The Alignment Window
From ShadeCamp
The Alignment window is used to align and position selected objects relative to each other. To open the Alignment window View > Alignment.
The Alignment feature compares the size and position of multiple objects that are selected, then aligns and positions them. multiple objects contained in one part are handled as one object, if they are compared with other objects not contained in the same part. Two or more objects or parts need to be selected in order to use this feature. When only one part is selected, alignment and positioning of objects contained in that part will not be performed.
The Alignment feature can be used on both the global and local coordinate systems.
Contents
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View Plane Pull-down Menu
There are three options: Top, Front, and Side.
M (Memorize Selection Button
Click this button to memorize the object selection state.
R (Recall Selection) Button
Click this button to recall the memorized objects. This button does not work if the memorized objects have been deleted.
Toggle Button
This button is used to show or hide the optional features of the Alignment window.
Aligning Objects
These buttons are used to align selected objects vertically or horizontally.
Left-Align Button
Click this button to move all the objects so that their left sides are aligned to the left side of the leftmost object.
Center-Align (Vertical) Button
The central points in the horizontal direction of all selected objects are aligned to the point midway between the left side of the leftmost object and the right side of the rightmost object.
Right-Align Button
Click this button to move the objects so that the right sides are aligned to the right side of the rightmost object.
Top-Align Button
Click this button to move the objects so that the tops are aligned to the top of the uppermost object.
Center-Align (Horizontal) Button
The central points in the vertical direction of all selected objects are aligned to the point midway between the top of the uppermost object and the bottom of the lowermost object.
Bottom-Align Button
Click this button to move the objects so that the bottoms are aligned to the bottom of the lowermost object.
Distribute Evenly
Selected objects are placed at equal intervals, based on their edges or center points.
Left-Distribute Button
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, the left sides of the objects are aligned evenly between the left side of the leftmost object and the left side of the rightmost object. How objects are placed depends on their original positions – that is, objects are aligned starting with the leftmost one.
When Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, the left sides of the objects are aligned rightward, with the spacing interval specified in the Number text box between them.
Vertically-Distribute Button
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu, the center points in the horizontal direction of the objects are distributed evenly between the centers in the horizontal direction of the leftmost object and the rightmost object. How objects are placed depends on their original positions – that is, objects are aligned from the one whose center point in the horizontal direction is closer to the center of the entire plane.
When Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, horizontal center points of the objects are aligned horizontally from the center point between the left side of the leftmost object and the right side of the rightmost object, with the interval specified in the Number text box in between them.
Right-Distribute Button
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, the right side of the objects are aligned evenly between the right side of the leftmost object and the right side of the rightmost object. How objects are placed depends on their original positions – that is, objects are aligned from the one whose right side is closer to the right edge.
When Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, right sides of the objects are aligned leftward, with the interval specified in the Number text box in between them.
Top-Distribute Button
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu, the upper end of the objects are aligned evenly between the upper end of the uppermost object and the upper end of the lowermost object. How objects are placed depends on their original positions – that is, objects are aligned from the one whose upper end is closer to the upper edge.
When Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, upper ends of the objects are aligned downward, with the interval specified in the Number text box in between them.
Horizontally-Distribute Button
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, the center points in the vertical direction of the objects are distributed evenly between the centers in the vertical direction of the uppermost object and the lowermost object. How objects are placed depends on their original positions – that is, objects are aligned from the one whose center point in the vertical direction is closer to the center of the entire plane.
When Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, vertical center points of the objects are aligned vertically from the center point between the upper end of the uppermost object and the lower end of the lowermost object, with the interval specified in the Number text box in between them.
Bottom-Distribute Button
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu, the lower end of the objects are aligned evenly between the lower end of the uppermost object and the lower end of the lowermost object. How objects are placed depends on their original positions – that is, objects are aligned from the one whose lower end is closer to the lower edge.
When Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, lower ends of the objects are aligned upward, with the interval specified in the Number text box in between them.
Positioning Objects at Equal Intervals
These two buttons are used to place multiple selected objects at equal spacing intervals.
Horizontally-Space Button
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, objects are moved so that the right side of the object on the left and the left side of the object on the right are placed between the leftmost object and the rightmost object respectively, at an equal interval.
When Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu, objects are moved according to the setting of the Basis pull-down menu. When Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu, left sides of the objects are aligned rightward, with the interval specified in the Number text box in between them.
When Left/Top is chosen in the Basis pull-down menu, objects are moved so that the right side of the object on the left and the left side of the object on the right side are spaced at the interval entered in the Number text box, rightward from the leftmost object.
When Right/Bottom is chosen in the Basis pull-down menu, objects are moved so that the right side of the object on the left and the left side of the object on the right side are spaced at the interval entered in the Number text box, leftward from the rightmost object.
Vertically-Space Button
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, objects are moved so that the bottom of the object at the top and the top of the object at the bottom are placed between the topmost object and the lowermost object respectively, at an equal interval.
When Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu, objects are moved according to the setting of the Basis pull-down menu.
When Left/Top is chosen in the Basis pull-down menu, objects are moved so that the bottom of the object at the top and the top of the object at the bottom are spaced at the interval entered in the Number text box, downward from the topmost object.
When Right/Bottom is chosen in the Basis pulldown menu, objects are moved so that the bottom of the object at the top and the top of the object at the bottom are spaced at the interval entered in the Number text box, upward from the lowermost object.
Aligning Objects Along a Line Object
This function is used to align multiple selected objects along a line object.
Distribute Objects Along a Line Object
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu, and the Parameter checkbox is off, objects are positioned at equal intervals from the starting point to the end point. When this checkbox is on, objects are positioned while taking control points of the line object into consideration.
When Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pulldown menu, objects are positioned at the interval entered in the Number text box, beginning from the starting point. If the last control point has a tangent handle, objects are placed toward that tangent handle; if it does not have a tangent handle, objects are placed toward the line object connected to that control point.
Positioning Multiple Objects
These items are used to position multiple objects.
Distribute Evenly Pull-down Menu
You can choose how to place objects from two options: Auto and Number.
Number Text Box
This text box is activated only when Number is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu.
Enter the interval at which objects are to be placed.
Basis Pull-down Menu
Choose a value in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu, then choose the basis for distributing objects at equal intervals horizontally or vertically. There are two options: Left/Top and Right/Bottom.
Reload Button
This button is used when objects are positioned along a line object.
Clicking this button will place the selected objects along the memorized line object. The memorized line object can always be moved, and its control points can be changed at any time. It does not have to be memorized every time.
Parameter Checkbox
The Parameter checkbox is used when objects are positioned along a line object.
This checkbox is used to set how objects will be distributed when Auto is chosen in the Distribute Evenly pull-down menu. If this checkbox is off, then objects are positioned at equal intervals from the starting point to the endpoint.
If this checkbox is on, then objects are placed at the control points of the line object.
In this case, if the number of objects is greater than the number of control points, the number of objects placed between adjacent control points is in accordance with the length of the tangent handles. If the control points do not have tangent handles, objects will be placed at as equal intervals as possible. If the number of control points is greater than the number of objects, the result will be the same as when this checkbox is off.
Offset Box
The Offset box is used to place objects along the memorized line object.
Click to enter the offset for the objects to be placed along the specified line object.
The Offset box corresponds to a rectangle enclosing and touching the objects, as viewed from above the view plane chosen in the View Plane pull-down menu. Click somewhere in the box, and use the sliders to enter the correct offset. The position entered in the Offset Box is applied to all the objects, and cannot be applied individually.
Vertical Offset Slider and Text Box
The Vertical Offset slider and text box are used to place objects along the memorized line object.
Use the slider or the text box to enter the vertical offset for the objects to be placed along the specified line object. The Vertical Offset slider value indicates the deviation of the objects from the center of offset, as looking at the view plane chosen from the View Plane pull-down menu from the side.
The value of the Offset Slider value is set to 0.50 by default, and places the center of the objects on the line object. With a value of 0.00, the bottoms of the objects are placed on the line object, and if the value is 1.00, the tops of the objects are placed at the line object. The position set by the Vertical Offset slider and text box is applied to all the objects, and cannot be applied individually.
