Multi-functional Grips in ARES Commander

Multifunctional Grips

Quick editing options appear when you fly over mid and end point grips

Fly over entity grips and you will discover new contextual shortcut menus offering quick editing features that can vary based on the entity type: edit the length or stretch an entity from its end point grip, change the radius of an arc, insert a vertex on a polyline or convert an arc into a polyline.

Working with Grips

ARES Commander now gives us more options regarding the grips of entities. Grips are used to select the text and were available in the previous versions as well. It turns out that now, depending on the type of entity to be selected, we will have more variety of grips. In this dimension, for example, we could vary the position of the arrow by clicking on a grip.

Positioning the pointer over a grip

When positioning the pointer over a grip, a contextual menu with options appears, in this case, related to the dimensions. Here, we also see the possibility to flip the arrow. If we want to keep the arrow pointing to the inside, it might be appropriate to move the text out of the dimension. If we try this with the central grip, we’ll see that we’re moving the entire dimension.

If we position the pointer on the middle grip, we can choose from the contextual menu, the option “Move Text Only”. This allows us to position the text outside the dimension without affecting the rest.

Using Grip on a line

When you select a line, 3 grips appear. Hovering over the grips of the end points, we obtain a contextual menu. It offers the possibility to change the position and the length of the line.

However, at the central grip, no contextual menu appears for lines. Still, we can use this middle grip to move the line, like done with the text before.

Using grip on a Polyline

It is different when we have a polyline. By selecting it, we can see that the central grip has changed to a point shape. When positioning the pointer over, we can see in the contextual menu that we have the possibility to change its position, insert a vertex or convert to an arc. When shaped like an arc, we can convert it to a line. Even if we position the pointer at one end, we have the possibility to change the length.

Let’s see how it works. Let’s write a greater value than the existing one, for example, “5”.Our modification will not impact the vector of the polyline. Therefore, the position of the pointer will not matter at all, the segment will keep the initial direction.

Adding a new vertex

Now we can convert it to an arc, and even insert a new vertex. Then, convert this last section to a line.
As you can see, these grips allow us a new level of freedom when designing.

Deactivating Multifunctional Grips

Please note that the multifunctional grips can be deactivated if you set the system variable GRIPS to the value 1. In the unlikely event that you don’t see the multifunctional grips. For example, in the polylines, you should try to enter in the keyboard GRIPS and give the value 2.

To learn more about the multifunctional grips in Ares Commander, do not miss the wide HELP offered by the program.

To learn more about ARES Commander, visit our product page: ARES Commander