Screen Ruler (Perfection)

[amerifax]

Tons of screen rulers out there all doing the same thing but lacking one critical key item.

We do design work in Visio. We use several different screen rulers. I have one problem. I want to take my screen ruler and be able to measure the length of a house on the image I imported and be able to take that ruler that I measured that house with and tell it that measurement size. From that point on, everything I measure with that ruler, I would have the proper perspective.

At that point you don't have a $10 or $20 ruler you have a screen ruler that will give you the perspective valued at quite a bit more than the standard screen rulers out there.

I'm not a software designer. Who's got the talent?

Bob Snow

[Shoreguy]

CAD/AutoCAD has been out there awhile...I haven't looked directly at it for 3yrs tho.
However, as long as you've got a flat screen, ScaleMaster II / PC Interface Combo should work. You can set the scale via normal means or set a custom scale to your own liking (measured against a known distance in the object---say a door with normal width of 36")

Interface Your Scale Master II with Your PC at the Push of a Button! -
The PC Interface Kit lets you transfer measured values directly from your Scale Master II into your PC spreadsheet (e.g., Excel, Lotus) or construction estimating program. This saves you time and reduces costly keystroke errors!

There's other products as well at http://www.contractor-books.com/Calculators.htm or other contractor/construction url's.

[amerifax]

Looking more of a screen conversion of data.

Bob

[mobo57]

I guess I am sort of confused as to what you are asking for, is it ruler type program for Visio for instance? And Visio for design work? What sort of work is it?

[amerifax]

>I guess I am sort of confused as to what you are asking for, is it ruler type program for Visio for instance? And Visio for design work? What sort of work is it<

I do Conversations of Subdivision plats and Model drawings. It should not matter what the program is that you are using, where the data ends up in..

Here’s how it would work. I have a drawing that is scale, all dimensions are relevant but not always listed (Size is not always available but you need at list one dimension). So I might have the height given. But the width might not be.

If I have a ruler with some smarts it can do the job.

1. The drawing must be in scale. Not that I would rely on the scale that the architect drew on the drawing. Since I'm bringing it to the computer with a scan everything is relevant to the drawing based on the scan.

So if I am told the height and can see the “height markers” on the drawing I can take the ruler to “point a” and continue to the end of the dimension line, “point b”. The Ruler now knows how long a foot is. I can continue to get any dimension I need

Now I look at a bed room wall and use the ruler program to get the size based on the first measurement. And whatever I need.

At this point I got paste or type it into Visio or whatever I'm using. That's the basic of what is needed. If someone put a little effort into development, it would be a great seller. It seems no one has ever saw a need for this. Any broker, developer or builder is right for this program.

Bob
You make it I break it.

[mobo57]

Interesting, but I cannot help to feel that you are using the wrong tool for the job, but that is my opinion. Just to give you my reason for why I feel that, right now I am working on a project my family and I are doing. I do the tech stuff. What we are doing is a project on approx 1,500 acres, involving various buildings, roads, and facilities. We need to "virtualize" it. I am using Autocad, Autocad Civil, Google Earth Pro and 3DS Max to create the virtualization of the project.
Now back to your question, I doubt very much that what you ask for is possible. The problem is that the programs need to be written on the same platform and utilize the same data objects. Many, even those from the same producer, utilize different program , language and data storage/manipulation structures.
For example, many programs have import/export functions, you can see that most are very limited in the type of data they will work with. And good luck with a "universal" type of data, such as text or such.
Then there is the issue of licensing from the various software producers....

[amerifax]

I will look in to an Auto Cad type program.

>>I doubt very much that what you ask for is possible<<
As far as if it Can or can’t. I know use programs like sruler, desktop ruler and clever ruler. I have found no program that they can't work in. If I go to a web site they give me the exact measurement I have to design my work size on computer. You would think the only difference would be measuring an object created on a computer compared to a scanned graphic. Dimension. What I need is to create a dimension based on a position on the screen.
SRuler just told me the distance between As and Found on the top line of the top paragraph is 603 pixels. What I can’t do is tell it, let that represent 65’. And than when I measure the ZZZZZZZZZZZZ it would come up with the exact size.
Bob

[mobo57]

So you just want the scaled numbers to be able to do with it as you need rather than have it interface with your app directly. I don't have any experience with those programs, but I'd guess that there should be some sort of custom units settings in one of them at least, seems clever ruler does.

[Meyco]

What I believe the author is looking for is simply an onscreen ruler with the ability to set the scale based on a known distance or object size showing on the screen. I need this too, and I am amazed that none of the screen rulers I have looked at include this basic feature. My applicaiton is this: I have a map that someone sent me in PDF format. Once it is up on the screen, I simply need to fit the onscreen ruler over the map's scale bar then right click to enter the distance written on the map's scale. The JR Ruler is pretty good, but needs this feature. I'm wondering if the author found a solution.

[amerifax]

>>MOBO 57<< Reaaly tried to work out this problem. It's good to see someone spends the time to help a sprangle. Actually I'm not all that trange.
>>Meyer<< You got it dead money. I agree, what was tyhe trogramer thinking. This featuer is like forgetting the paint in a can of pant. No I have not found a solution. But here are the programs I use.

1. Clever Ruler
2. Desktop Ruler
3. SRuler

SRuler comes in two versions, depending on who you buy from.
a. One has one ruler.
b. the other has two rulers (The best way to go).

What do you use.

Keep in touch.

[mobo57]

Actually you got me interested in it. Been doing a little research and have come up with about nil on there being this type of feature. Decided to dust off the old coding books and give it a go. The wife is concerned, she's afraid I may be "hacking" again. Never did that kind of stuff in my younger, but did a few things for fun...
I have not had the need for this type of program though. Most of what I work with I'll set the scale when I set up the drawing/design/scan.
I'll keep you posted on the progress. Got part done, need to work out the interface.

[amerifax]

Great. Finally someone is putting paint in the bucket. I wish you luck

Bob

[mobo57]

Well I'm still working at it. Having trouble keeping the screen overlay transparent and clicking through. In the interim, found this:
http://www.fabsoft.com/products/ruler/ruler.html
Sort of along the line of where I am going. Can set up multiple rulers and adjust the units to your liking.

[Meyco]

Glad someone is working on this. Wish I had the know-how. I need to be able to measure diagonally, not just horizontally and vertically. I think the JR Ruler does this.

[Meyco]

Here at last is a solution; and a pretty good one too

http://iconico.com/caliper/