align function errors when used twice

[David_Lelen01]

Hey Les, not sure if this is a bug or not but it has happened on several different drawings for me now. I frequently cut door pannels what have a square cutout in the corner and the easiest way i see is to just use the align tool twice on two different points to get the corner on zero. Everything works perfectly for the first point, but when i click the second point and type the zero coordinate, i get the error in the attached picture. I have found it does not matter what the actual coordinate i type in is, it happens anytime i use the align mode twice in a row. If i switch to nesting mode and move the part even one click in any direction between using the align mode, it works perfectly fine.

[Les Newell]

The align function expects up to two points. The first sets the X,Y coordinate. The second is optional. If you use it you need to select another point on the same part. This allows SheetCam to work out the part rotation.

[David_Lelen01]

I dont think that is quite what i am talking about doing. I am not trying to rotate the part here, though that would be good to figure out how to do.

My process is 1) click align mode button. 2) Select point on part. 3) popup with x,y location pops up. I leave x coordinate as is, change y to 0. 4) press ok. 5) click another point on same part. 6) leave y coordinate as is, and type 0 for x. 7) press ok. error pops up.

But now that i say that, i think i see how you intended for the align function to work.... That does not seem very intuitive to me at all because that would require you to know a point on the arc around the point you want to rotate. I can see knowing that for very simple parts, but anything else would take some math calculations.....

Would it not be much simpler to either type in a value for rotation (which is another feature i think would be very useful) or select a point on the part and select a point for the first point to be moved to?

I am all the time needing to rotate parts 90deg and the only way i am aware to do so is to go to nest mode and rotate it with the arrow keys(or whatever key is set in the grid options)

[Les Newell]

But now that i say that, i think i see how you intended for the align function to work.... That does not seem very intuitive to me at all because that would require you to know a point on the arc around the point you want to rotate. I can see knowing that for very simple parts, but anything else would take some math calculations.....

The rotation is mainly meant to align the part with a blank or partially machined part on your machine. Use the machine to measure two points on your blank that match up with your drawing, enter the coordinates and your drawing is now pretty accurately aligned to the blank. This way you don't have to carefully align the blank when clamping it to the machine.

For example I've used the feature several times when making custom circuit boards. After etching the board I stick it to a spoil board with some double sided tape, align on two pads and let the machine drill all of the holes.

Would it not be much simpler to either type in a value for rotation (which is another feature i think would be very useful) or select a point on the part and select a point for the first point to be moved to?

You can enter an angle directly in the angle box at the bottom of the main window. You can also use the X and Y position to move the part.

[David_Lelen01]

I see what you are saying now, that would be very useful in that sense. And thanks for the info, i never realized those were editable boxes before. I never even tried to type anything there lol. You have all kinds of stuff already built into the software, thats awesome!