Measuring a multipart distance?

[decard]

as a trivial execise, i am trying to measure the Kitchen 'Work Triangle'

but i haven't worked out a way to do it

just using Dimension doesn't seem to work becuase it doesn't seem to want toi do a multi-part line

i tried a polyline, which creates a line ok (and i notice IT has options for line dashes); but it doesn't incl part or total line length; nor (again) does Dimensioning work

there must be a way to do this simple thing?

[Puybaret]

You can create a dimension line which measure anything by clicking at its starting point then at its end point. Why this method wouldn't satisfy your needs?

[hansmex]

In Google Maps it is possible to make a multi-point measurement. Even to the point that when the last click is on the same position as the first click, GM also gives the enclosed surface.

SH3D doesn't have either of these functions.

[Puybaret]

Sorry, I didn't understand what you meant by multi-part line. Hans is right, there's no way to draw a dimension line made of more than 2 points or measure the length of a polyline.
By the way, I wonder how such a length could be displayed? Any example?

[hansmex]

SH3D has a "smart system of hints" that show where the cursor or an object is relative to another point. Think of info you get when inserting doors/windows, drawing a room, drawing a wall or dimension.

On the one side nice and helpful, on the other side useless if you do not draw your points/lines to exact X,Y coordinates. A wall that is approximately 2 meters long, is not a wall that is useful for a builder, architect or planning commision.

The same goes for dimensions. If you draw dimensions along the above walls, they're nice as a kind of general information, but useless as a tool for building or specification.

Recently a user wrote about developing a new plugin or even fork of the program, where connections would be elastic-magnetic. When that would become a reality, you could connect dimensions elastically and change them with wall lengths. (is this still clear??) I know this is a feature that in some form or other has been asked by many people, and I can see it would be loved by many, including me

Multi-point dimensions could be interesting, especially after elastic-magnetic connections are implemented and in combination with an excellent "smart system of hints".

H

[decard]

thank you

this obviously works fine for a single point-to-point line/measurement; but does not (as mentioned) seem to let me make a multi-point line/measurement, in this case a triangle.

or alternatively, and possibly more likely, the circumference of a room, although area would suffice in most cases, except when you needed to now the total length of the circumference of an area espec if odd shaped.

obviously in my case of a triangle, i could add three separate Dimensions and move and add manually, but i was hoping to do it more easily

[decard]

Noted. Thank you.

The only answer in this simple case might be to make three seperate 'Dimensions', and add manually.

[Daniels118]

If you have to sum up a very large number of segments you could use the Wirings plugin. Ir isn't intended for this specific purpose but could work.

[Keet]

For the circumference of a room you can use the Rooms Information plugin. After install you can find it under Tools in the menu.
Give the rooms a name so you can recognize them in the information list.

[decard]

noted. interesting work-around. good idea.

i will try just to see. sounds like it could work perfectly.