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-
- Sub-part, Introduction
-
- In QD3D, the users work is filed in a QD3D ``part file'' as a
- part. The user can read this information back into the work area
- in one of two ways:
-
- 1. As a part. The information is retrieved exactly as it was
- stored. This is exactly equivalent to reading in a sub-
- drawing in QikDraw 2D.
-
- 2. As a sub-part. The part previously stored can be read in
- as one entity, a sub-part. It can be retrieved in at any
- angle and any scaling along any of the three coordinate
- axes. A sub-part is an actual QD3D element, and unless
- unpacked, can be treated as one element, ie moved,
- changed, deleted etc.
-
- Thus sub-parts are old parts that are read into the current
- working area as one complete entity. They can be read again from
- the part file into the current working area at any angle, size
- or axes scale.
-
- They can be deleted or manipulated as separate elements and can
- be unpacked into their component lines, points, circles, curves,
- planes, cylinders, revolved arcs and paths.
-
- When a sub-part is added to the working area, only one point is
- added, the sub-part reference point. Sub-parts are located by
- snapping to their reference point.
-
-
- "SUB ADD"
-
- This command allows the user to add a sub-part to the current
- working area. He/she must specify the part file to select the
- sub-part from, then choose the sub-part from that file. The sub-
- part can be added to the screen at any user specified position.
-
- Procedure
- . Select the part file in tertiary menu to read the part from.
- . Select the sub-part from the list in tertiary menu.
- . Locate the point on the screen to place the part.
-
- This sub-part, when added, will consist of only one point, its
- sub-part reference point. It can be manipulated as a sub-part,
- ie. as one entity, and can also be unpacked into component
- entities and points. Once unpacked, it can no longer be treated
- as a sub-part, but its component entities can be separately
- manipulated.
-
-
- "SUB DEL"
-
- This command is used to delete a sub-part from the current
- working area. To select a sub-part, the user must snap to the
- ____
- sub-part reference point. If this point cannot be seen, select
- DRAW POINT and then SUB DEL.
-
-
- "SUB UNPCK"
-
- A sub-part can be unpacked into component entities if desired.
- Once a sub-part has been unpacked it can no longer be
- manipulated as a sub-part but only as component entities and
- points.
-
-
- "SUB CHANG"
-
- A sub-part can be changed to reflect the current colour and
- layer definitions. This is the same as for circles. Refer to 5.5
- CIRCL CHANG for details.
-
-
- "SUB SPECI"
-
- When this command is selected, a display of options appears in
- tertiary menu. The user can change any of the default attributes
- given to a sub-part when it is read in.
-
- When a sub-part is read into the current drawing, the X,Y and Z
- axes ratios are defined at a ratio of 1:1:1, by default. The
- user may change these ratios if desired. Also the rotation about
- each of the three axes is set at 0.0 by default. These can also
- be changed.
-
- When the user selects this command, a tertiary menu flashes up,
- and the user can select at will which properties to alter before
- reading a part into the current working area. These options are:
-
- Option Nature of Option
-
- X SCALE Resets the X scale ratio.
-
- Y SCALE Resets the Y scale ratio.
-
- Z SCALE Resets the Z scale ratio
-
- X ROT Resets the rotation about the X axis of the part.
-
- Y ROT Resets the rotation about the Y axis of the part.
-
- Z ROT Resets the rotation about the Z axis of the part.
-
- COLOUR The sub-part can be retrieved with the
- colours it had when stored or with the
- current colour definition.
-
- The user just selects one of these from tertiary menu and
- supplies a new value. When finished, the user presses the
- termination button.
- termination
-
- Thus any sub-part read from a part file using the command SUB
- ADD will be added according to the current definitions set using
- this command.
-
-
- "SUB TRANS"
-
- This command provides a convenient method of translating a sub-
- part. The sub-part must be located and then two points
- specified to imply a translation vector.
-
-