ‘Group’, ‘Move’ or ‘Cut’ menu, will be reverted.
Store
‘Store’ will save the current design level of the active group to disk. That design level is the restore condition from then on.
Restore
The group will change to the design level that was saved to disk last.
*****
The Move Menu
The move group menu. This option is dimmed if no group is active or if a line is activated.
Absolute...
Key in the absolute X,Y and/or Z axis displacement for the current group.
Relative...
Key in the relative horizontal,vertical and/or missing axis displacement for the current group.
Arbitrary
Press and hold the mouse button to move the group arbitrarily along the screen following the cursor.
Point to Point...
Select 2 points. The 2 points will define the move direction of the current group as well as the move distance.
Line to Line...
Select 4 points. The first 2 points will define anchor and direction of the source chord, the second 2 points will define the same for the target chord. The current group will be moved.
Plane to Plane...
Select 6 points. The first 3 points will define anchor, direction and plane point of the source plane, the other 3 points will define the same for the target plane. The current group will be moved.
Along a Chord...
Select 2 points. The 2 points will define the chord and after keying in the move distance, the current group will be moved.
Along a Line...
Select 2 points. The 2 points will define the line and after keying in the move distance, the line will be moved. The current group will be moved.
Par to Chord...
Select 2 points. The 2 points will define the chord and after keying in the parallel distance, the current group will be moved.
Reflect...
Choose between the mode horizontal,vertical or diagonal. Then select a point on a line as center of reflection. If you have chosen the mode ‘diagonal’ you must select a point on a line as direction point as well. The current group will be 3D reflected around the selected 2D axis.
Rock...
Select a center point. After keying in an angle the current group will be rocked around the center point for the specified angle.
Scale...
Select a center point. After keying in the scale factor the current group will be scaled keeping the center point as origin.
Parallel...
Key in the parallel distance and the current group will be moved.
*****
The Cut Menu
The cut group menu. The group lines will be cut in the same sequence as they were selected. The cut line is a new line. This option is dimmed if no group is active or if a line is activated.
Absolute...
Specify an absolute X,Y or Z location and the group will be cut at that location.
Thru Point.../Horizontal
Select a point on any line and the group will be cut horizontally through that point.
Thru Point.../Vertical
Select a point on any line and the group will be cut vertically through that point.
Thru Point.../Radial
Select a point on any line and the group will be cut radially through that point.
Along a Chord...
Select two points on one or two lines to define the chord. The group will be cut along that chord.
Par to Chord...
Select two points on one or two lines to define the chord. The group will be cut parallel to that chord by the keyed in distance.
Perp to Chord...
Select two points on one or two lines to define the chord. Then define a third point . The group will be cut perpendicular to that chord through the third point.
Along a Plane...
Select three points on one to three lines to define a plane. The group will be cut along that plane.
*****
The Line Menu
The line operations menu. This option is dimmed if no line is activated.
Split...
If a line has more than 2 points it can be split into 2 different lines.
Combine...
If the total amount of points on 2 lines is less the 33 points and one of the 2 endpoints have the same 3D data you can combine those 2 lines into one active line.
Extract...
Select new start and end for a line and keep only points between those selections.
Extend...
Select an endpoint and then define a distance from that endpoint. A new point will be created on an extension of the involved vector with a 3D distance to the former endpoint.
Isolate/Unisolate
Having a lot of lines in a window can be very confusing. Isolate will display only the activated line. You can make your changes to it and then select unisolate to get all lines in the window displayed again.
Length...
Select a line and the arc length of that line will be calculated and displayed.
True View
Take the first three points of a line and rotate the view so the plane defined by those points is seen as a true view.
Style...
Select one of the four size/pattern combinations for the active line.
Undo
Undo the last change to the active line and go back to last design level. Use ‘Line/Undo’ again and you can switch back and forth between those 2 levels.
Store
Will save the current design level of the active line to disk. This becomes your revert design level.
Restore
Revert the design level of the active line to the last level saved.
*****
The Point Menu
The point operations menu. This option is dimmed if no line is activated.
Add...
Adds point(s) to your line at a specified absolute X,Y or Z coordinate.
Delete...
Select a point on the active line and it will be deleted.
Pull...
Select desired point on the active line and then move with the cursor to a new position on the screen. The missing axis coordinate of the point will not change.
Move...
Select desired point on the active line and then select new point data where point should be moved to.
Reorder...
Reorder all or some points on the active line in the desired order by selecting the points in a new sequence. End point input by pressing the mouse button outside the window.
Smooth...
Specify a new amount of points for that curve to calculate a smooth Bezier curve.
Distance...
Select 2 points next to each other and then define a distance from the first selected point. That will create a new point with that 3D distance from the first point on the defined vector.
Midpoint...
Select 2 points next to each other and and you will get a 3D midpoint on that vector.
Endpoint...
Select a new point and that point will become the new endpoint of the active line.
Flange...
Select an endpoint and then specify an angle and a distance for a point on a flange in the dialog box. The missing axis coordinate of the new point will be the same as is was for the former endpoint.
Print XYZ...
Will print the selected point’s data on the right hand bottom of the screen.
Hide/Show Labels
Select this menu to switch between hiding and showing the point labels.
