The scaling tool is handy but it is seriously lacking compared to similar tools in other apps.
I often need the ability to scale an object to an exact length, where I need proportional scaling. This is incredibly tedious to do in the app as I have to calculate a percentage to apply to a uniform scale. Even doing this calculation you can never get the exact length required without tons of fidgeting.
There has to be a way of scaling something to an exact length proportionally, right?
No, there isn’t. If you follow the right workflow, usually you don’t need it. If you do, then you can do it with a simple division and multiplication.
My experience is that using a calculation to figure out the scale percentage never gets me exactly what I need. I understand that, under most circumstances, this does not crop up when creating something from scratch in the app. But when you are importing something, it does not always import at the correct size. Then you have to g through the process of figuring out what length it is and what length you want it to be, then do a uniform scale to get there. That sort of works, but it never seems to get exactly what you want, so you have to start tweaking to try and get it right. In something like Affinity Designer, you can link the width and height, type in either of those values, and the object scales proportionally to your exact dimension. Simple and efficient.
It’s important to note that the workflow for a 3D CAD software like Shapr3D is generally quite different from the workflow for a 2D design software like Affinity Designer. While both software programs can be used for creating and modifying designs, they have different capabilities and are optimized for different types of tasks.
Scaling is a common operation in 2D design software like Affinity Designer, as it allows you to change the size of an element or group of elements without distorting their shape. However, scaling is generally not a good idea in a 3D CAD software like Shapr3D, as it can cause problems with the geometric relationships between different features or bodies in the model.
Can you provide a specific example where you feel that you need to use scaling in your work with Shapr3D?
Aloha Istvan:
I only need to do this scaling with imported 2D sketches. Invariably, these have been created from SVG files that have been converted to DXF to import them into Shapr3D. This is where the problem arises, as the SVG size might be large and even larger when converted to a DXF.
So, for example, today, I needed to import a shape (2D) into the app, and because I cannot use an SVG, I converted it to a DXF file. Once it was imported, it was around 145" long, where I needed the final size to be 4.5" long scaled proportionally. I used the mathematical approach but could never get the exact size I needed. Hence my frustration.
So you are right; I would not be using this approach with 3D objects that have been imported. I only need to do this with 2D sketches imported from my vector software.
I suspect once an SVG can be imported directly, this might be a lot simpler, but until that arrives, I have been doing this.
Here’s an example of scaling down from 145" to 4.5". This is as exact as it gets.
Aah! I had forgotten about the fact that you perform the calculations within the dimension popup window. That does make things a little easier.
I have now figured I can do what I need using this approach. Thanks for the help