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Manipulate

  • Updated

Launches the manipulator widget to rotate, move, copy, mirror, and/or scale 2D entities and 3D models.

Note: The manipulator widget appears automatically any time you select an entity, when the MANIPULATOR variable is set to 1 or 2.

Accessing the Command

command bar: manipulate
quad: Modify | Manipulate

: Manipulate

Prompts you in the command bar:

Select entities: (Select one or more entities)

Entities in set: 1

Select entities: (Select more entities, or else press Enter)

The manipulator widget appears near the selected entities:

The manipulator widget stays visible until you press Esc.

Note: You don't need to use the Manipulate command to turn on the widget; it appears automatically with the MANIPULATOR system variable:

  • 0 - manipulator widget is displayed only when you enter the Manipulate command
  • 1 - manipulator widget is displayed automatically each time you select an entity
  • 2 - (default) widget is displayed automatically when you hold down the left mouse button longer than the value of the MANIPULATORDURATION variable (default = 250 milliseconds, a quarter-second)

 

Command Options

Option

Description

Select an axis

Moves or copies* the selection along the selected axis:

  1. Place the cursor over one of the axes.
  2. Click, and then move the cursor to move the selection along the axis.

  3. To complete the operation, do one of the following actions:
    • Pick a point in the drawing
    • If dynamic input is on, type a distance into the distance field
    • Eyeball the distance with the ruler (see figure above), and then click

Select a plane

Moves or copies* a selection in a plane.

  1. Place the cursor over one of the plane swatches.
    The swatch under the cursor highlights.

  2. Click when the swatch of the desired plane highlights.
    The selection moves along with the cursor in the selected plane.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Pick a point 
    • If Dynamic Input is ON, type a distance in the dynamic entry fields.
      Hit the TAB-key to switch between the entry fields; press Enter to confirm the current values.

Select an arrowhead

Mirrors or scales the selection; optionally creates a copy* of the selection.

Right click when the cursor is over the manipulator to display a context menu.

Choose Arrowhead act as , then select the desired action: 3D Scale or 3D Mirror (default).

To mirror the selection:

  1. Place the cursor over an arrowhead.
    The Mirror swatch displays in a plane through the selected axis and perpendicular to the mirror plane.
    The selection will be mirrored about the plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the selected arrowhead.

  2. Click when the desired mirror plane displays.
    The selection is mirrored dynamically when you move the cursor.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Pick a point.
    • If Dynamic Input is on, type a distance in the dynamic entry field.

To scale the selection:

  1. Place the cursor over an arrowhead.
    The arrowheads are doubled with a large arrowhead.

  2. Click to start scaling the selection.
    The selection is scales dynamically when you move the cursor.
    You are prompted in the command bar:
    *** MANIP_SCALE ***
    New scale factor [Reference]:

  3. Do one of the following:
    • Pick a point.
    • Type a scale factor at the command prompt.
    • Type R
      Prompts you:
      Enter reference length - (use entity snaps to pick two points in the model.)
      New length [Reference] - (type the desired distance between the picked points.)

Select a rotation arc

Rotates the selection about one of the manipulator axes; optionally creates a copy* of the selection.

  1. Place the cursor over one of the three rotation arcs.
    The rotation arc under the cursor expands and the rotation axis displays.

  2. Click when the desired rotation axis displays.
    The selection rotates dynamically when you move the cursor.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Pick a point.
    • If Dynamic Input is on, type a value in the dynamic entry field.

Select the anchor handle

ManipulatorHandle=0:

Moves the Manipulator. Specify a point to relocate.

ManipulatorHandle=1:

Moves the selected entities unrestrictedly; optionally creates a copy* of the selection. Specify a point to locate the selection.

Moves the Manipulator when you hold down the left mouse button a little longer to select the handle.

 

* To copy the selection set,

Do one of the following:

  • Hold down the Ctrl-key when starting the action (release the Ctrl-key when you move the cursor).
  • When moving an axis, plane or the anchor handle:
    • Type c (copy) then press Enter or right click.
      Repeatedly click to create copies. Right click to stop.
    • (option) When the first copy is created, type r (repeat) then right click to create multiple copies at equal intervals. Move the cursor and click when the desired number of copies displays.

 

Procedures

 

Related Commands

Copy - copies entities.

dmMove - moves solids, faces or edges of a solid, or inserts using a vector.

dmRotate - rotates faces of a solid around an axis.

Move - moves entities.

Rotate - rotates entities in 2D.

Rotate3D - rotates entities about an axis in 3D space.

Scale - resizes entities.

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