Really need Ellipse and a decent spline

mark_biasotti

I'm finding it really hard to go forward with the limited sketch entities that OS provides. I really need Ellipse and I need a decent spline entity - Conic would be super nice to have also. The current spline tool is practically useless without endpoint tangency vector and magnitude control (that is all in addition that I'm asking for.) Also what makes this sketch entity pretty useless out-of-the-box is that you cannot delete interim spline points after the spline is created (at least I could not figure it out) which because of it's limited capability is almost always going to be something the user must do to get the right shape.

Mark

paul_chastell

Hi Mark,

For the most part I'm going to be asking you to wait: we do understand that ellipses and conics will be needed. Likewise, the ability to insert or remove points from a spline is something we would expect to have at a later date.

As for the tangency vector direction and magnitude at ends, we currently provide a handle that controls the direction and magnitude. It is a point like any other and so you could constraint that point, e.g. add a dimension between it and the end of the spline. You could draw a construction line between the spline end and handle if you wanted to do line stuff with it, e.g. dimension the angle, make it horizontal. I've demonstrated a couple of those techniques in the splines document that I made public. I've also attached a screenshot. If having the line between those points would be regularly useful it is also something we could add on our list of improvements for later.

mark_biasotti

Okay, thanks Paul. I did not notice it because it looks like an interim spline point because it initially lies directly on the spline and is the same color and size. (Are you listening Andy?)

Mark

paul_chastell

Yes, fair point. A distinct appearance is something we could consider.

mark_biasotti

Ah.. Could consider... How about must consider it you ever want users to discover it :-)
Also you need to get in there soon or their use will be very cumbersome.

Mark

Joel B. Schwartz

After stumbling with the spline tool for a bit I finally turned to the help docs for what I expected would be an intuitive tool to use. I echo Mark's points: (1) deleting and adding interim points is key, and (2) the tangency control must have a unique appearance to be discoverable.

fastwayjim

I agree... It is a bit confusing at first when you sketch a simple 2nd order spline, and it appears to be a 4th order. I also would like the handle to be a line, where you could assign it an "equal" constraint if desired. In order to do it now, I need to create additional lines between the end points/control vector endpoints to be able to add the equal constraint.

Also, I like to dimension control vector lines, specially when they specifically highlight, for example, a pull angle on a plastic injection molded/cast part...

greg_takacs

So 2+ years and still no advancement on this? Without a proper spline tool with bezier adjustment this tool