SMART CURSOR CUES
Vectorworks Help System
SmartCursor Cues (from the Vectorworks Help System)
The following table lists the individual cues that the SmartCursor uses along with a description of each. In
many cases, two cues are used together to indicate that two snaps have been activated. For example, the
cue ‘Align H/Angle’ means that the point located is both aligned horizontally to the indicated smart point
and also snapping to an angle.
Some cues display when a first point has already been found, and a second point is being sought. These two
points form a line called the feedback segment. This segment forms an angle and length which the
SmartCursor uses for some of its snaps.
For a line, the feedback segment is the same as the line being drawn. However, for other objects, the
interactive image does not lie on the feedback segment. The SmartCursor works on the feedback segment
created from the first to the second points (for polygons, from the previous point to the current point).
Cue
Description
Snap to Angle
Alt
Alt 90°
Delta angle
Horizontal
Parallel
Perpendicular
Plan Rotation
Feedback segment is parallel to the alternative coordinate system angle
Feedback segment is perpendicular to the alternative coordinate system
angle
Feedback segment is at the specified snap angle from the rotated grid
Feedback segment is horizontal
Feedback segment is parallel to an object
Feedback segment is perpendicular to an object
Feedback segment is aligned to the rotated plan angle
(VW Design Series required)
Symmetric
Vertical
X
Y
Z
X’
Y’
Z’
Feedback segment is sketching out a square or circle
Feedback segment is vertical
Feedback segment is aligned with the X axis
Feedback segment is aligned with the Y axis
Feedback segment is aligned with the Z axis, or point is aligned to a smart
point in the direction of the Z axis
Feedback segment is aligned with the X axis of the rotated grid
Feedback segment is aligned with the Y axis of the rotated grid
Feedback segment is aligned with the Z axis of the rotated grid, or point is
aligned to a smart point in the direction of the Z axis of the rotated grid
LH34, Merritt College, Spring 2016
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SMART CURSOR CUES
Vectorworks Help System
Cue
Description
Smart Point
-------------Align
Align H
Align V
Align X
Align Y
Align Z
Align X’
Align Y’
Align Z’
Align Edge
Align Edge 90°
Align Alt
Align Alt 90°
Datum
O
Working Plane
Extension line used for all smart point cues except Datum
Feedback segment is perpendicular to a segment from the cursor to a
smart point
Point is aligned horizontally with a smart point
Point is aligned vertically with a smart point
Point is aligned with the X coordinate of a smart point
Point is aligned with the Y coordinate of a smart point
Point is aligned with the Z coordinate of a smart point
Point is aligned with the X coordinate of a smart point, in the space of the
rotated grid
Point is aligned with the Y coordinate of a smart point, in the space of the
rotated grid
Point is aligned with the Z coordinate of a smart point, in the space of the
rotated grid
Point is aligned to smart edge
Point is aligned perpendicular to smart edge
Point is aligned to the user coordinate system
Point is aligned perpendicular to the user coordinate system
Point is the Datum
Circle around Datum
Point is on the grid plane
Snap to Distance
Along Line
2D—Point is at a specified distance along line
3D—Point is at a specified distance along line from the end point of a
NURBS curve, 3D polygon, or edge of a solid object
Data bar
-------------Angle
Length
Extension line used to indicate X or Y value is locked
Feedback segment is constrained to an angle
Feedback segment is of a fixed length set in Data bar
LH34, Merritt College, Spring 2016
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SMART CURSOR CUES
Vectorworks Help System
Cue
Description
Snap to Object
Arc
Arc Center
Arc End
Bézier
Bottom Center
Bottom Left
Bottom Right
Center
Center Left
Center Right
Corner
Endpoint
Fit
Internal Origin
Insertion Point
Light
Locus
3D Locus
Midpoint
Object
Page
Page Bottom Center
Page Bottom Left
Cursor is over the corner point of a polyline arc segment
Cursor is over the center point of an arc
Cursor is over the end of an arc segment
Cursor is over the corner point of a polyline Bézier segment
Cursor is over the bottom center of rectangle or group
Cursor is over the bottom left of the object’s bounding box
Cursor is over the bottom right of the object’s bounding box
2D—Cursor is over the center of the object’s bounding box
3D—Cursor is over the geometric center of certain objects, NURBS curves,
3D polygons, or the center of a circular NURBS curve
Cursor is over the center left of the object’s bounding box
Cursor is over the center right of the object’s bounding box
Cursor is over the corner point of a polyline segment
Cursor is over the end of an object’s edge
Cursor is over the corner point of a polyline cubic segment
Cursor is over the file’s internal origin marker
Cursor is over the object origin for symbols, parametric objects, and text
objects; for dimensions, the cursor is over one of the referenced points
Cursor is on a light
Cursor is on a locus
Cursor is on a 3D locus
Cursor is over the middle of an object’s edge
2D—Cursor is on an object’s edge
3D—Cursor is on any non-specific point along a solid edge or NURBS curve;
displays at all corner points when the Nearest Point on Edge option is
deselected for object snapping
Cursor is over the page boundary
Cursor is over the bottom center of the page boundary
Cursor is over the bottom left of the page boundary
LH34, Merritt College, Spring 2016
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SMART CURSOR CUES
Vectorworks Help System
Cue
Page Bottom Right
Page Center
Page Center Left
Page Center Right
Page Top Center
Page Top Left
Page Top Right
Point
Top Center
Top Left
Top Right
Description
Cursor is over the bottom right of the page boundary
Cursor is over the center of the page
Cursor is over the center left of the page boundary
Cursor is over the center right of the page boundary
Cursor is over the top center of the page boundary
Cursor is over the top left of the page boundary
Cursor is over the top right of the page boundary
2D—Cursor is on an object point
3D—Cursor is on one of the vertices of a solid, the control point of a
NURBS curve, the control point of a NURBS surface, or NURBS curve
interpolation point
Cursor is over the top center of the object’s bounding box
Cursor is over the top left of the object’s bounding box
Cursor is over the top right of the object’s bounding box
Smart Edge
Bisector
Edge
Edge 90°
Offset
Smart Edge
Point is on the bisector between two smart edges
Feedback segment is parallel to a smart edge, or cursor is on the edge
between two smart points
Feedback segment is perpendicular to a smart edge
Point is a preset distance from a smart edge
Point is on a smart edge, but not on the object itself
Snap to Tangent
Tangent
Tangent/Tangent
Feedback segment is tangent to an arc
Feedback segment is tangent to two arcs
From: Vectorworks Help System.
LH34, Merritt College, Spring 2016
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