Rotating sections

[anders.hedman]

Would be grateful for a tip on rotating sections. Occasionally some sections are not drawn properly perpendicular to the walls. To correct this is not that easy, it is possible to rotate the section in plan view but the section annotation does not react to snaps so there is nothing to grab hold of to get the exact direction. Aligning does not work either. I have obviously missed something, to draw a new section means that all callouts, texts annotations etc. has to be redone.

[aaronrumple]

Draw a wall parallel to the direction you want the section to be. When you rotate the section it will snap in alignment with the wall.

[anders.hedman]

Thanks,
I just recognized that
the center of rotation has to be moved to the end of the section , of course.

[anders.hedman]

One interesting thing. After rotating the section the callout annotations disappeared, but the callouts did not. The annotations obviously exist on the former now invisible section "level", it would of course be nice to get them back! Their angle has changed though because it is now possible to draw dimensions on them. (this was the original reason for rotating the section to right angle)

[jtpark.79952]

I can't make either of these methods work. After selecting the section and choosing the rotate command, I tried picking the end points of the section for a reference angle. Even though the snap marker pops up, it appears that it doesn't actually pick the end points but chooses a random point in space in the vicinity of the end point.

I don't understand the other method of drawing a parrallel wall. Where do you draw it? How does the section snap to it? Where do I click for the reference angle and where do I click for the new angle? I have walls already at the angle that I need and . The problem is that the section is off angle by such a small fraction that I never noticed untill I tried dimensioning. How do I get an existing section back to an angle of 0 degrees? If the section was already at 0, then I it would be easy to just use reference points from the wall.

[Gadget Man]

My method is a little different - I use temporary sections very often to find out the precise battering extends for Site earthworks, and often I need to create a section (temporary) at an odd angle, where the boundary of a building Pad (and therefore battering) curves.

First I simply check the required angle of rotation, then rotate (temporarily) the view I am working in. Now I just draw a horizontal section (snaps to horizontal perfectly), and rotate my view back the same angle (to the original position).

I found it to be very easy, accurate and quick method - but maybe it is just for me... ;)

[olivier.75639]

After selecting the section and choosing the rotate command, I tried picking the end points of the section for a reference angle. Even though the snap marker pops up, it appears that it doesn't actually pick the end points but chooses a random point in space in the vicinity of the end point.

In fact, there is a snapping point on the section line. It is located near the end marker and is ONLY "snappable" in some cases, i.e. when you rotate the section line or when you trace a reference plane. So my method is,

1. in plan, draw a reference plane starting from the special snapping point (at the end of the section line, switch to this marker if necessary) and pick the second point in order to give the ref. plan the desired final orientation;

2. in some situations, when the original section line is neither vertical nor horizontal, you need to switch the beginning marker to the end marker in order to have a second precious snapping point.

3. Do the rotation using the 1st snapping point as the center, and using the 2nd point and the previous ref plane to give accurate angle.

Long to explain, so easy to realize...

[iru69]

In fact, there is a snapping point on the section line. It is located near the end marker and is ONLY "snappable" in some cases, i.e. when you rotate the section line or when you trace a reference plane.
Nice explanation! But I think you were missing the point. As jtpark indicated, that after dragging the rotation-circle to the end marker, the end point highlights, you release the mouse button, and then the rotation-circle jumps off the end point and sticks itself a few pixels off. After completing the operation, I'm often left with a section line that appears to be a fraction off. Selecting "SE" (snap end) just before releasing the mouse button to select the end snap point seems to help keep the rotation-circle from jumping so much, but it still doesn't appear to be "perfect".

[olivier.75639]

Excuse me, Irusun, but as far as I zoom on 'my' snap point, even if it was created intentionaly in the worst condition (large scale view, approximate clicking), it is perfectly located. My construction appears accurate.

So, let me have an explanation for your remaining problem:
- the center of rotation is not automatically located on the section line you want to rotate, and you have to relocate it at the other snappable point.

I would like to show you this...

[DoTheBIM]

I've wondered about this very subject myself. I think we have two issues in one, but can be worked around. Just seems like a bug the factory should fix. These are the problems as I see them.

1. picking a section line, and then picking rotate... doesn't always locate the rotation center on the midpoint of the section line. must move rotation center to end of section line. you can not snap to an end where there is a section bubble even though it looks like it does by highlighting the endpoint... which happens to be problem number 2

2. see point #1's last statement. work around is to turn off the section bubble, rotate your section, then turn the bubble back on. by turning off the bubble, you can now snap to the ends of the section line accurately.

Problem #2 only occurs with the section bubble on. Has anyone reported either of these to the factory?

[jtpark.79952]

2. see point #1's last statement. work around is to turn off the section bubble, rotate your section, then turn the bubble back on. by turning off the bubble, you can now snap to the ends of the section line accurately.

Thanks for the responses. The problem I was having was due to the inaccurate snap point and was fixed by turning the section bubble off for the rotation. After exporting to autocad, I found out that the sections were off by .0058 of a degree! Who knows what the section snapped to when I first created it.