Snap to points by using snap switches

Use the snap switches to control which positions you can pick in the model or drawing. By using snap switches, you can position objects precisely without having to know the coordinates. You can use snap switches whenever Tekla Structures prompts you to pick a point.

By default, the Snapping toolbar is located at the bottom of the screen. Click the snap switches on the Snapping toolbar to switch them on or off. If there is more than one point available to snap to, press the Tab key to cycle forward through the snap points, and Shift+Tab to cycle backwards through them. Click the left mouse button to select the appropriate point.

(1) Use the snap switches to control which positions you can pick when placing objects. Snap switches define exact locations on objects, for example, end points, midpoints, and intersections.

(2) Use the first list to define the snap depth.

(3) Use the second list to switch between the view plane and work plane.

(4) Use the third list to set the plane type. The plane type defines what planes you can select in the model.

(5) You can hide selected switches from the toolbar.

Alternatively, you can control the snap switches with Quick Launch. Start typing the name of the snap switch, for example, snap, and click the name of the snap switch in the search results list to activate the switch.

Snap zone

Each object has a snap zone. It defines how close you need to pick to hit a position. When you pick within the snap zone of an object, Tekla Structures automatically snaps to the closest pickable point on that object.

You can set the snap zone using the advanced option XS_PIXEL_TOLERANCE.

Snap priority

If you pick and hit several positions simultaneously, Tekla Structures automatically snaps to the point with the highest snap priority. To control which positions you can pick, use snap switches. Snap switches define the snap priority of positions.

Snap depth

The first list on the Snapping toolbar defines the depth of each position you pick. You have the following options:

Plane: You can snap to positions either on the view plane or the work plane, depending on what you have selected in the second list on the Snapping toolbar.
Auto: In perspective views, this option works like the 3D option. In non-perspective views, it works like the Plane option.
3D: You can snap to positions in the entire 3D space.

Visual cues in snapping

Tekla Structures indicates where you can snap in the model and which snap switches can be used to snap to certain positions.

When you start a command that requires picking points and you move the mouse pointer over objects, the mouse pointer locks to a snap point and Tekla Structures displays in the model

a snap symbol

The snap symbol changes according to the possible snap point. Tekla Structures automatically highlights the points where you can snap to.

Use the snap settings to show or hide the snap symbols.
a snap tooltip which shows the name of the possible snap point

To show or hide the snap tooltips, click File > Settings and select the Snap tooltips check box.
a turquoise reference line or geometry line of the object. The turquoise line shows the line or the edge to which the snap point belongs to.

For example:

Additionally, Tekla Structures indicates in which direction the picked points are located. When the Ortho tool is active, Tekla Structures displays a rubber band line between the last point picked and the snap point. The color of the cursor and the rubber band line follow the color of the work plane axis: red for x-axis, green for y-axis and blue for z-axis. For any other direction the color of the rubber band line and the cursor is black.

As a general rule of thumb, you can only snap to something that is visible.

For example, if you use the rendering options Parts rendered or Components rendered (Ctrl/Shift +4), the object surfaces are displayed and the objects are not transparent. This means that you cannot snap to the object's geometry lines or reference lines which cannot be seen through the object.

Override the current snap switch settings

You can temporarily override the current snap switch settings, and activate only the selected snap switch. The selected snap switch overrides the other snap settings for the next point you pick.

Run a command that asks you to pick a point.

For example, start creating a beam.
To override the current snap switches, do one of the following:
- Right-click to show a list of snap options, and then select one of the options.
- Click File > Settings, and in the list of toolbars select Snap override toolbar.
  
  A new toolbar appears. Click a button to activate the selected snap switch.
- Use Quick Launch to activate a snap override switch. Type override in the Quick Launch box and select the needed override switch in the search results list.