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  1. #1
    Administrator BlackBox's Avatar
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    Default AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    Think 2018-2019 AutoCAD's half-baked Viewport Grip feature sucks?

    Me too, so I created a new VPGRIPMODE system variable that allows users to choose how the Centroid & Viewport Grips behave.

    AUGI doesn't support animated .GIF images (for some reason!?), so here's a quick video demonstration: https://www.screencast.com/t/x8nbQlhO3NJt


    I tried to work with the AutoCAD Team on this since 2019 first came out, imploring them to give users the choice... Or I would.

    They've chosen to ignore all requests
    to fix this (not just mine), so to make good on my word, I've just submitted this app to Autodesk Exchange as a FREE app. Not looking for app sales here (it's FREE), just sharing the good news that you'll soon be able to circumvent another poorly done #Autodeskruption.

    Cheers

    Code:
    VPGRIPMODE 
    
    Initial Value:  2
    Saved In:       Registry
    Type:           Integer
    
    Change How PaperSpace Viewport Grips Behave.
    
    0 - Centroid & Viewport Grips Disabled
    1 - Centroid Grip Enabled (Viewport Grip Disabled)
    2 - Centroid & Viewport Grips Enabled (Fixed, No Size Change When Scaled)
    3 - Centroid & Viewport Grips Enabled (Faulty, Size Change When Scaled 'As Designed')
    Last edited by BlackBox; 2018-12-04 at 06:25 PM.
    "How we think determines what we do, and what we do determines what we get."

    Sincpac C3D ~ Autodesk Exchange Apps

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    Default Re: AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    I've always liked the way defaults were different using grips. Base Point is preselected but still an option, Copy mode must be turned on before mirroring, there's no option afterwards. Most of the time I use them it's because it's the fastest method for what I'm trying to do.

    Until this "triangular scale grip" though grip functions did exactly the same thing as regular functions though they were often more efficient. If I wanted to scale a viewport (for the first time in over a quarter century of using AutoCAD) I'd select a square grip and select Scale from the right-click menu. This new "Feature" makes no sense at all and must have been created by a coder who has never actually done any drawing.

  3. #3
    Administrator BlackBox's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Beauford View Post
    This new "Feature" makes no sense at all and must have been created by a coder who has never actually done any drawing.
    Many of us have said the same thing... Autodesk's only response was that this inconsistent behavior was done intentionally, which is an embarrassment. #ShameShameShame #GoT

    I'm not even opposed to the new behavior per-se... Just confused as to why they failed to provide an option to make it consistent (either way), so that changing Viewport Scale via new Viewport Grip, or legacy Properties pane, Quick Properties or Tray icon all behave the same?


    Hrrm... Perhaps I should add a mode to 'fix' for when user wants all Viewport Scale changes to re-size the Viewport?
    "How we think determines what we do, and what we do determines what we get."

    Sincpac C3D ~ Autodesk Exchange Apps

    Computer Specs:
    Dell Precision 3660, Core i9-12900K 5.2GHz, 64GB DDR5 RAM, PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD (RAID 0), 16GB NVIDIA RTX A4000

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    Administrator Ed Jobe's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    2018 does it too. Its stoopid. It would be nice to have an option not to use it. I used to have a vba command that was similar. It allowed you to zoom to a view that you wanted, then it chose a standard scale which is nearest to that view. The size of the viewport didn't change. It would be nice to have a combination of yours and mine. I just wish that when you click the triangle grip, it would still show a check on the current scale, but it could highlight the scale that was nearest to the current view. Currently, it just selects "Custom" and you have no idea what scale that is set to. I also had it detect if there was a titleblock with a SCALE attribute and update the attribute.
    Last edited by Ed Jobe; 2018-12-04 at 03:52 PM.
    C:> ED WORKING....

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    Administrator BlackBox's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Jobe View Post
    2018 does it too. Its stoopid. It would be nice to have an option not to use it. I used to have a vba command that was similar. It allowed you to zoom to a view that you wanted, then it chose a standard scale which is nearest to that view. The size of the viewport didn't change. It would be nice to have a combination of yours and mine. I just wish that when you click the triangle grip, it would still show a check on the current scale, but it could highlight the scale that was nearest to the current view. Currently, it just selects "Custom" and you have no idea what scale that is set to. I also had it detect if there was a titleblock with a SCALE attribute and update the attribute.
    That's kind of awesome, Ed... I'd love to collaborate on something like that, or help you get your app published if you prefer.

    Yeah, didn't mean to limit to 2019. Initial release in 2018 didn't even obey HIDEXREFSCALES sysvar; how dumb can you be.

    While we will not be able to modify the native Viewport Grip Menu, we can at least report some of that helpful information (i.e., current value and approx/closest Scale?) to Command Line or perhaps even use Transient Graphics (WorldDraw.Geometry.Text()?) near the Grip (just calculate the pixel distance to nearest Editor window edge and place it on the near side, opposite the Grip Menu which always displays on the side with more room or Top when exactly at half way point [so, info under Grip])?

    I also wanted to add a Glyph that indicates when the Viewport is display locked; I remove the Grip (when display locked) in my app, as the OOTB Grip still works, drops down, even lets user pick a Scale (it just doesn't change anything, ya know, because it's display locked).

    As for your automagically setting closest Scale idea, I can see it now... VPSTICKYSCALES sysvar! Haha

    Cheers
    Last edited by BlackBox; 2018-12-04 at 06:38 PM.
    "How we think determines what we do, and what we do determines what we get."

    Sincpac C3D ~ Autodesk Exchange Apps

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  6. #6
    Administrator Ed Jobe's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    Mine is a cmd with a dialog. I got started converting it to .net but never finished it.
    C:> ED WORKING....

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    Default Re: AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    Thanks so much! We all thought the new viewport scaling was strangely designed and I am glad to see someone came up with a solution and is willing to share it with us for FREE! I don't see it on the App Exchange yet but I am watching for it.
    Nancy

    Quote Originally Posted by BlackBox View Post
    Think 2018-2019 AutoCAD's half-baked Viewport Grip feature sucks?
    Me too, so I created a new VPGRIPMODE system variable that allows users to choose how the Centroid & Viewport Grips behave.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    In house we have a routine that after you have the correct scale in model space chosen say 1/8" for 1/8" scale plan, it will have you create the box you want in modelspace, flip to layout tab with the sheet on it, allow you to select the anchor point of the viewport. It will then create that viewport and lock it (so you don't accidentally zoom or pan if you click in the space). It was created over 10 years ago, so I don't even know where the script is housed on our system but a very handy tool. The same person who created that, created tabs at least 3 years before Autodesk included them. Sadly they aren't around anymore, but hopefully this will inspire one of you to do the same to create a one click viewport button that does so much more.

    Quote Originally Posted by NEaton View Post
    Thanks so much! We all thought the new viewport scaling was strangely designed and I am glad to see someone came up with a solution and is willing to share it with us for FREE! I don't see it on the App Exchange yet but I am watching for it.
    Nancy

  9. #9
    Administrator BlackBox's Avatar
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    Default Re: AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    Looks like this (free) ViewportGrip app has been published; see the link in my signature if interested.

    Please try and break it.


    Happy Christmas!
    "How we think determines what we do, and what we do determines what we get."

    Sincpac C3D ~ Autodesk Exchange Apps

    Computer Specs:
    Dell Precision 3660, Core i9-12900K 5.2GHz, 64GB DDR5 RAM, PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD (RAID 0), 16GB NVIDIA RTX A4000

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    Default Re: AutoCAD's Half-Baked Viewport Grip Feature

    Love the idea that the viewport no longer changes size when changing the scale, but I ran into an issue using this app when trying to move or copy a viewport to another location on the sheet. Just doesn't seem to work. The centroid stays at the previous location and the new/moved viewport is blank.

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