By Tobinski - 11/25/2021 12:07:21 AM
Hi SD Team.
Is there any way now or that can be implimeted to have a poly line measureing tool. This is a realy handy tool for measuring cabvle paths
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By Rob Robinson - 11/25/2021 7:35:56 AM
Hi Toby,
Just to clarify what your objective is, rather than imagining one possible solution for that objective, some questions:
1. Do you need to know the entire length of a Cable object? Or just part of the Cable? What about the length of other objects?
2. What do you want to do with that information? Display it on the drawing? In the Cable Schedule? Anywhere else?
3. in what drawing types is this a requirement? (Block Schematic? Rack Layout? Panel Layout? etc)
In other words, what is the problem you're trying to solve?
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By Tobinski - 11/25/2021 10:37:25 PM
+xHi Toby, Just to clarify what your objective is, rather than imagining one possible solution for that objective, some questions: 1. Do you need to know the entire length of a Cable object? Or just part of the Cable? What about the length of other objects? 2. What do you want to do with that information? Display it on the drawing? In the Cable Schedule? Anywhere else? 3. in what drawing types is this a requirement? (Block Schematic? Rack Layout? Panel Layout? etc) In other words, what is the problem you're trying to solve?
Hi Rob
In PDF programs there is a perimiter measuring tool ( see below) it gives the total distance of the drawn line. We use this now to estimate cable & cable path lentghts. Given most runs are from a rack to a technical panel we can then work out estimated cable required accross a job.
We have been trying to do more inside stardraw so we dont have to keep switching between PDF tools, Revit and Aotocad as it makes tracking the project easier. The distance does not need to be on the cable oject, we typlically dont use cable objects in plan view so as not to create additional data on the cable schedule export, we use lines and polylines to show cable paths.
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By Rob Robinson - 11/26/2021 11:56:33 AM
Hi Toby,
OK, part of the problem that you want to solve is to get the measurement of the distance between 2 points as described by an arbitrary path. Can we assume that the path can be described by a single polyline i.e. made of straight line segments? Or are there times when one or more of those segments might be a curve?
Now that we know that you want the non-direct distance between 2 points the next question is what do you want to do with that data? Should the value appear on the drawing or could it be implemented as a field in the Properties Grid, or...?
Once you have the value, how will you use it? Is it just a case of manually transcribing the value into some other platform where you do the estimation, or...?
Is any data other than just the distance required?
Hopefully you can see how this process of trying to understand the problem you're trying to solve works, fully examining the requirements as opposed to settling on a possible solution. When we understand exactly what you want to achieve, then we can figure out the best way to do that in an elegant and flexible fashion 
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By Tobinski - 11/28/2021 10:56:03 PM
+xHi Toby, OK, part of the problem that you want to solve is to get the measurement of the distance between 2 points as described by an arbitrary path. Can we assume that the path can be described by a single polyline i.e. made of straight line segments? Or are there times when one or more of those segments might be a curve? Now that we know that you want the non-direct distance between 2 points the next question is what do you want to do with that data? Should the value appear on the drawing or could it be implemented as a field in the Properties Grid, or...? Once you have the value, how will you use it? Is it just a case of manually transcribing the value into some other platform where you do the estimation, or...? Is any data other than just the distance required? Hopefully you can see how this process of trying to understand the problem you're trying to solve works, fully examining the requirements as opposed to settling on a possible solution. When we understand exactly what you want to achieve, then we can figure out the best way to do that in an elegant and flexible fashion
Hi Rob
In answer to your question.
- The measurement we would like is a single polyline made up of stright segmants.
- How the measurement data is presented. So many options.....
1. In the properties grids ( same as lenght for a line) this measurement is then transferred manually to a speadsheet, the spreadsheet is our cable scheduel which starts life as an export from SD7 and is then formated down to show specific inforamtion.
2. If a tool similar to cable tool existed that could be used to cable tray and conduct. however this may present a number of challenges as each cable path would need a specifie name and then some foom ok link to a start or end location.
3. Linked to location object
- We have created a custom symbol that we call a loaction marker (exist as a plan and panel symbol) We use this to identify technical planel location in plan view. In panel view this marker prompts us to draw the panel. If this marker had a destination stub ( for a lack of a betterword) that a poly line could snap to and then record the lenght of this line that would be an interesting feature. Taking it a step further the location marker could act as sub heading in panel view allowing you to collpase or expand products with the same location.
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By Rob Robinson - 11/29/2021 5:52:20 PM
Hi Toby,
Thanks for the information. i think this gives us enough to go on for internal discussion but we'll post back here if we have further questions.
One request, though; could you email a project file to techsupport@stardraw.com that would serve as an example with panels, location markers etc? This would be very helpful - thanks.
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