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Tutorial for a
Fingerguide 1
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This
tutorial will be dealing with simple 2D shapes using a snap grid. Then how to extrude them into 3D,
move them, duplicate them, and adjust some points. Finally a mirror command
makes quick work of a matching side. This tutorial anticipates you have
learned the basics with the tutorials provided with the software in the help
files and user manuals.
Many commands will start spelled out and them become abbreviated.
(Example: Arrow1 becomes A1)
In this tutorial you will learn to:
- Set snap grid
- Draw shapes in 2D
- Adjust points in 2D
- Extrude 2D to 3D with a grid
- Move and duplicate
- Move points in 3D
- Mirror in 3D
Open DesignCAD.
Click 
to toggle view to 2D
Save file now 
as 'Fingerguide' .
ALT>Create a new folder named 'mytutorials' in the DesignCAD root
folder to put it in.
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- Step 1
- Set grid values to:
- Snap grid 1/4
- Display grid 1
- Select all check boxes
- Hotkey 'G' toggles snap grid on and off.
- Cursor should attract to 1/4 unit points on Display Grid when
a command is active.
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- Step 2
- Set color to Red.
- Draw 3 boxes as shown.
- Make sure 'Save as line' box is NOT selected.
This will draw the box as a plane.
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- Step 3
- Hit 'Shift+*' for 'Point Move' command.
- You should see a little box move to each
potential point as you move your cursor across the drawing. If
not hit 'F10' to turn on 'Point Preview'.
- Click on upper left corner of left box and move
point as shown.
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- Step 4
- Change color to Blue.
- Draw 2 Blue boxes as shown
- We will only use one, the other is for illustration
purposes.
- Remember: Only draw something once if possible.
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- Step 5
- We will change the grid to a different plane so we can use it
for extruding and moving points.
- Click on
to switch to 3D mode.
- Turn on 'View Toolbox'
- Change View to 'Isometric'
- Hit 'Ctrl+G' for grid settings.
- Change 'Display Grid Plane' to Z-Y
- Under 'Options->Grid' choose 'Set Grid Center'
and gravity snap to point shown.
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- Step 6
- Select the box shown and hit 'X' for 'Extrude' and
then click on the 2 grid points shown
- Hit Enter
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- Step 7
- Select the box shown, hit 'X' and use the 2 points shown
to Extrude it 2 1/2 units.
- Hit Enter.
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- Step 8
- Select the box shown and Extrude it using points shown.
- Hit Enter.
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- Step 9
- Select the Blue box and Extrude it with points
shown.
- Select second Blue box and delete it. [Del]
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- Step 10
- Select Blue box in lower left corner of leftward face (not
where Blue bulls eye is in image) with Gravity Snap
and hit 'M' to move it to position shown next to Red
box.
- Attach it with GS.
- Select Blue box again as shown in lower right corner and hit 'N'
to duplicate it.
- Place duplicate where shown using GS.
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- Step 11
- Select Red box as shown and
hit 'N' to make duplicate it.
- Place as shown with GS.
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- Step 12
 Change to
'Points Mode'- Select tapered part shown.
- Draw selection window around the 2 points shown to turn them Blue.
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- Step 13
- Click on the top point with the cursor 'bulls eye' to
select it and Move it to a grid point 1/4 inch apart from
the other 2 as shown.
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- Step 14
- Select the tapered part on the point shown using GS.
- If you don't get the right part with the
first click, use 'Edit->Select->Select Next'
until the correct part is selected.
- Alternatively you can select the part
anywhere and then use Ctrl+H to set one handle there
using GS and hit Enter.
- Hit '/' to 'Mirror' the part.
- Make sure 'Make copy' box is selected.
- Choose 'Z' axis.
- Click at point shown with GS to place mirrored copy.
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- Step 15
- Select the whole part with a selection window.
- Set color to Red and click
the 'A' on the color toolbox to apply.
- Use 'Tools->Group Define' to group all the parts.
- You can also add the parts together using 'Solid
Add'
- Add a second light source in 'Options'
with a higher Vertical value for better rendering
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