Editing Primitives

Primitives can be selected individually and as a group and edited using the edit handles, the edit toolbar and their respective specification dialogs.

Using the Mouse

Primitives can be edited similar to CAD boxes or circles. When selected, a primitive displays six edit handles: a Move handle, a Rotate handle and a Resize handle on each edge. Unlike CAD boxes or circles, primitives do not have corner Resize edit handles.

Using the Edit Buttons

A selected primitive or primitives can be edited in a variety of ways using the buttons on the edit toolbar. See "Using the Edit Toolbar".

As with most objects, primitives can be copied, replicated, moved, deleted, etc. The following edit toolbar buttons may display on the edit toolbar for selected primitives.

Click the Open Object

edit button to open the specification dialog for the selected primitive(s).

Click the Make Architectural Block

edit button to block the selected primitive(s) together. See "Creating Architectural Blocks".

Click the Center Object

edit button to center the selected primitive(s) along a wall. See "Centering Doors and Windows".

Click the Move to Front

edit button to display the selected primitive in front of other objects in floor plan view. See "Move to Front of Group".

Click the Reverse Direction

edit button to reverse the direction of the selected primitive's line style. See "Reverse Direction".

Click the Union edit button to join two or more primitive objects. See "Union, Intersection, and Subtract".

Click the Intersection

edit button to create a new primitive defined by the areas shared by the original primitives. See "Union, Intersection, and Subtract".

Click the Subtract

edit button, then click on a second primitive to remove the area shared by both primitives. See "Union, Intersection, and Subtract".

Creating Complex Structures with Primitives

Primitive objects can be manipulated and combined to produce complex structures. Use the Union , Intersection

and Subtract

edit tools to create unique 3D shapes and combine shapes into Architectural Blocks

. See "Architectural Blocks".

A custom chimney can be designed using 3D Boxes

and Cylinders and the Union and Subtract

edit tools.

A detailed model truck can be created using 3D Boxes

and Cylinders and the Union , Intersection

and Subtract

edit tools.

Decorative stone columns can be modeled using 3D Boxes

and the Union , and Subtract

edit tools.

When a primitive has been manipulated using the Union , Intersection

and Subtract

edit tools, it is no longer a primitive that can be resized or reshaped using the edit handles or specification dialog. Instead, it is a considered a solid. See "Solid Specification Dialog".