Creating Points and Edges

Create a Point: To create a single point, click a location in the construction view, then click it again. Points may be quickly created via the keyboard by pressing the [spacebar].

Create an Edge: With the point-edge tool (pointedge) active, click the desired starting location for an edge. The second click completes the edge.

The point-edge tool (pointedge) can connect pre-existing points or split an edge by adding a point onto an edge.

Intersecting Edges

Zoning will require that edges be formed into blocks. As a result, the point-edge tool has the following rule: one edge cannot be drawn to cross another (see the image below). Any time edges meet, a point must mark the location where they do.

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Figure 1: Illustration of valid and invalid techniques for drawing edges

Creating Curved Edges

The edges created with the Point-edge tool (pointedge) come in three types: line, curve, and arc. To change the edge type, simply right-click the selected edge and chose Edit Edge Properties.

../../../../../../../_images/makeCurve.gif

Additional Drawing Modifiers

When drawing points: - FISH input: The editor will accept a FISH variable as input as well. If the variable specified has not yet been defined, a second dialog will follow that requests an acceptable definition of the FISH variable. FISH variable names should start with the “@” character. One or two variables may be supplied. - Merging Points: You can drag one point to another point to merge the two points. Holding down the Shift key while you drag a point will stop the point from merging with another point.

When drawing edges: - snap-to-angle: Holding down the CTRL key, constrains the angle of the edge to 15 degree increments. The default value is 15 degrees but can be changed in the “Extrusion” panel of the Options Dialog. - snap-to-object: Holding down the SHIFT key will suppress snap-to-object functionality, which is on by default.

Additional Mouse and Keyboard Modifiers

Selecting Objects - CTRL key: Add and remove objects from a multiple selection. You can also use a selection rectangle to select a range of objects. - DELETE key: Causes the current selection to be deleted. - While the point-edge tool (pointedge) or control point tool (addcontrolpoints) is active, selection functions of the left mouse button transfer to the right button. - The right mouse button also lets you drag selected objects to new positions.

Context Menu - With the control-point tool, right-clicking an edge will make the context menu appear. You can ignore the menu and select more edges, or use the menu to change the edge type.