Guide for On-Screen Icons

Yes – indeed – Richard and the community here really add enormous value to an already great program!

Thanks Mike for your tip – I’ve not got to vacuum pipes yet..! No doubt I’ll use your tip!

Jon

I did search for andquot;Extrude toolandquot; info in on line help but the icon shown is not large enough or clear enough for me to identify…. pointing out it’s location on the screen with a locating arrow would be a HUGH help!
Thanks again.

If you find any icons without tool tip help, or if the tool tip help does not lead you to the icon in the help file please let me know and I’ll make an update.

The Extrude Tool can be found by searching the online help for andquot;Extrude Toolandquot;.

Richard

Did that. Some of the icons are so small they are indistinguishable to me. A template would be OH SO HELPFUL. Incidentally, in the Tutorial on Cross Section Modeling a reference is made at bot. of page 1 to andquot;Drag and drop an ‘Extrude Tool’ object on to your scene.andquot; What is he talking about or was this on an earlier version…. Are the extrude objects he is talking about the ones now on the working screne in the lower right corner????

Not in one place. But they are all described in the online help. Just go to the section of help that they apply to. Or hover over the icon to get the tool tip help and search help for the words in the tool tip help.

Richard

Just getting started with 3D LP.. is there a printable guide to all the on screen icons somewhere in the help files? andnbsp;It is a little overwhelming for a newbie!

Thanks for the road map. andnbsp; I found that in the newest upgrade (5.5) you can also access the extrude option by clicking on the object and then right clicking to get the pop up message……much easier than hunting around the desktop.

Are you sure? That’s the extrude operation, not the extrude tool!

As long as you’re getting the desired effect though, that’s all that matters!!

Jon

I’ve not used the extrude tool before but it’s one of the brown coloured icons near the primitives (cube, cylinder…) I think (not currently near my 3DCP PC but will edit this post if I find I am misleading you.

You have to select Object building tools before you see it alongside the lathe tool etc.

If you hover over the icons – a pop-up-label appears, describing the icon which should help you identify all the others you are looking for!!

A guide would be a useful resource for newbies though – maybe if I get time, I will produce one on the web! [note maybe… <!– s:-) –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_smile.gif" alt="" title="Smile" /><!– s:-) –> )

Jon

Searching the online help for andquot;Extrude Toolandquot; produces a number of entries including andquot;Extrude Toolandquot;. If you click the andquot;Extrude Toolandquot; entry you will find more information on using the Extrude Tool.

All of the icons are shown in the online help. There is no practical way of drawing arrows to everything. But every icon is shown with a description next to it. If you hover over a button it will give you its description. If the description is not enough you can use this description to search through the help.

Richard

Thanks Jon and Richard. andnbsp;Good explanations. andnbsp;This is one reason I am a big believer in Printed Manuals. andnbsp;I know they are expensive but many such simple basic questions could be easily answered with a text in front of me to study… on screen and on line helps are good… but they are limited in my opinion. andnbsp;:

Yes – this is true! The human brain can read a printed page much more quickly than a screen. Good web practice is to reduce the amount of text in a document created from print to the minimum for this very reason.

I have always got more out of the practical tutorials written by Richard, Ian…. many more… possibly I will add a tutorial or two soon…. than out of the in-program help screens.

I find the in-program files a useful reference if a little too abstract at times.

I have always printed out the tutorials though as I like to work through them from a hard-copy. Pictures speak a thousand words as it is said and these tutorials have always been backed up by screenshots which really help.

No substitute for practical experience and trial/error though!

Jon

Absolutely correct. andnbsp;I spent 5 1/2 hours on Sunday trying to convert to MSTS format. andnbsp;If Richard had not been on line to walk me through the steps I would still be searching for answers. andnbsp; Best #34.95 I’ve ever spent on a computer program. andnbsp;It really pays when the developers are there to answer your questions or show a willingness to search for solutions WITH YOU. andnbsp;Thanks to all at Amabilis and Richard and the support team. <!– s:D –><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!– s:D –>

Well… The extrude operation extrudes a face on your object a user designated distance perpendicular to the face.

I’m not exactly sure but I think the extrude tool allows you to create a face/object by defining a cross section path. You can use curves between points on the path or straight lines. If you use a background image as a guide you can achieve fairly accurate results.

The tool is described well in the cross-section modelling tutorial.

The operation is simpler, but has an entirely different effect!

Jon

What’s the difference? andnbsp;Doesn’t the extrude operation require the extrude tool? andnbsp;If so, when accessing the tool maybe the program automatically links to the operation????