Sections

The tools on the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group, provide a simple way to save section parameters in a file. In early versions of the application this could only be achieved by saving numerous Display Limits form sets.

The file containing the section definitions is known as a section control file, and sections saved within it are known as named sections. Once the file is created, you can use it to instantly move to any named section, or browse through the sections, irrespective of their orientation and thickness.

It’s also easy to convert named sections to Display Limits form sets and back. The Display Limits form is a tab on the Vizex Sections window.

Display the Vizex Sections Window

The Sections Window is tabbed with the Vizex Forms and Properties windows. You can manage this window in the same way as any other dockable window in the application. The tools on the Vizex | Sections tab provide an alternative way to use many of the Sections Window’s tools. Simply choose the interface that best suits your workflow.

Display the Sections Window

On the Window tab, in the Panes group, click Sections to open the Sections Window.

Work with section control files

Create a new section control file

  1. On the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group, click New Section Control File.

    2.  

  1. Enter the name of the section control file and click Save.
  2. The name of the new file will appear in the Sections Window, below the Standard Sections node.

    3. TIP: The application automatically creates the SECTIONS folder within the current project and saves the file to that location.

Convert a Vizex Display Limits form set to a Named Section

  1. In the Sections window, click the [+] icon next to the Display Limits node to expand it.
  2. Double-click the desired Display Limits form set to activate it.
  3. Either:
    1. Right-click your section control file in the Sections window, then
    2. Choose Create Named Section from the pop-up window.
  1. Or:
    1. Click your section control file to select it, then:
    2. Click the Create Named Section button on the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group.
  1. Enter a Section name and click OK.

    2. Your new named section will appear as list item underneath your section control file.

Convert a Named Section to a Display Limits form set

  1. In the Vizex Sections window, click the [+] icon next to your section control file to expand it.
  2. Double-click the desired named section to activate it.
  3. Click Save View as Display Limits Form on the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group.
  1. Enter the Title of the new Display Limits form set and click OK.

Open an existing section control file

  1. Click Open Section Control File on the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group.
  1. Select the desired section control file and click Open.
  2. The name of the file will appear in the Sections Window, below the Standard Sections node.

    3. TIP: Section control files automatically reopen at the beginning of a session. You must specifically close a section control file to remove its named sections from the list.

Work with Named Sections

Go directly to a named section

  1. In the Sections window, click the [+] icon next to your section control file to expand it.
  2. Right-click (or double-click) on the named section to apply it to the display.

Step between named sections

  1. Double-click the first named section in the file to activate it.
  2. Click Next Section on the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group, to step forward through the sections.
  1. Click Previous Section on the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group, to step backward through the sections.

Step away from a named section

  1. Double-click the named section to activate it.
  2. Click Next Section on the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group, to step forward from the named section.
  3. Click Previous Section on the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group, to step back from the named section.

    4. TIP: These tools ignore the adjacent named sections and use the Display Limits settings instead. Combining the two browsing methods allows you to define type sections in the section control file, and browse away from them using the regular Display Limits settings.

Convert between section a control file and a Vizex string file

You may already have a string file that shows the location of your defined sections, or alternatively, you may want to show the named sections as strings on a plot. Either conversion is a simple process.

Convert a string file to a section control file

  1. Create a string file where every section is shown as a single line segment. This is most easily done in plan view.
  2. On the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group: Select New | Create Section Control File from Strings to create a section control file from the strings in a String file.

  3. Fill out the Input file details, the Default orientation settings, and the Output section file name, and click OK.

Convert a section control file to a string file to display in Vizex

  1. On the Vizex | Sections tab, in the Section Control File group: Click Convert to String File to generate strings from the section definition fields in a section control file.

  2. Fill out the Input file details and the Output string file name, and click OK.