Stretch a rectangle and maintain the area

[Gordon Price]

I have a request for a tool that allows you to draw a rectangle, set the area, then stretch or grip edit in one direction, and have the object shrink in the other to maintain the area. What would truely be nice is the ability to grip edit an edge, rather than an endpoint. We have ADT3.3 (4 to go online soon) but are using it as RAW AutoCAD for now. Is there anything in ADT that would help, or some code available as freeware/shareware? I could do a tool that lets you stretch in one direction and updates the other, but if there is something in the can already, especially something more robust that what I could whip out, I would rather use it.

Best,
Gordon

 

[C Witt]

the best analogy for this would be.. think of a ballon.. if you flatten one side (direction) || .. the ballon will expand in the other direction - - thus maintaining the overall volume (size).. follow?

 

[Doug Broad]

Luis,
When placing (adding) spaces, you can lock one of the constraints Width, Height, or Area. Unfortunately, the space modify command does not allow the same level of control. But since it is relatively easy to add spaces, it could be a close substitute to what Gordon wants(without programming).

Gordon,
It would also be possible to implement with reactors, though it probably wouldn't be that easy to do.

Regards,
Doug

 

[Ed Jobe]

I understand that. I was focusing on his request to "grip edit an edge". Under those circumstances, you can only move it, not change its length. Therefore, the operation resembles a Move. But now I realize he wanted more than that.

 

[CAB]

Gordon

Here is my first attempt at you request.
You may select a rectangle, it must be a closed LWpline. The old rectangle is left untouched but could be deleted. At this time the lower left corner of the rectangle is the anchor point

http://theswamp.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=46710#46710