Cope Tool and HSS Members

[chad_lueptow]

I'm having problems with the cope tool and hss members. If I cope the hss with a wide flange member, the solid lines are coped but the hidden lines are not when viewed in fine detail. Anyone have a fix for this? See attached image of wideflange and hss in plan (image 2), and hss brace to wideflange in elevation (image 1).
Thanks for your time.

[rmcelvain.103137]

Chad,

I get the same results as you. The only work-around I can think of is "don't cope HSS tubes". Drag it back beyond the WF, use linework to make the end invisible and add detail lines to suit your need. Let me know if you find anything better (hopefully someone will have a nicer fix than this....).

[Paul Andersen]

Hey Guys, The method I've been using most often for this situation is to cope them. Then use the linework tool set to invisible line. Left click one of the hidden symbolic lines and note the blue grips that show up at either end. Left click drag the end that is not extending beyond the tube end and drag it to the end of the tube. This will result in the invisible line only covering the hidden line which extends beyond the tube end. If you need to do this to both ends hit the hidden line with the linework tool again and repeat the same procedure. If at any point you need to adjust the ends of the invisible line simply pick the linework tool set to invisible line, hover over the invisible line and then left click on it. This will display the grips of the invisible line which you can then adjust again by dragging. I hope that all made sense.

It would be nice if the coping tool could handle this automatically in the future. It would also be nice if it weren't necessary to extend the members by dragging their ends prior to coping. Other software packages I've used have the ability to set automatic coping and every member is coped as it is placed with no extra steps required. Then you simply adjust the special cases manually.