part editor functions

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KyleHepp
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Posts: 77
Joined: Wed, May 09 2007, 11:32AM
Location: Naples, FL

part editor functions

Post by KyleHepp »

I am using the parts editor to try to radius the corners OFF of a square. The parts are fixed shelves in an angle front cabinet. for all practical purposes lets view one of the shelves as a 14x14 square. suppose I want to change one of the 90 deg. corners to a 3\" radius ( where normally a jigsaw/router and template would be used to trim off the hard corner)

I have no problem setting the points and making the shape based off X & Y coordinates, but once the select button is clicked on, and I try to highlight, I'm only able to select the negative of what I actually want to cut off. It's cutting out the shape rather than leaving it and trimming OFF the hard corner?

What am I missing here?
Kerry Fullington
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Company Name: Double E Cabinets
Country: UNITED STATES
Location: Amarillo, TX

Post by Kerry Fullington »

Kyle,
For rounding corners it is easier to use the Fillet Tool. Once you select the tool it will ask you for your radius. You enter the radius and press \"Enter\" then click on one side of the object and then the adjoining side and you will get your rounded corner.

Are you trying to use Geometric Shapes to cut the corners or are you using the contour editor?

Kerry
Kerry Fullington
Wizard Member
Posts: 4718
Joined: Mon, May 09 2005, 7:33PM
Company Name: Double E Cabinets
Country: UNITED STATES
Location: Amarillo, TX

Post by Kerry Fullington »

Kyle,
It sounds like you are using the contour editor. After drawing your shape and exiting the contour editor, you will need to right click and choose \"Create Part Using Closed Contour\" you then click on your contour to highlight it and click next. You will have your part with rounded corners. If you have been choosing \"Cut Pocket Using Closed Contour\" it will leave the corners and cut out the middle.
Kerry
KyleHepp
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Posts: 77
Joined: Wed, May 09 2007, 11:32AM
Location: Naples, FL

Post by KyleHepp »

I was trying to use geometric shapes.

My actual parts I'm trying to modify is this: a 10.58x10.58 shelf. It is one of the 3 fixed shelfs in an angled front corner cabinet. Since it is an angled front corner cab, the shelf would best be described as a 10.5x10.5 square that you cropped off at a 45 deg miter so the back edges are 10.5 each, the side edges are 6\" each and the (angled) front is a hypoteneuse about 8.5\" what I essentially want to cutoff is so that I can make an elliptical rounded front edge. the part will look like a triangle whose hypoteneuse is an ellipse
Kerry Fullington
Wizard Member
Posts: 4718
Joined: Mon, May 09 2005, 7:33PM
Company Name: Double E Cabinets
Country: UNITED STATES
Location: Amarillo, TX

Post by Kerry Fullington »

Something like this?
KyleHepp
Junior Member
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed, May 09 2007, 11:32AM
Location: Naples, FL

Post by KyleHepp »

exactly 8)
KyleHepp
Junior Member
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed, May 09 2007, 11:32AM
Location: Naples, FL

Post by KyleHepp »

Anyone still here? I have tried to walk through this in eCabinetSystemsMadeEasy. I go into contour mode, manually enter the three coordinates which gives me the arc I want, switch to line mode and even MANUALLY enter every point to make sure that I am truly connected together...

Then there's NOPLACE I can find that I can make the closed geometry INTO closed geometry. -It LOOKS like a closed geometry shape,, but it won't highlight (and consequently you can't select it to \"red\")


I have my snap and grid both set to 1\" as directed in the manual

I must be missing something.
Kerry Fullington
Wizard Member
Posts: 4718
Joined: Mon, May 09 2005, 7:33PM
Company Name: Double E Cabinets
Country: UNITED STATES
Location: Amarillo, TX

Post by Kerry Fullington »

Kyle,
You have to create the closed contour. After creating your three point arc you can draw straight lines that outline your part and exit the contour editor and use create part using closed contour or you can draw lines outside your part that connect to the start and end point of your arc only then exit the contour editor and use cut pocket using closed contour and it will just cut the arc. I will see if I can find where this is explained in the manual and post it. It is covered pretty well.

Kerry
Kerry Fullington
Wizard Member
Posts: 4718
Joined: Mon, May 09 2005, 7:33PM
Company Name: Double E Cabinets
Country: UNITED STATES
Location: Amarillo, TX

Post by Kerry Fullington »

In the eCabinets Made Easy Manual do a search for \"Contour Editor\" and from the results choose \"Using the Part Editor\" This section explains this pretty well.

If I can make a suggestion, Order the printed version of this manual from the Member Store. It is much easier to learn from the printed manual.

Kerry
KyleHepp
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Posts: 77
Joined: Wed, May 09 2007, 11:32AM
Location: Naples, FL

Post by KyleHepp »

I printed the entire PDF collated, drilled holes, and loaded it into a 2\" three ring binder.

I do exactly as the book says for the walk through... After I create the shape and return to the main shape area ( expecting that what is now a closed geo shape will be highlighted and ready to cut, there is nothing but my blue outline of the shape I want to cut.

The book mentions \"extrude cut\" Is there a button for this, or is this ACCESSED by clicking on cut/pocket using closed contour?

Also I should mention, when I'm back in MAIN parts area, when I rt click and then select \"create part using closed geometry\" the only thing that happens is that a prompt message in the bottom left says \"select closed contour for creating part\" -I can't get anything to happen, and don't understand this :?
Kerry Fullington
Wizard Member
Posts: 4718
Joined: Mon, May 09 2005, 7:33PM
Company Name: Double E Cabinets
Country: UNITED STATES
Location: Amarillo, TX

Post by Kerry Fullington »

Kyle,
That is a problem in the manual. They were supposed to change that, the extrude button doesn't exist anymore.
After exiting the contour mode right click and choose \"Cut part from\" or \"Cut pocket using\" closed contour. Now mouse over one of the blue lines in your contour and click. The contour should turn green and a \"Next button will appear. Click next and if you are creating a part just wait until the shape changes. If you are cutting a pocket a dialogue box will appear asking the depth of the cut or a thorough cut. Enter that info and click OK. It should make the cut. You may have to turn off snap to grid to be able to select the contour.
Kerry
KyleHepp
Junior Member
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed, May 09 2007, 11:32AM
Location: Naples, FL

Post by KyleHepp »

Great..... :fire: I just figured out that by selecting TWO sides of the shape that it highlights, and I get a \"next\" button, everytime I try this it says \"creation of the part was unsuccessful\"



this is KILLING me :wall:
Kerry Fullington
Wizard Member
Posts: 4718
Joined: Mon, May 09 2005, 7:33PM
Company Name: Double E Cabinets
Country: UNITED STATES
Location: Amarillo, TX

Post by Kerry Fullington »

Kyle,
Let me suggest that you quit trying to build a cabinet at this point and simply practice the part editor. Create a display cube and take it to the part editor. Play with all of the geometric tools and see what they do. You can use undo one time or return the cube without saving the changes to keep playing with the same cube.
Take the cube into the contour mode and use all of the tools there to visually see what they do. Create a simple circle and a square in the middle of the cube and exit contour and use the cut part or cut pocket to see what happens.
Play with the profile tools with the tools that are included in the software and see just how everything works.
The pressure of trying to build a library while learning the software can be overwhelming. Learn the tools then work the job.

The same goes for corner cabinets and the angle part functions. Play with a Standard cabinet to see what each of the buttons does visually and it will all come together.

All of these areas have little nuances that can be frustrating. If you learn all of the functions you will avoid this frustration.

My advise to those learning this software is to never try to learn working on a job. You will end up spending hours hammering away at a problem that arises and it will drive you nuts. This is very sophisticated software. Many times you will think there is a problem with the software when it is really just user error.

email me at kerry@kerryfullington.com if you need to ask questions.

Kerry
Kerry
KyleHepp
Junior Member
Posts: 77
Joined: Wed, May 09 2007, 11:32AM
Location: Naples, FL

Post by KyleHepp »

Trying to walk through the practice demonstration in eCabinetSystemsMadeEasy, printed page # 98-104 is exactly what I am having difficulty with.

I am affluent with making the speaker grille recess, and cutting the speaker hole and it's bolt holes... It's cutting the arc-fronted top that I can't seem to get.

I've got something going on with perhaps my settings, that make it to where I can only create a part (closed contour) if the lines of the shape are INSIDE my actual item.

lets take a 20\" square, I can set snap to 1\" and select object snap (object snap by the way, is the only way I've been successful at generating closed contour parts. even by MANUALLY entering all the coords, I cant get the lines to highlight, or I get the famous popup message that reads \"the part doesn't seem to be closed contour!\"

back to the 20\" square, I can make a closed contour whose entirety is within that 20\" square, MAKE a closed contour part out of it, then return to the design area with my sculpted part. Since this seems quite consistent, I'm wondering what settings might be wrong that is causing me such difficulty?
Does any of this ring a bell, and if so would you please tell me the error of my ways?
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