Print from part/asm 100% tip

I frequently (several times a week, sometimes many times a day) print my part or asm at true scale (page setup>scale=100%) so I can get a reality check on the scale of the part. Parts look so big on the screen, and there is nothing like seeing it to true scale to straighten me out. Its also handy to have a true-size print to sketch on top of when trying to solve problems.

The only problem is that, unlike regular printing from the screen which is centered on whatever you are looking at, printing at 100% centers the print on the center of the bounding box of the part/asm. So if I am trying to print the end of a long part, I won't get that end - I will get the center of the part.

A few weeks ago I had a 'duh' moment (I'm getting rusty with the workarounds)...

If you start a sketch, sketch a rectangle that extends past the boundary of your part/asm, and center that rectangle on what you want to focus on, that sketch changes the bounding box so it is centered on the thing I want to print. This workaround is quick, and it works every time (may not be relevent in 2007 because I haven't loaded it to test, but in 2006 it has been a nice productivity booster)

Just thought it might help someone else out - I know I wish I had known this years ago.

Ed

Reply to
ed1701
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Ed,

Are you printing from within the sketch environment?

Reply to
TOP

Same prob - GREAT solution !! Thanks Ed !!

Reply to
Life in Mono

Sometimes, sometimes from the part or assembly (not editing the sketch). It doesn't make any difference as long as the sketch is visible.

Reply to
ed1701

I think you can also use a plane that extends past the boundaries and is centered on the area of interest.

Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"

Reply to
Jerry Steiger

Hello Ed-

Your took an annoyance and turned it into a solution.

Best Regards, Devon T. Sowell

3-D Design Solutions, Carlsbad, CA 760 809-9046 fax 760 434-0917

snipped-for-privacy@3-ddesignsolutions.com

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Reply to
Devon T. Sowell

Hey Ed,

Very good tip! I just used it, works great. Yeah, I'm working on Sunday. I'm probably going to burn!

Thanks again, Muggs

Reply to
Muggs

Just tried it - yup, that works too. (I tend not to 'view planes' when working, picking them from the tree instead)

Thanks Jerry! Ed

Reply to
ed1701

Hey, Clergy work on Sunday and they get a buy allowing them to avoid eternal torment. I think you are OK. Besides, as I learned from meeting you FINALLY in Florida (insert plug for SWx World), you are a terrific person - that's not even counting all that I've learned from you and been impressed by you-and-your-attitude-online-here. If working on Sunday denies someone of your caliber your eternal reward, then, frankly, I don't want to go. Ed

Reply to
ed1701

Thanks for the kind words Ed.

While we're OT, I wasn't able to get to SWW last year (but will be this year!) meeting some of the fine people that frequent this NG was one of the best things about it. I would encourage anyone who has the slightest inclination to go, that they should consider it.

Muggs

Reply to
Muggs

I think you need to check out Matthew 12:11ff, "What man shall there be amoung you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well [good] on the sabbath days."

Consider this also, Mark 2:27, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."

TOP Chaplain to comp.cad.solidworks

P.S. The sabbath would be Saturday from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday anyway, not Sunday.

Reply to
TOP

Thanks Padre! I feel much better now.

Muggs

Reply to
Muggs

This is a good one to remember.

However, if you just want a reality check on the screen, I have a very simple macro written by Joe Jones of nhcad called SCALE1.swb that I use a fair bit. Basically you calibrate it for your monitor by displaying an object of a known dimension and then run the macro. Then (although people will make fun of you, so do it when nobody is looking) you take your measuring device (calipers, tape measure, thumb) and check the length of the known entity. If the view on the screen doesn't match the real length, you adjust the calibration scale factor in the macro.

Simple and quick to use and sometimes is just the ticket. You can find it here

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WT

Reply to
Wayne Tiffany

Wayne _ I too use this macro - Its great for a quick test - however there is a drawback that I have noticed. If you alter the width of your Feature Manager window on the left or the over all size of the SW window then the macro creates the image at a different size to the one you have previously calibrated.

If you always keep your windows the same size then there is no problem - just be aware of this. I would not want a error to creep into the design of any Jupiter lander because of this.

Jonathan

Reply to
jjs

Hmmm, good point - hadn't thought of that. I am mostly a creature of habit in that my resolution, sizes, etc generally stay the way I like them. So, Joe, how would you program it to take all of these issues into consideration? Hmmm, indeed - have to ponder that one. :-)

WT

Reply to
Wayne Tiffany

I haven't installed 2007 yet, but isn't there a full screen option? Then the screen size is always the same.

Reply to
Wim

Yes, there is, but I can still see that being an issue if you change the screen resolution. So, at this point, just keep in mind that the accuracy depends on consistency. If you go to full screen option each time you use it and you don't change your screen resolution, then it should be pretty repeatable.

WT

Reply to
Wayne Tiffany

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