Faq

What is DigiCad 3D Used For?

DigiCad 3D's Dynamic Attachment Feature

How to eliminate perspective distortion from a building photo

• Import a photo
• Set scale and unit of measure
• Set the four origin attach points on the photo. The bottom-left point first, the top-left point second, after the top-right and the bottom-right. The Attach points are represented with red markers on the screen.
• Open the Destination Attach points dialog from the Trasnfrom menu
• Insert the real coordinates correspondent to the Destination Attach points. The reference system isn't important, it's sufficient that all the coordinates are in the same reference system (ex. the left corner of the building and the ground line). The Destination Attach points are represented with blue markers on the screen.
• Select the picture
• Choose Transform Picture from the Transform menu
• Choose resolution, number of colors and Opaque or Transparent option
• Click the Ok button

Is it possible to eliminate perspective distortion from a photo without any measured point?

How DigiCad 3D's Attach Functions from files Work

In the case of a dam, what is the best way to consider the hydraulic pressure on the upstream face?

Do you use a water bed which is above the ground surface (will this then compute the hydraulic load on the upstream face?) or do you use a trapezoidal load to represent the water?

It is possible to use two different methods depending on the result wanted.

First case:

We have a dam with water on one side (let's suppose on the right side). We want to verify the dam from right to left.

The best method is to consider a water stratum. A water stratum has 0 porosity, O cohesion coefficient, 0 Fi and 0 weight.

The water bed is on the top of this stratum.

The slide surfaces must continue inside the "water stratum" until the surface.

In this case Geo-Tec B considers the weight and the pressure of the water bed correctly.

In this case it isn't possible to apply the first method and it's necessary to consider the water as a triangular or trapezzoidal load on the terrain (to consider the effect of the water on the terrain surface) plus the water bed (to consider the effect of the pressure of the water inside the terrain).

There is a special case to simulate a quick emptying of a lake. It's possible to simulate this case deleting the loads on the surfaces and maintaining the water bed on the top level. This because some time is needed for the water inside of the terrain to come out and in the meantime the internal pressure of the water corresponds to the top level of the water bed.

How does grahic import work in Nonio C? Nonio C imports graphic images in several formats. The PICT import command uses QuickTime and can import all the graphic formats handled by the installed QuickTime Other methods to import an image in Nonio C are Copy and Past and Drag & Drop.

How does DXF import work in Nonio C? Nonio C imports single points,  polygons (in DXF Polyline), faces, which it inserts as points to eventually be united by breaklines. It does not import other elements, such as lines, text, circles, etc. The primary use of DXF importation in Nonio C is to import contour lines from maps and complete 3D models. If you want to import a drawing for other purposes (such as to serve as the base document for a survey project), it's better to import the document first to another program, for example DigiCad 3D, then to Nonio C using Copy and Paste or Drag and Drop.

How can imported images be used? Imported immages can be used for a number of objectives, among which some are listed below: - Digitalization of a map with contour lines - Superimposing a design on the survey - Superimposing a survey drawing on an aerial photo - Use of a design as a guide for infill or excavation - Comparison of the terrain model with the map - Comparison of the terrain model with map of property lines

How does Nonio C calculates the terrain model? Nonio C constructs a mathematical surface connecting points with line segments to construct triangles. The generation of triangles is also regulated by the maximum distance for triangulation entered in the Preferences dialog box, which requires the program to search for and construct triangles only among points falling between the set distance. For any number of points, there are several possibile ways in which they may be joined by triangulation. If the general guidelines given above are followed and a reasonable maximum distance for triangulation set, the generated model should represent closely the actual terrain conditions. When there are certain discontinuities in the surface, a more detailed modeling process is required. In these situations, connections can be somewhat ambiguous, even for a simple case involving only four points. If automatic triangulation is used in situations like the one above, it can cause erratic results. Nonio C offers the user the ability to impose breaklines (representing lines of discontinuity, such as ditches, ridges, or streets) from which the triangulation can then be completed automatically. The user can locally correct the automatic triangulation and Nonio C recalculate the modified model immediately and automatically.

 Can you please suggest a way of drawing such that you can have a door and then a window above it in a wall ?. When I try, it won't allow the insertion of an upper window once a door ( or window ) has been inserted in that wall. Why is it that sometimes I can't select anything - in a wall, or slab, no matter where I click on it? My first suggestion is to use two walls on top of the other. To do this, change the height of the original wall so that it's just high enough to allow the door to fit. Then add another wall in exactly the same plan location but with a base height that matches the top of the original wall. Then you should be able to add windows to this. My second suggestion is similar, but with different handling of the second wall. That is, shorten the original wall as above, but before adding the second wall, make a new layer, say clerestorey layer, and give it a base elevation that matches the top of the original wall. Now when you add the second wall it is on its own layer which should make it easier to select whichever part of the wall you want to work on. Regarding the second part of your message, about selecting objects - is it because of which tool you have active at the time? For example, if the wall tool is active you can't select anything else than a wall. Also with walls, I think you need to click on the axis, rather than the edges, so try having the option "show wall axes" active. The selection points for the various elements are as follows: Walls, windows and doors: on the axis Polygons, roofs and floors: on the edges Texts: on the base line Pictures: inside the picture rectangles Objects: on the axis, edges or base line of one of the elements of the object

When viewed in 3D , the top of arch/vault looks like it is the correct thickness,, but it tapers down to a point at the bottom ends Any suggestion on how to correct this ,so that the arch's maintain the same thickness from bottom to top? cheers The slab thickness is always considerated in the Z direction, so the real thickness depends on the inclination of the slab. The extrusion process of the arc produces short slabs with various inclinations, which at the bottom are more inclined, so the real thickness is more at the top and less at the bottom. For this reason is often better to use zero thickness slab for extruding. How to solve your modelling request? There is one solution:   - Draw two concentric arcs. The distance between the two arcs must be equal to desired vault thickness. - Add two vertexes at the bottom to join the two arcs - Select the two arcs and click on the following icon. The two arcs are joined in a closed polygon. - Select the polygon and click on the Extrusion icon.   - Fix the created object pressing the space bar. You should have the following result.

How to use specular color and coefficient? All materials have a diffuse color and a specular color, which can be different. If so, the color of the material changes depending on the position of the light. The specular coefficient changes the aspect of the material, giving it a more plastic or metallic appearance. With RayShade an high specular coefficient generates a mirror effect.

I would like to know how to import a TIF file into a Domus.Cad document so I can use a survey as a base plan for a drawing. The Macintosh version, thanks to QuickTime, supports more formats than Windows. It takes all formats supported by QuickTime (GIF, JPG, TIF, TGA, Photoshop, BTM, WMF and many others). So Mac users can go to Layers -> Import -> Image on active layer. The Windows version doesn't import TIF format - only DMP, DIB, GIF, JPG, BTM and WMF. So you must convert your TIF to one of those formats before importing to Domus.Cad.

How can I insert an arched portico into the facade of my building? And how do I do a barrel-vaulted ceiling? For the portico, the simplest way is to insert arched 'Doors' into the facade. Here's how to do the barrel-vault: - draw an Arch, the section of the barrel-vault - select the Arch - choose Process ->Automatic Generation-> Extrude Slabs on Polygon, or double-click on the equivalent icon in palette no.3 - insert length of vault and confirm - the vault will appear in plan; position it using the mouse then press Return or Space bar.

How do you draw a double pitched roof, one side of which overshoots the ridge, thus forming a cornice? All you do is create two different pitches, starting from the desired height of gutter line. Where they overlap, close them off with a wall, using the Adjust Garret Walls and Adjust Walls on Roof commands.

Maybe you could explain how to use sets and categories , including their differences, and if ther is any functional differnces? Set and Categories allows creating group of elements and handling them easier and faster. Practically there aren't differences between them. Each element can be part of a set and of a category; this allows creating intersecting groups (groups where some elements are members of both groups). The user is free to use Set and Categories as he prefers, they are tools to organize the drawing. A couple of suggestions: - Define a group (set o categories) named Construction-Line. It's easier to delete all the construction lines when they aren't necessary. - Define groups of elements when it's necessary to tray different solutions (different colors, different height, different thicknesses etc.)

How do I go about modelling earth fill on a site that is sloping and has sand added to make a level building area? The floor/roof slab command has only one set thickness. I suppose I could do it as a very wide wall. What do you think about it I suggest to use "zero thickness slabs" to model the top surface of the fill as you want. You can add slabs, if necessary, with different hights to distinguish different parts of the ground. Ex. you can create an original ground surface and a second fill surface.

Wrong scale in importing dxf-dwg files Regarding the wrong scale in importing DWG and DXF file, it depends usually on a wrong unit of measurement. Inside AutoCAD there isn't a unit of measure like in Domus.Cad, but a unit of design. In printing, the user specifies the length of the unit of design, so the unit of measurement corresponding to the unit of design isn't inside the DWG file, but in the designer's head. In importing a file, Domus.Cad asks for the unit of measurement and if you choose a wrong unit of measurement, the resulting drawing is wrong too. If the designer used meters and you import the file with centimeters, each meter is interpreted as a centimeter and the drawing is 100 times smaller. In this case, the text seems very big, but it is because it isn't possible to reduce the text to less than 1 point, so a 1 point text in a 100 times reduced design seems very big.