2D Drawing

Displaying the 2D Drawing Area

To change the view, you can use the zoom functions or use the corresponding combinations of mouse buttons and keys.


Changing the View Using the Mouse and Keyboard

The following keyboard and mouse combinations can be used to manipulate the view:


Display Functions

All functions controlling the display are available in the Display menu. Zoom functions can also be invoked by pressing F5.


Rebuilding Functions

Redraw - F6

Quickly refreshes the 2D area.

Regenerate - REG

Regenerates and redraws all 2D objects.


Zoom Functions

You can change the size of the view by using the following zoom functions:



View Window


Saving Views

The Save View function enables you to save the current view for future use. To display a saved view, use the Restore View functions. You can save up to eight views. The Predefined Views toolbar makes it easy to switch between saved views. See also Saving Views.


2D Display Settings

Screen Settings

Circle Drawing - SCR

Enables you to increase the number of segments used to draw 2D circles. When the number of segments is high, circles will always appear smooth even when zoomed closely. Increasing the segment number is only available within the current session. A high number of segments can slow drawing speed.


Cursor Settings and Coordinate Listing

Cursor – APE, F7

Sets the type of crosshair cursor, aperture size, and the type of coordinates listed in the 2D Status Bar. The crosshair cursor is used for creating selection windows or when automatic detection of 2D objects is turned off. Coordinates can be measured relative to a user-defined origin, as dX, dY from the last point, or as an angle and radius from the last point.



Cursor window


Types of 2D Objects

In 2D drawing you work with basic objects. These objects behave like individual entities when selected, and they can later be combined into blocks. The basic 2D objects are as follows:

For more information about creating blocks, see 2D Blocks.


2D Drawing Attributes - Units, Formats, Scale

File attributes can be defined when creating a new file (see Creating and Opening VariCAD 2D/3D Files ). This section describes the functions used to change 2D drawing parameters such as drawing units, format and scale. Attribute functions can be found in the Tools menu.


Units

Change Units - CHU

Change units in the current file by toggling between inches and millimeters. For example, an object defined to be 1” long will convert to 25.4 mm. Dimension text values do not change, nor do attributes of inserted mechanical parts. For example, Screw M10 will always have the same attributes, even if units are changed.


Format and Sheet Border

Drawing Format - FMT

Changes the current drawing format. The format controls the view area, sheet border, and print attributes.

Sheet Borders Definitions - SBD

You can define custom sheet border formats, modify existing formats, and define the method of drawing sheet borders.



Formats window


Sheet Border window


Sheet Border - BOR

Creates a sheet border around the 2D drawing area. The lower left corner of border corresponds to the origin in global coordinates. Border width and length are determined by the drawing format. Border drawing method setting is defined in Units and Sheet Border.


2D Drawing Scale

Drawing scale only affects 2D annotation objects such as text, dimensions, symbols and arrows. The scale affects the proportions of these objects. For example, with a 1:2 scale, a 100 mm line will print as 50 mm long. Text 3 mm high will print as 3 mm high. Changing the scale does not affect dimensions.


Change Drawing Scale - SCH

Changes the 2D drawing scale. The scale is defined when the file is created, and this function can be used to change the scale. All objects in the file remain unchanged. New annotation objects such as dimensions and text are created in different proportions. We recommend finalizing the drawing scale before starting to assign dimensions.


Attributes of 2D Objects

2D objects have the following attributes:


Working with 2D Layers

You can define up to 250 layers in each file. Each file contains one predefined layer named “0.” In 2D assembly, layers can be used to distinguish between separate details. For detail views or 3D view exports, layers should be used for distinguishing outlines, axes, dimensions, hatches etc.

Each layer is defined by name, color and line type. New objects are always created in the active layer. The active layer can be changed at any time, even during object creation. You can also change the current color or line type without changing the layer. For each object, its layer, color or line type can be changed at any time.

If objects from another file are inserted into the current file, objects from unknown layers are inserted into Layer 0.



Setting the active layer


Layers - LAY

Creates new layers, and edits or deletes existing layers. You cannot delete the active layer, a layer containing objects, or Layer 0.



Layers window


Automatic Layer Changing - ALS

Automatic layer switching is useful for drawing 2D details. Layers are switched according to the executed functions. Drawing functions like Line or Arc tools create objects automatically placed in Layer “outline.” Hatches are placed in “hatches;” dimensioning are placed in “dimension.” Layer changing works when you use the default layer setting from VariCAD installation. Otherwise, you must turn Automatic Layer Changing off and select layers manually.


If Automatic Layer Changing is active, the following is the list of default layer names and their behavior:


Change Layer - MLA

Changes the layer of selected objects to that of another object, or to a layer selected from the list of layers.


Highlight Layer - CHL

Shows all objects on a specified layer, enabling you to check that the layer contains the correct objects.


2D Object Colors

For 2D and 3D objects, there are nine colors you can use. By default, the colors are set as follows:

SampleNumberColor
1white
2red
3green
4blue
5cyan
6magenta
7yellow
8dark red
9dark cyan

Colors for each number can be redefined using the Colors or Palettes functions. For printing, line thickness is set according to color number. For color printers, you can map colors to other colors. For traditional pen plotters, color numbers define pen numbers.


Change Color - MPE

Changes the color of selected objects.


Line Types

The following line types are available:

SampleNumberLine style
1continuous
2dotted
3centerline
4short dashed
5dashed
6dash-dot-dot
7dash-dot
Change Line Type - MLT

Changes the line type of selected objects.


Visibility of 2D Objects

Blank 2D Objects - BLA, Ctrl + B

Makes selected objects invisible. You can blank temporarily redundant objects, or objects that cannot be selected. Blanked objects are not printed, nor are they selected in selection windows.

Unblank 2D Objects - UBL, Ctrl + U

Unblanks objects that were blanked, either in the entire drawing or in a specified area. You can also unblank individual objects, or all objects on a specified layer.


Work Sets

Work sets can be used to hold 2D objects. Work sets are useful when you want to delete or translate an entire set of objects. When inserting 2D objects from another file, you can place all new inserted objects into their own work set.


The following functions are used to manage work sets:

Add to Work Set - ATW
Delete from Work Set - RFW
Clear Work Set - CLW

Deletes all objects from a work set

Highlight Work Set - CHW

Helps you verify objects in the work set


2D Coordinate System

VariCAD uses two types of coordinate systems. The absolute coordinate system has its origin at the lower left corner of the drawing area. The user-defined coordinate system is, by default, identical to the absolute system until a new origin is defined. The user-defined coordinate system is unique for each file. When 2D coordinates are used, they are always relative to user-defined origin.

Locates the user-defined origin while defining the locations of a 2D objects
User Origin - UCO

Locates the user-defined origin or resets to the absolute origin.


2D Drawing Aids

The following aids are available to help you while creating 2D objects:


Grid

The orthogonal grid provides better drawing orientation and enables snapping to grid points. The grid is displayed in two levels of brightness. When the grid density is too high to display, the grid is automatically turned off. Snap distances can be smaller than the grid spacing.

The grid can be especially useful when translating entire sections of a 2D drawing or inserting 3D view exports. Grid snapping is available even when the grid is not displayed. Entered values are rounded to the nearest multiple of the snap distance. If you want to use the same grid in subsequent files, save the current settings as default.

Grid – GRI, Ctrl + G

Sets the grid spacing or turns the grid on or off.


Construction Lines

Construction lines are “helper,” “auxiliary,” or temporary lines, independent of any other objects. You can create individual constructions lines or a mesh, and objects or other construction lines can be placed at the intersection points of other constructions lines. Construction lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal according to two user-defined angles.

The number of construction lines is limited to 100 for horizontal or vertical, and 30 for diagonal. You can define Angle 1 and Angle 2, but if any constructions lines using those angles exist, they must be deleted before the angle can be changed. Construction line functions are available in the Construction Lines toolbar, and from the Objects / Drawing Aids menu.


Creating Construction Lines

You can create construction lines as:


Deleting Construction Lines

You can delete all construction lines, delete individually by type (horizontal, vertical, diagonal), or delete all lines by type.



Construction Lines toolbar


Example: construction lines used to create a side view


Increment Cursor Mode

When not in Increment mode, the cursor moves smoothly and defined locations are based on display resolution. When using Increment mode, cursor locations are rounded to the nearest multiple of the increment distance. The square or arrow cursor movements are still smooth; only the resulting locations are rounded. Crosshair cursor movements “jump” in the defined steps. Increment mode is indicated in the Status Bar. Increment mode is especially useful when used in conjunction with a user-defined origin.


Increment Cursor Mode - STP, F9

Turns Increment mode on or off, or sets the xy increments of cursor movement.


Ortho Mode

In Ortho mode, lines are always horizontal or vertical. You can also use Alternating Ortho mode, in which lines alternate between horizontal and vertical, regardless of cursor position. Ortho mode is indicated in the Status Bar.


Ortho On - F11

Turns on Ortho mode. If Ortho mode is already on, Alternating Ortho will be used. Pressing F11 again will change the direction of the next line from horizontal to vertical or vice-versa.

Ortho Alternating H/V

Turns on Ortho mode, alternating horizontal and vertical lines. The first line is horizontal.

Ortho Alternating V/H

Turns on Ortho mode, alternating horizontal and vertical lines. The first line is vertical.

Ortho Off - Shift + F11