Hi all,

Seem to be having an issue with snapping and z position when doing flatshot.
I have the WCS set to world, I look at the top view. Do a flat shot and snap it to the grid. It clicks down and ends up anywhere in the z axis. On this occasion (shown here) is 1.75mm up in Z. If I select the block that is made from the flatshot it tells me in the properties that the z value is 0?!?!?!?
Then you add a dimensions and it's not even attached to the block!
I've done a variety of things like setting the WCS using 3 points and using 3 points from the flatshot block, that makes no difference, I've tried exporting the block direct from flatshot interface and bringing it back in, that didn't work.
Any ideas?

Cheers

Hi UGMENTALCASE,
It's difficult to help you with so few explanations !
>a flat shot
What is it ? The drawing of the picture ?

W> 1.75mm up in Z
The Z value is only for the altitude !
>the block
Why do you want to make with this block ? A volume? You must extrude a Region in 3D !

> add a dimension
What dimension?
>from flatshot interface
???

Explain please!

Morning Patrick,

Check out the 'FLATSHOT' command in Icad.

It is intended to create a 2D 'view' from a 3D model.
I have been 'playing' with this this morning, poor results
It ignores Xrefs, so for me 90% of the 3D model is ignored.

SPirou4D wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 24, 2025 1:46 am

Hi UGMENTALCASE,
It's difficult to help you with so few explanations !
>a flat shot
What is it ? The drawing of the picture ?

Flatshot is a command to take a view of a 3d model and make it.... flat. It's so you can produce drawings from 3d solid models.

W> 1.75mm up in Z
The Z value is only for the altitude !
>the block
Why do you want to make with this block ? A volume? You must extrude a Region in 3D !

Once you create the block (from flatshot) you can snap it's position to anything you want. If I snap it to the grid, it doesn't sit on the grid. In this case yes, altitude, as in z height isn't what you select it to be. Unless you mean something else?

> add a dimension
What dimension?
>from flatshot interface
???

Once the block is placed, you can use the dimension tool to add dimensions. When you add those dimensions they are not attached to the item you are dimensioning!

Explain please!

As @sin8485 states the results are pretty poor. I have another post going where I'm trying to elimate numerous things to find the cause of why it's so bad. I appreciate this is a new feature recently added, but this is basic stuff. Taking a view of a 3d model and making a drawing of it.

Cheers

sln8458 wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 24, 2025 2:08 am

Morning Patrick,

Check out the 'FLATSHOT' command in Icad.

It is intended to create a 2D 'view' from a 3D model.
I have been 'playing' with this this morning, poor results
It ignores Xrefs, so for me 90% of the 3D model is ignored.

I've been using it as well. I normally use Alibre Design for my work, but I do get DWG files and such so decided to invest in this as I don't use it enough to warrent investing in autocad and the subscriptions. I tried xrefs and flatshot in my quest to find why lines are missing when using flatshot, it didn't work. I've tried creating a block from the parts, same half working results. I've even tried copying my 3d models, use the flatten command and do it that way, but that flattens all curves so the view made for a drawing would still need significant editing for it to be usable. Glad I'm not the only one who has seen an issue.
I've spent a looooooooooong time googling various things to do with flatshot and missing curves and all this, nothing seems to change anything inside intellicad.

Thanks all,
I will test this new command FLATSHOT but nothing is exported as block !!!! WEIRD ?

EDIT : Ha yes you must use a 3D solid to export something in 2D ! Here is the result exported in block with a cone !

To attache the block on the grid , your grid must be great enough to be sawn as the block !
I tested the snap fonction and all is ok that's work! to activate your grid snap you must use Tools > drawing parameters and Coordinate entries > Snap and Grid > Grid activated !

And here you can see the dimensioning : My block is snapping on the grid and my dimension is correctly snapping on the quadrant
No problem !

Thanks Steve to show me this new "FLATSHOT" command I hadn't seen it ! Very usefull !

BUT AS I EXPLAIN ALL TIME : In 3D with IntelliCAD you must make a lot of experimentations to obtain a good result !
Me I use Blender for clear 3D entities !

SPirou4D wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 24, 2025 4:47 am

And here you can see the dimensioning :
image_2025-04-24_124726892.png
My block is snapping on the grid and my dimension is correctly snapping on the quadrant
No problem !

So if you rotate the view are the dimensions actually touching the circle?
In a plan view it looks that way. I have grid snaps on when I do the flatshot. So 3d solid, flatshot command, and it gives you the view, you can export and bring it back in or just place in modelspace.

When I place down and dimension in modelspace, you rotate the model and dimensions don't touch the part, as my original image.
Cheers

I try to answer you :
>Do a flatshot
OK now
>and snap it to the grid.
I answer you! Warning the grid to be too small and Adaptative grid desactived ! >It clicks down and ends up anywhere in the z axis.
The grid adaptative !
> On this occasion (shown here) is 1.75mm up in Z.
You want 1.75mm altitude ?
>If I select the block that is made from the flatshot it tells me in the properties that the z value is 0?!?!?!?
Yes it's correct. If you click 2x on your block to enter in Block mode, This 2d transformation is always on the 0 level!

But you can place this block at all Z altitude of the grid dimension off'course! But deselect the snapping to change the altitude of your block !

Can you share your block file please?

So if I move the flatshot to be at z zero my dimensions don't attach to the part. Attached is the part I'm using. Adaptive grid is off and everything

Here is the correction of the block : https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ohf0w9zy ... h9mlu&dl=0

Explications: With this new command you must save the created block on the computer and open it as DWG to verify the entities. .
Setup all entities on the ground Z = 0 and save it. Then import it on your original drawing as new block.

Why when you try to change the altitude didn't work : your block A$32D in your original file didn't change his parameters when you saved it when you closed the block editor.
So I exported your block out of the original file with a new name and removed all instance of A$32D block in your file. Saved the file/closed it and reopen it for reimport my new corrected block and all is ok now!

For the dimensions I search but I find uniquely an error from IntelliCAD : WHY DIMENSIONS IS NOT ON THE WORKPLAN AS ALL WORK ????? Why This gap A and B ??????

In this file the gap is around 5 mm !

Case A : I changed the workspace World UCS to the Block object but my dimension is not on the entities????

CASE B: I go the top view and I clicked dimension on the XY workspace as always but my dimension is over 5 mm gap ????

EUREKA : Your file has options here : So you add 5 mm gap of hight !
But I created a new file and imported your corrected A$32D block and now the dimension are connected with your block !
Your file corrected : https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tkn2i0q6 ... 7m26s&dl=0

Thanks for looking at it but that makes no difference to the flatshot. If I export the flatshot, bring it back and mess about with it yes I can get it on z zero. I've even got the option to have the z input on the curser from the options, typed in z zero and it sits well off zero plane.
The block it generates seems to have some weird blue square miles off the bottom of it, that blue square is sat on the z zero plane, nothing else.

>>but that makes no difference to the flatshot.
I am only a simple user, not the programmer of CMS !
The flatshot cmd make always the same thing. The origin of this block is always at the same level of the block but where the 3Dshape UCS is.

>>The block it generates seems to have some weird blue square miles off the bottom of it, that blue square is sat on the z zero plane, nothing else.
Weird No It's normal, this weird blue square is the origin of the block . But in block editor you can change the position of this UCS to this block.
To go in block editor, double click on the created flat block.

If you don't know what is a block and the editor, go the Help menu > CMS help F1.