X1 Centering Windows Still Doesn't Work For Me?

[Doug Park]

I ran that error message past several people and they all seemed to think it was good. However, they did understand how the tool worked so it probably wasn't all that clear.

Unfortunately, that part of the manual must have been missed when reviewing the documentation. The text came from V10, although it was technically wrong in V10 as well.

[Doug Park]

Look up Center Object in the help index for the proper documentation.

[moak]

I consistently have issues when trying to use the "Center Object" tool to center doors or windows on walls.
The error message below comes up every time.

[moak]

OK, I get to the point of posting my issue with this tool then immediately realize what I need to do to make it work properly. The secret is to click NEAR the wall but not actually ON the wall being careful that you don't snap to the wall. Works like a charm now.

[Doug Park]

Given the confusion here, how can we make this more clear?

Understand that the way the tool works is to center along the edge of a room not a wall. The wall may span several rooms so it will center differently on one wall than on another.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to make this more clear.

[Allen42acj]

I didn't know how to use that tool right till I watched the tutorial.
Now it is one of my favorites..

Think it is just a matter of learning the software.
It seems like it would be an easy tool compared to others that is why people get frustrated with it..

[moak]

I think for me it was the notion that I needed to identify the object with some precision (ie pick the wall I wanted the penetration centered on by clicking ON it.) The manual describes clearly this is not the case (but I just looked there now.)
If the dialog box that pops up used the text from the manual it would eliminate the confusion - "Click near a wall within a room to center the selected object relative to the portion of that wall defining the room.".

[Dan Park]

I consistently have issues when trying to use the "Center Object" tool to center doors or windows on walls.
The error message below comes up every time.

When you see a message like that click the Check Help Database button.

We log these click throughs and write articles about how to use the most commonly reported issues.

In this case there has been a very good article on this subject posted for several months that describes where to click.

[lbuttery]

Clicking one side of the wall can give different results than clickling on the other side. Which is a nice feature.

Lew

[mcqueenhomes]

The message says "When centering along the edge of a room, you need to click on one or the other side of the wall that defines the room edge. No centering will be done."

Maybe it should be:
"When centering along the edge of a room, you need to click right beside one side or the other of the wall that defines the room edge. No centering will be done."

[Dan Park]

Maybe it should be:
"When centering along the edge of a room, you need to click right beside one side or the other of the wall that defines the room edge. No centering will be done."

I put a bug report in, this is actually the number 10 reason people click through to the help database.

[Doug Park]

How about if we change the cursor to something like the center tool icon [><] when it will work and flip back to the arrow when it won't in addition to changing the wording of the message.

[lbuttery]

Doug:

That sounds good.


Is it possible to display "ghost lines" to indicate the left and right "anchors" that are being centered on ???


Lew

[Glenn Woodward]

Doug,

I bet a lot of the problems with the center tool (and a lot of other tools) is that they don't work in Alt mode. You need to be in the Default Edit mode for them to work.

[Doug Park]

Alt mode is designed for temporary access to a small set of "alternate" features that are available via the ALT key or right mouse button shortcuts normally. The only reason the mode is available as a button is for access by those with disabilities that don't allow right click or two handed access and to document that it is there. It is not intended or designed as a primary use mode.