Create and position sections in the 3D window

Sections help you isolate part of a point cloud or 3D model for inspection, measurements or further processing. Pythagoras provides three section tools that can all be positioned graphically or with precise numeric input.

This article explains how to create a Clip box, Vertical section or Horizontal section accurately.

Watch the video tutorial on YouTube:  Tutorial - Improved creation of sections with Pythagoras CAD

STEPS

1. Open the 3D window

Open your point cloud or 3D model in the 3D window.

2. Choose the type of section

Select one of the following tools in the Sections panel:

• Vertical section – create a vertical slice through the model to inspect a façades, walls or cross-sections through a model.
  
  
• Horizontal section – create a horizontal slice, for example to inspect a floor level or prepare data for floor plan extraction and vectorization.
  
  
• Clip box – isolate a 3D volume.

3. Define the start of the section

Click once in the drawing to define the starting point.

For precise positioning of the starting point:

- Clip box and Vertical section: adjust the X, Y and Z coordinates in the status bar.

- Horizontal section: adjust the Z coordinate in the status bar.

Press Enter to confirm the starting point.

4. Define the size of the section.

Move the cursor to define the size and orientation of the section.

For a Clip box, define the length, width and height. For a Horizontal or Vertical section, define the section width.

• TIPS
• Hold Ctrl to align the Clip box with the X, Y or Z axis.
• Drag one arrow to change the section width.
• Drag the red circle to move the section.
• Snap to existing drawing objects or point cloud geometry.

For precise positioning:

- For a Clip box, enter the exact L, W and H values in the status bar.

- For a Horizontal or Vertical section, enter the exact W value in the status bar.

Press Enter to confirm the section.

TIP Position the section approximately first, then use numeric input or snapping only when exact placement is required. This is usually faster than entering every value manually.

RESULT
A precisely positioned section is created using the selected section tool. Accurate positioning makes it easier to inspect, measure and work with only the relevant part of your point cloud or 3D model.

 VERSION INFORMATION 

Introduced in: Pythagoras 2023