1. Manipulating Points, Lines and Planes 📍
As covered in training, lines in the software exist because there is a point at each end. A line just exists between two points — no point, no line.
This is a bit of a strange concept for a lot of people, as they expect the lines to be in control of things, but they’re not.
This doesn’t sound like a revelation, but once you understand this (and really understand it), it changes the way you think about the software.
Imagine the following scenario, two lines drawn between 3 points:
If we were to take that point at the top and stretch it, using Group > Stretch, we get the following result:
2. Planes are dictated in the same way by Lines 🧱
In exactly the same way, a plane cannot exist without being bounded by lines:
…again, stretch the point and we get…
3. Hierarchy of Elements 🧩
As a result of the above structure, we can consider the elements within the software to have the following hierarchy:
POINT > LINE > PLANE
The Plane is the most complex element, being supported by lines, with the lines being supported by points.
As a result, if we want to modify a line, we are constrained by what we can do if it is attached to a plane.
Consider the following.
We want to try to trim the top line to the dashed line to the left:
The software simply will not allow us to trim this line (using any command, including Smart-Lines), because trimming that line would violate the integrity of the plane which the line constrains.
The error we get in the software if we try this is:
…and the result is that one line trims, but the constrained line does not:
But, this doesn’t preclude you from using the command.
There are many instances where this is still useful, because you may still want to trim the dashed line to the intersection of the top line (even if the constrained line can’t trim).
So, that was a little refresher from training and explains the hierarchy of elements.
It also explains why we need to delete planes that have linework that we need to modify.
Working example: freeing linework and trimming/moving lines 🛠️
So, going back to your example, here is the workflow from where things were left off, taking it a little slower. Starting with this:
Step 1: Delete planes attached to the lines you’re going to modify
Firstly, delete the planes attached to the lines that you’re going to modify:
Step 2: Turn off wall lines (optional, but strongly recommended)
Before you trim, go to Tools > Set-Display and turn wall lines off, as they can be a pest to model when doing this sort of manipulation.
Step 3: Trim the yellow step line to the eave line
Now that the elements (lines) are free from encumbrances, you can trim the bottom of the yellow step line to the left of the eave line.
Important: the end of the line that you click on is the end that moves.
So, when you select Smart-Lines > Trim-Corner, select:
the bottom end (lower part of halfway down the line) of the yellow line, and
the left end of the blue eave line.
Be sure not to click right on the end, otherwise the software may ask you to select which line you want, because any line falling within the pick box will be considered for selection.
Re-read this part — the command is both a line selection and which end of the line in a single click.
So, you need to select just one line (by not having more than one within the pick-box at the centre of the crosshair cursor), but also select the correct end of the line:
Step 4: Put the plane back and extend the barge
Feel free to insert the roof plane back into this triangular area next using Smart-Lines > Ins-Plane.
Also, use Mod-Roof > Extend-Barge.
Left-side roof section: moving the step line 🧭
With that bit finished off, consider the part of the roof on the left.
According to the imagery provided, the eave rakes up to behind the bottom of the valley, so it’s best to move the existing yellow step line from where it is (at the end of the apron) to the free end of the eave.
Using Smart-Lines > CAD-Line-Move:
Select the bottom of the yellow step line (again, it is selected by the end you choose — choose the bottom of the line, not the top).
Then Snap it (using the centre mouse button) to the end of the eave line.
This leaves you with:
Then:
delete the two lines you don’t need,
put the plane back in, and
use Mod-Roof > Extend-Barge to push the step line back under the valley by about 1’ or 2’ (depending on what the overhang is).
…and that’s about it. You can change a few line styles by double-clicking on them, but hopefully this fills in a few blanks and makes a whole lot more sense now.