When you create geometry, you can enter point coordinates directly from the Feature/Geometry Edit bar.
This method is exact but not always convenient or feasible. You can also pick points directly on the screen with the mouse, although this method may be less precise.
To increase the drawing precision, FeatureCAM uses the snap and grid functionality. The grid can be displayed as either lines or points and serves as a visual distance reference. Snap is a set of evenly spaced invisible hot spots that restrict the points that you can pick with your mouse, and therefore helps you position lines, points or shapes more precisely. To control how the cursor snaps, use the Snapping modes. Snapping to grid is the most common mode, and enables you to snap to a point on a coordinate system that is laid out on the stock. The grid plane rotates with the viewing plane: in a front or back view, the grid is in the X plane; in a right or left view, the grid is in the Y plane; and in the top or bottom view, the grid is in the Z plane. The procedure below allows you to adjust the grid size.
To adjust the grid:
- Select Options > Display > Snapping Grid.
- In the Grid Style section, select whether you want the grid displayed as lines (default) or points.
- Choose a
Display option:
Always displays the grid, even if you have turned off snapping to grid.
Never hides the grid even if you have turned on snapping to grid.
Automatic displays the grid only when you are snapping to grid.
- The grid redraws dynamically to match your zoom level. To turn off dynamic spacing, select Fixed in the Spacing section and enter values in the X and Y Spacing fields.
- In the
Size section, select how you want the grid displayed in the graphics window:
Unlimited — The grid fills the graphics window.
Resize to Stock — The grid fills the area defined by the stock.
Fixed — Enter values to determine the size and position of the grid.
- In the Sections field enter the number of segments to divide the open geometry into when snapping to sections.
- Click OK.