Part rotation in MLCad

[1963maniac]

I need to rotate a part 1, 2, 3 or 7 degrees. I've printed all the tutorials and looked through this forum. Nothing has helped. I have newly downloaded and installed MLCad, running windows 7. I can set a rotation point. When I do edit, rotate, keyboard entry and changing the Z value, nothing changes. I keep getting the same wrong amount of rotation. I also tried changing the grid settings, but nothing can be changed there either. I also tried rotation step angle but the values will not change. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

[Classicsmiley]

I usually keep the rotation increment for the fine grid set to either 1 degree or 5, depending on my needs at the time. Then to rotate by that amount, I just have to switch to the fine grid. I usually use the keyboard shortcuts, so to rotate horizontally (around the Y axis), I use Ctrl+Left Arrow or Right Arrow.

If you have a series of things that need to be rotated, it might be helpful to set up sub models, and to verify that the rotation point of that sub model is set to 0,0,0.

What grid setting are you using when you see the incorrect rotation values, and how many degrees is each incorrect rotation?

[1963maniac]

How do you change the grid settings?

[Classicsmiley]

From the menu, select View > Toolbars, and ensure that Modebar has a checkmark next to it. There are buttons for Coarse, Medium, and Fine grid settings on that tool bar.

[1963maniac]

How do you change the rotation increment to 1 or 5 degrees? To answer your qestion my incorrect rotation amount is probably between 10 and 15 degrees. It's always the same. Thanks for your reply.

[Classicsmiley]

Ah, that's handled under the Settings > General > Change menu. Select the "Select, Grid, Snap" tab. You will then see fields for setting the movement and rotation increments for each of the grids. The X, Y, and Z values are set in Ldraw Units (or LDU).

[1963maniac]

Thanks, Seems like I have to learn some things one baby step at a time.This 24 leg strandbeest is turning out to be a beast of a MOC to learn on. Wondering if it will ever get done.

[Classicsmiley]

Have you started experimenting with multi-part dat (MPD) files yet? If not, you may want to. The ability to build just one copy of a repeated subassembly, and then reference it multiple times in a parent model is very powerful, and can save quite a bit of time.

[nickless]

For more complex models, take a look at LDCad. For me, usind 3D Editors (first SR3d Builder and now LDCad) really made creating more complex models much more enjoyable. I don't think I would have built something like this in MLCad.

Edited July 11, 2015 by nickless

[1963maniac]

Yup, I'm up to needing to learn Multi part now. I have not been able to understand how to use it. It's looking really good I'm 95% done with my instructions. So close but stuck again. I can't figure out how to get both parts to appear in MLCad together. I need to rotate one part in order to connect it into the main model. This forum has been so helpful.

Edited August 2, 2015 by 1963maniac