Create Drive

To access this screen:

  • Using the command line, enter "create-drive"

  • Use the quick key combination "cdr".

  • Display the Find Command screen, locate create-drive and click Run.

Extrude a designed profile shape along one or more design strings. You can either use a preset shape or set up a custom outline by defining the positions of the outline vertices.

A profile object is used to store the details of your profile; this data is transferrable to other projects and systems using an XML format file. Profile data is not stored in memory as a 3D object and, as such, is only accessible (and editable) using the Create Drive screen.

This command would be used to construct a 3-dimension volume by extruding a profile shape along one or more design strings, typically representing an underground drive layout, although it can be used to extrude a profile shape along a design string for any purpose.

The output volume is closed (i.e. end-capped) and stored as a wireframe object that can be accessed using other structural tools in your application.

To select an existing drive profile to extrude along selected string data:

  1. Select string data to become an extruded drive.

  2. If a drive Profile was created previously, select it.

    Note: the listed profiles are not accessible as standard 3D objects (instead, they are defined as transferrable XML data). You can select an existing profile to modify, or you can Add a new shape (see below).

  3. Click Apply to Selected Strings.

To create a new drive profile and extrude it along selected string data:

  1. Select string data to become an extruded drive.

  2. Click Add.

    A new profile is created, ready for configuration.

  3. Edit the Name to something recognizable.

    Tip: it can be useful to include the basic profile shape and dimensions in a profile name, for example; "Arch 3x2". A standard naming convention is also recommended.

  4. Choose a Profile type. you can choose a preset shape (which can be scaled) or you can define each vertex of the outline independently. The following options are available:

    1. Pointlist—a shape based on a list of vertex positions. This option lets you edit the X and Y positions of any vertex within the profile shape.

      For example, consider a 2 x 2 profile shape with an intersection point at the bottom centre of the drive (this is the point at which the string intersects the profile during extrusion):

      In this case, starting at the bottom left and going clockwise, the X, Y coordinates in the table are:

      -1, 0

      -1, 2

      1, 2

      1,0

      Tip: to modify a standard shape, select it first and define its parameters. Then select Pointlist and modify the vertex coordinates.

    2. Rectangle—a shape with an editable Width and Height.

    3. Circle—a circle with an editable Diameter.

    4. Arch—a shape defined by its Width, Height and Arch Radius. For example:

      Where:

      H and W represent the configurable Height and Width.

      R represents the turning radius of the arch curves.

      X and Y represent the offset from the default intersection point (the 0,0 origin or the 2D shape). In this case Offset X = 1 and Offset Y = -1 (see below).

    Note: if you are defining a square or arch profile for a map face, you can also automatically resize map profiles when adding them, adjusting the height and width automatically. See Map Profiles.

  5. If you are defining a standard shape profile (not a Pointlist type) you can optionally offset the intersection point of the profile using the Offset X and Offset Y fields.

    Note: when an offset is applied, the coordinates table above updates automatically to show the new local, relative coordinates.

To export the current profile to a shareable file for others:

  1. Complete the procedure above to configure a new profile shape.

  2. Click Export.

  3. Enter a file name.

  4. Click Save.

    The exported file can be imported by anyone using the create-drive command.

To import a previously exported drive profile and extrude it along selected string data:

  1. Click Import.

  2. Locate a previously saved .xml profile configuration file.

  3. Click Open.

    The Create Drive screen updates to show the imported profile shape and parameters.

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