Rotating 2D Model Space "view" / Rotating "ortho"

[k234234]

I'm working on a map (north is up). It fits better on an 11 X 17 sheet if it's tilted a bit, which I can do in a layout viewport.

I'd like to be able to also tilt (rotate? reorient?) the map in model space so it fits on the screen easier (and looks the same as in the tilted viewports)

How do I do this? (I just want it to look tilted, but not have any of the coordinates change, not actually rotate any objects, etc.)

I've been looking for some widget or some command that will tell me how many degrees the model space view is tilted, and that would allow me to input "23 degrees" or something, but I can't find it.

ALSO  (bonus question  .  .  .  ) if I work in the "tilted" model space, is there a way to set ortho so that it doesn't tilt with the map? (so that even if the map is tilted, I can draw a rectangle that is straight "up/down left/right" on my screen.

Thanks for your help,

David

AutoCAD Map 3D 2010/2011

[AllenJessup]

Command line. Type DVIEW then TW for Twist. Enter the angel in degrees.

Command line. SNAPANGLE will allow you to change the crosshair orientation. I believe you'll have to enter the inverse of the ViewTwist angle. So if you twist the view by 23 degrees you'll have to enter 67°. I've also attached a simple lisp file that will set it for you if you prefer.

Allen

[mmcmanus]

turn UCSFOLLOW on first and then you can rotate the UCS based on a line already drawn in the drawing that you want to be "straight across" along the x axis. I use this method all the time because the ortho snap remains straight with the cursor (vertical/horizontal). Just type in "UCS" and use the "OBject" option to pick the line you want to use as the horizontal alignment. If the desired rotation is "upside down" then undo and redo the command but pick near the other end of the line and it will be correct.

[AllenJessup]

Doesn't establishing a User Coordinate System change the coordinates? The OP said he didn't want that to happen so that's why I thought using DView would be best. Of course if it's only going to be a quick thing, you can revert to World Coordinates immediately. I don't let people do that because if they forget and continue to work in a USC it can mess up a drawing.

Allen

[mmcmanus]

That is true. You have to remember that it is a user coordinate system and go back to world if you need to do anything that requires world coordinates.

[tzzzzoddhepworth4253]

are you familar with "DVIEW" - type at the command line and then [ENTER] to select all objects in the drawing.  then select tw for "Twist"  it will rotate the view but not the coordinate system by a user specified angle.  I just tried it and found it works on my attached .SHP files, but doesn't work on FDO connected raster images.... perhaps this will work for you in some capacity. 

[AllenJessup · Accepted solution]

I usually don't select all the entities in the drawing. This can slow things down if it's a big drawing. I either select one or a few representative objects or default to the DviewBlock if I already know the angle I want.

Allen

[k234234]

Thanks - DVIEW and TWist does it

Really appreciate your help.

David

[yasin2ray]

Allen -
I've found your DVIEW recommendation in several posts, so I'm coming directly to you with my questions. It seems like the DVIEW, TWist is the thing I'm looking for, but I do not know the specific angle. I do not want to rotate it freehand because I want the walls of the buildings to line up perfectly horizontally with the edge of the paper.

How can I
A: measure the angle I need? OR,
B: rotate with a reference point within this command?

THANKS,
Anna

[AllenJessup]

You can usually figure the angle from the line you want to match. But it's simpler to use the attached lisp. Save the file in a path that AutoCAD will find. Open the file in Notepad to see a description of the behavior.

Allen

I can't attach the file. Copy the code below and paste it in to Notepad. Save in as dvpick.lsp [Note the LSP extension] in a path that AutoCAD Will find. Load that file using Appload. If you like it. Add the file to the Startup Suite in the Appload dialog box.

ASJ

;;Written Mitch Paulk May 1999
;;This lisp temporarily uses a UCS, so be careful if the command is canceled or
;;undone using UNDO.  

(defun c:DVPICK (/ vangle vsize vcenter)
  (setq oldcmd (getvar "cmdecho"))
  (setvar "cmdecho" 0)
	
(setq vsize (getvar "viewsize"))
	(setq vcenter (getvar "viewctr"))

 (princ "\nThe Object selected will be rotated horizontal using DView Twist...")

     (command "ucs" "ob" pause)
        (command "plan" "")
           (command "ucs" "")            
  (setvar "cmdecho" oldcmd)
 (princ)

; Set the snapangle to the negative value of the viewtwist so that 
; the crosshairs will be horizontal.

  (setq vangle (getvar "viewtwist"))      ;The viewtwist in radians
  (setq vangle (/ (* vangle -180.0) PI))  ;convert it to degrees and multiply by -1

     (progn
      (command "SNAPANG" vangle)
		(command "zoom" "c" vcenter vsize)
    )
 (setvar "cmdecho" oldcmd)
 (princ)
)

[bdrill]

While using the Dview/Twist is there a setting that will allow you to place text and draw such things as rectangles, and have them be rotated to the view you are in? I use the Snapang for lines but it does't no good for rectangle or text.

[Badams]

I hope you guys are the only cad jocky's that have to work on those drawings you are twisting about changing snap ang and custom wcs's. What a horrific nightmare for seasoned cad tech's that don't have a clue what's going on in those twisted up drawings.  

We simply rotate the viewport window to the angle req'd - set the ucs to the view and viola. Ready for cad work.  

[AllenJessup]

I don't create any UCS and changing the Snap angle is done with a simple Lisp. BTW - Setting the UCS to view is creating a custom UCS. I can't comment on vanilla AutoCAD or Map 3D but in Civil 3D it is best not to use any UCS other than World. Whether you use DView, MVSetup, a custom Lisp or how you have VPRotateassoc set. It's all just changing VIEWTWIST.

After over a quarter century of working with Autodesk products. I may use some of the older versions of the commands but I have a good idea of what's going on.

Allen

[Badams]

Ok  ..No worries. To each their own.   Still I'm betting you don't have other cad departments or customers working with your cad drawings.  We get drawings from many contractor sources to incorporate into our ArcGis, Map3d, and C3D files and those drawings that get twisted up and out of wack are the files that go dirtectly back to their source to be corrected.

[AllenJessup]

---

@badams wrote:

We get drawings from many contractor sources to incorporate into our ArcGis, Map3d, and C3D files and those drawings that get twisted up and out of wack are the files that go dirtectly back to their source to be corrected.

---

Same here. But that's usually when I have to get a correction done in a hurry. So I just work with what I get.

Allen

[bdrill]

I also have a simple lisp also that sets my snapang and uses the dview twist to rotate my view while in model space. I just transitioned to Civil 3d last year and was taught not to use rotate ucs and I completely understand why. My problem is while in my rotated view and I choose the command like rectangle or text they all insert rotated and not aligned with the view. Snapang cures the orthos, but not the other things I have mentioned.

[Badams]

Sorry if I offended or hit a nerve here.  

It's just a pet peeve of mine when it comes to cad drawings and layout work. I like it done so all our eng. consultants and disciplines can easily navigate and work with it. 

[bdrill]

Didn't offend me. I am just frustrated at what I think should be a simple setting change somewhere is nowhere to be found. And why no one else has encountered the same thing is beyond me. Unless I am going about something completely the wrong way, which is entirely possible.

[Badams]

Exactly why I use my method. When you set the ucs to view it only sets the custom view ucs not the dwg model ucs. Now you can draw the rectangle in the MS of the viewport. No custom Lisp routines at all and it's so much easier for others to work with

[Badams]

I had a few minutes to demonstrate a very easy method to rotate a viewport to the angle of choice and set the axis curser to match it. No running lisp routines or special settings. No dtwist and no custom ucs's. And no snap angle changes. I've been working with Autodesk since release 2.9 and this is by far the easist way to accomplish this task I've found yet.  And it doesn't jack around the drawing like other methods I've seen. 

Remember when you set the ucs to a viewport in layout mode it doesn't change the ucs in the model space mode.  Screen cast link below.