Placing a Parametric Object

Home > 15 Placed Objects and Libraries > Placing a Parametric Object

$image\SHORTCUT.gif$ Back to the Main Topic

Placing a Parametric Object

Choose the parametric object that you want to place, set the parameter values, and drag the object to the desired position. You can change the symmetry or orientation of the object as you drag.

Choosing an Object and Setting Parameters

\parobj

Specify the parametric object that you wish to place by one of the following methods:

Type the name of the object or press Enter for the library dialog box and select the object (see Using the library dialog box)

Indicate a sample of a similar object that you already placed in the model.

Choose to place another copy of the current parametric object, i.e., the one that you most recently placed

In the library dialog box you can zoom-preview any element. Using B2 click the icon at the right of the screen, or highlight any element or file name and then press B2. Note that you display the zoomed element in any standard view using the view options button.

After you choose the parametric object, it is displayed in a dialog box with the parameter default values. You can change the display to any standard view using the view option button at the right corner.

The parameter list is displayed to the left. Scroll the list using the Enter button or the arrows. Type the new value for each dimension in the update field below the list. The values you enter should be real dimensions in meters. Click test to preview the result of your dimension values, or resetto restore the defaults.

$image\ebx_1693072387.gif$ NOTE Be sure that the values you enter are consistent. If there are conflicting or invalid values, erase the problematic value and leave the entry blank (up to 2 blank values).

Choose to hide or display the dimension lines of the object in your model.

You are automatically transferred to the dragging (\dragb) command so that you can place the object in your model.

The chosen object remains available for placing until the end of your ARC+ session, or until you choose a different object using this command. You can place the object additional times, with the same parameter values, using the dragging step (\dragb command) alone, without choosing the object again.

$image\ebx_1693072387.gif$ NOTE Placed object files are opened as READ ONLY, not READ & WRITE, making it easier to work with write protected drives such as network and CD-ROMs.

Dragging the Object into Position

\dragb

The chosen object appears attached to the cursor. Note that only part of a large object may be displayed. Choose to drag the object itself or an enclosing box representing it.

$image\ebx_-726553584.gif$ HINT It is recommended to use the enclosing box as it is easier to drag.

Drag the object to the desired position and click the mouse button. The object is placed at this position, while a copy of the object remains attached to the cursor for placing at additional positions, if you desire. Activating a new command clears the object from the cursor.

While the object is still attached to the cursor you may press shortcut keys to do the following:

Change the direction

Change the symmetry

Change the angle

Reset the angle

Set the angle increment

For a full explanation of the shortcut key options, see the Placing an object by dragging (\drag) command).