Square copy array help please

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monlover
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Square copy array help please

Post by monlover »

Hi,
still playing with the free version and still have a long way to go, so need some quick help from the professionals please

I am trying to draw front panel has 3 doors, does not matter what is the door width all i need is to spaced equal.
full panel width is 103" and will need to leave 3" to start the first panel and 3" at the other end of the panel and 3 inch in between each panel.
does not matter the width of each door of the three doors.
i know i can do some calculation but i want to get it through v carve pro so i can use this method with more sophisticated projects in the future.

Thank you in advance.
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highpockets
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Re: Square copy array help please

Post by highpockets »

Look at "Copy object along vector" in the Offset and layout area of the drawing tab.
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Adrian
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Re: Square copy array help please

Post by Adrian »

I can't think of a way of doing that directly in VCarve that would be any quicker than the simple maths. It's the spacing in VCarve that is variable rather than the objects themselves. The spacing tool within the alignment section doesn't use fixed spacing but it will space objects equally within as does the tool suggested in the previous post.

tomgardiner
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Re: Square copy array help please

Post by tomgardiner »

Try using math functions within offset vectors. In your case I would draw a vertical line the height of the panel. Open offset vectors tab. In distance window type 97/3=. Do that three times to give you give you four vectors equally spaced with a combine width of 97". Now you can draw your doors with sufficient gap.

Bobtail Farm
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Square copy array help please

Post by Bobtail Farm »

If I don't misunderstand your question, I would draw the negative space (i.e., draw the rectangles 3" wide each that would be outside the panels) at each end and in between the panels and then use the space selection tool within alignment to set the "interior" ones. I use layers and would place the negative space rectangles on a separate layer. Use the horizontal measuring tool and create the panels as rectangles, or dynamically draw the panels (rectangles) to fit. Then I'd place the actual panels within the evenly spaced "openings" between, using the align to selection tool, selecting each "panel" in turn and selecting the appropriate "negative space" rectangle.
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Adrian
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Re: Square copy array help please

Post by Adrian »

I would use a formula in the width field of the Create Rectangle dialog. That way you will get a correct sized door that you can copy with the spacing using the array copy tools or by using the space alignment tool.

The width of each panel is "(available width - (number of doors + 1) * gap) / number of doors)" so for the example from the first post (available width = 103, number of doors = 3, gap = 3) the string to enter into the width of the rectangle tool would be "(103-(4*3)/3)=" which will give a width of 30.33 recurring for the door or for four doors it would be "(103-(5*3)/4)=" to give a width of 22.

You could create document variables for the gaps,doors and width if the calculation would be repeated elsewhere in the job.

As is often the case there are many ways of skinning the same cat it's all about finding the one that you are most comfortable with. I always like formulas as it's easier to automate things that way.

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