Command: TABLET
The Tablet command configures and calibrates a digitizing tablet and toggles tablet mode.
This command requires that Wintab32.dll from Wacom Technology, Corp. be installed on the computer. Download Wintab32.dll from the internet, then place the file in your system directory: C:\Windows\System32.
A digitizing tablet, also called a graphics tablet, a graphics pad or drawing tablet, is a computer input device that allows you to hand-draw images and graphics, similar to the way one draws images with a pencil and paper. In a CAD program a digitizing tablet can be used to trace paper drawings into a drawing file or to launch drawing commands from a digitizing tablet overlay.
To use a digitizing tablet in Bricscad
In order to prepare Bricscad for using a digitizing tablet do the following:
Install the appropriate driver for your tablet.
Make sure Wintab32.dll exists in C:\Windows\System32.
Download the tablet overlay and CUI files.
Print the Bricscad tablet overlay.
Start Bricscad, then initialize the tablet.
Configure the tablet: part of the tablet surface is used as the menu area, another part as the screen pointing area.
Calibrate the tablet: a calibrated tablet can be used to trace the geometry of a paper drawing or image into a drawing.
To download the tablet overlay and CUI files
Do one of the following:
Click here to download tablet.zip.
Go to the Bricscad page on the Bricsys website.
Click Tools in the menu on the left.
Click the DOWNLOAD button under Tablet overlay.
Save the tablet.zip file.
The zip-file contains the following files:
overlay.png: an image of the tablet overlay
overlay(A3).pdf: to print the tablet overlay on a A3 paper size.
overlay(cm).dwg: a DWG in which the overlay.png is attached as an image.
The drawing contains two layouts to print the overlay using decimal
units.
overlay(inch).dwg: a DWG in which the
overlay.png is attached as an
image.
The drawing contains two layouts to print the overlay using
imperial units.
tablet.cui: a partial cui file to be used with a tablet.
tablet(acadLike).cui: an AutoCAD-like partial cui file to be used with a tablet.
Please make sure the overlay.png image file is extracted to the same folder as the DWG's.
Extract the overlay CUI files to the Support folder of the roamable root folder (see Bricscad
User Files).
E.g. C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Application
Data\Bricsys\Bricscad\V...\en_US\Support on Windows XP;
C:\Users\<user
name>\AppData\Roaming\Bricsys\Bricscad\V...\en_US\Support on
Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Load Tablet.cui as a
partial CUI (see
To load a partial CUI file).
The next time you start Bricscad, Tablet.cui will be loaded automatically.
|
NOTE |
It might be necessary to repeat the above procedure after upgrading Bricscad. |
Do one of the following:
Click the TABLET field in the Status Bar.
Press the F4 function key to toggle the tablet mode.
Choose Tablet On or Tablet Off in the Settings menu.
Type tablet in
the command bar, press Enter, then type ON or OFF ;
or
click ON or OFF in the prompt box.
Do one of the following:
Choose Tablet
in the Settings menu, then
choose Configure... in the flyout
menu.
+
Type tablet in the command bar and press
Enter.
The command bar reads: Tablet:
ON/OFF/CALibrate/ConFiGure/<On>:
a prompt menu displays:
Type cfg in the command bar and press
Enter or choose Configure in the
prompt menu.
The command bar reads: Do you want to align the tablet overlay? Yes/No/<No>:
Type Y in the command
bar and press Enter or choose Yes in
the prompt menu.
The command bar reads: Digitize upper left corner of the
overlay:
Click on the mark in the upper left corner (1) of
the digitizing tablet overlay.
The command bar reads: Digitize the lower left corner of the
overlay.
Click on the mark in the lower left corner (2)
of the digitizing tablet
overlay.
The command bar reads: Digitize the lower right corner of the
overlay.
Click on the mark in the lower right corner (3)
of the digitizing tablet
overlay.
The command bar reads: Digitize the lower left corner of the screen
pointing area:
Click on the mark at position (4) on the of the
digitizing tablet overlay.
The command bar reads: Digitize the upper right corner of the
screen pointing area:
Click on the mark at position (5) on the of the
digitizing tablet overlay.
The command bar reads: Tablet configured.
To calibrate the digitizing tablet you must specify at least two points. The more additional points you specify, the more accurate the digitizing process. Additional points are particularly recommended when digitizing a non-orthogonal image, such as an aerial photograph.
Do one of the following:
Choose Tablet
in the Settings menu, then
choose Calibrate... in the flyout
menu.
+
Type tablet in the command bar and press
Enter.
The command bar reads: Tablet:
ON/OFF/CALibrate/ConFiGure/<On>:
a prompt menu displays:
Type cal in the command bar and press
Enter or choose Calibrate in the
prompt menu.
The command bar reads: Digitize point #1:
Click a point on the digitizing tablet .
The command bar reads: Enter coordinates for point #1:
Do one of the following:
Click a point in the Bricscad drawing window.
Enter the coordinates (x,y) in the command bar.
The command bar reads: Digitize point #2:
Repeat step 3 to specify the following calibration
point.
The command bar reads: Digitize point #3 (or ENTER to end):
Do one of the following:
Repeat step 4 to specify an additional
calibration point.
(You can specify up to 10 calibration points).
Press Enter to conclude the calibration
process.
The command bar reads:
if 2 calibration points are specified: Tablet calibrated.
if 3 or more than 4 calibration points are specified: Select
transformation type Orthogonal/Affine:
if 4 calibration points are specified: Select transformation type
Orthogonal/Affine/Projective:
Select the transformation type.
Transformation refers to the calculation of the points on the
screen that correspond to points you digitize on the tablet.
Orthogonal (left): To be used with accurate paper drawings. Orthogonal transformation maintains all angles and preserves relative distances. If only two calibration points are specified orthogonal transformation is generated automatically.
Affine (middle): Maintains parallel lines, but not necessarily the angles between intersecting lines.
Projective (right): Does not maintain parallel lines, nor angles.
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