Need Hardware Recommendation...

[wojo]

I'm getting old and my hand is not as steady as it used to be... Trying to freehand a cart path in APCD using a bulky standard computer mouse feels kinda like trying to sign your name in that little plastic window at the bank... like trying to write on ice with a stick. I'm wondering if anybody out there uses some sort of little digitizer pad with a stylus when you work with APCD. I think I'd have better control compared to using a mouse that feels about as big as a brick. Any recommendations?

Wojo

[pmgolf]

Wojo, you are one stubborn old mule, aren't you! Most of the questions you ask are covered in Lez Marwicks APCD lessons. I haven't been using it more than 6 months and those things are easy for me now. But you refuse to look at them. After this, no more help from me until you look at the lessons. You need to uncheck the "Freehand Create" checkbox when drawing your template shape for the path or whatever and it will revert to a point-to-point. Even I, 74 years old with a tremor in my right hand, can draw a path with that. Here is a screen print of the APCD screen with the checkbox.

Lez Marwicks Episode 6. Shapes http://youtu.be/FHfx92e8uxs

Freehand Create checkbox.jpg (76.9 KiB) Viewed 1844 times

Pete

[wojo]

I've followed his tutorials on this. You have to drag the cursor with either one of those methods on my APCD... equally frustrating. When you use the Freehand method, doesn't the curve close with a straight line when you stop?

I probably should have mentioned... I'm trying to accurately trace the cart paths on an aerial photo, so I'm not free-handing anything. It would be nice if you could select a string of points and it would create a "polyline" through the points or a "spline" where the points act like weights pulling on the curve. That's how the hole outline reacts and can be adjusted after you define a hole. (Polyline and Spline are AutoCAD terms. I don't know how many people know what they are.)

Wojo

So... no recommendation?

[Danny D]

I've followed his tutorials on this. You have to drag the cursor with either one of those methods on my APCD... equally frustrating. When you use the Freehand method, doesn't the curve close with a straight line when you stop?

I probably should have mentioned... I'm trying to accurately trace the cart paths on an aerial photo, so I'm not free-handing anything. It would be nice if you could select a string of points and it would create a "polyline" through the points or a "spline" where the points act like weights pulling on the curve. That's how the hole outline reacts and can be adjusted after you define a hole. (Polyline and Spline are AutoCAD terms. I don't know how many people know what they are.)

Wojo

So... no recommendation?

Create the individual points like Pete suggested, and create them one at a time along the edge of the cartpath. The points come out closed with no curves. To open them and adjust the curvature, use the "ADJUST SHAPE" tool. Hold down the SHIFT KEY and click on one of the closed points. It will pop open with handles pointing through it. Grab the end of either handle with your mouse and move it around. You will soon see how to adjust them to meet any curvature needed. To delete a handle or a point, hold down the CTRL key and click on it. You can separately adjust either one of the 2 handles that stick out by holding sown the SHIFT key while moving the individual handle. Hold the CTRL to delete them.

Hope that helps,

Dan