jackamus

That's OK Alfred. Next time it happens I'll contact the forum again. Sorry to have been so vague!

That's amazing - I cannot reproduce the problem! I still think it had something to do with parent and daughter. Can you explain how that is supposed to work Alfred?

Is there a way in AD to copy or drag copy objects or groups without them being still connected by an envelope? What I mean is that when I drag a copy of a group to another part of the paper it is still connected to its original. Is this is mean by "Parent and Daughter'. This can be a real nuisance. The way I see it working is that a copy of a group has its own layer unconnected to its original layer.

Yes I often find odd objects that I thought I had discarded. I am aware of open source CAD software but I'm 80 and I don't feel I have the time to learn to use new software for the limited use I would give it. I can do pretty much what I need using AD but a dimension tool would be a great asset! For awhile I save my AD drawing as a PDF and exported it into DrawPlus 8 on my Windows HD partition and used its dimension tool. However even that became too much of an inconvenience when I discovered I needed to edit the original AD drawing and to go back, modify and then re-save as a PDF and re-export to DP.

OK. Just an untidy piece of work. Much of what I do is not used to present as finished graphic work. It is mostly rough mechanical prototype design work. When it is finished I get a CAD designer to make the final drawings. I'd do them myslef only I can't get the AD developers to add a dimension tool feature like DrawPlus 8 had.

Where did you find them?

LOL no problem! This link will explain how the door closer works. Rotate each door and arm and watch what happens. As the door opens the arm needs to get shorter whence the need for a sliding sleeve. Arm sleeve.afdesign

Yes there is a sleeve that the arm slides in as the door closes.

This is what I do. It would be great if I was able to get the arm to lengthen by sliding but I don't think it would be possible unless I animated it. I used to animate in DrawPlus but I haven't tried it in AD.

I use this feature all the time when working out what happens with designing hinge arrangements. Check this link. There are two groups that rotate A ( a door) and B (door closer). This will show how the B needs to slide in order to stay fixed to the door. I haven't been able to find a way the make the arm slide as the door closes. Any suggestions? Door.afdesign

'Transform origin' is something I've only ever used to get a centre of rotation - never thought of using it to what I needed. Thanks.

Is there a snapping feature that allows snapping to a guide when resizing an object using 'alt-cmd'?

I have a lot of layers and objects. One of the layers is locked so that I don't move it accidentally also it may be hidden along with some objects. My problem is finding them so that I can edit them. The only way at the moment is to scroll through the layers and objects trying to find them. It would be useful to be able to show where these locked and hidden layers are. Perhaps a selection button or shortcut keys to make them flash or highlighted in some way or is that already available?

Spot on Dan!

I know it is possible to lock guides but is it possible to lock specific guides? If not this would be a really good feature! My workaround is to draw a guide and lock the layer. Any other suggestions?