Tape

Create panel > Helpers > Standard > Object Type rollout > Tape

Tape provides an on-screen "tape measure" for determining and setting distances. The tape is composed of two named objects, in the same way targeted lights and cameras are. By default, these are named Tape## and Tape##.Target. The tape and target icons are connected by a line representing the current distance between them.

You can drag a length (the default), or enter a specific length by turning on Specify Length. You can snap or align either end of the tape or link to objects in your scene. Deleting either end deletes the tape.

Selection

You can select a tape-measure object from either end, or from the middle. When you click the connecting line, both ends of the tape object become selected so you can move them as one. Note that the same is true of target cameras and lights.

Note: Line selection is available only when clicking with the mouse. Region selection doesn't work for this.

Tip: The Length readout of the tape object is displayed in the Modify panel only when you select the tape end of the object (as opposed to the target or link line). You can lock the Length display by activating the Pin Stack button while the tape end is selected, and then proceed to adjust any part of the tape objector any other object in your scene.

Procedures

To measure a distance:

1. Click Tape and drag from one point to create the tape, and then move to a second point and release the mouse button to create the target.

   The distance between tape and target appears in the Length field, which is unavailable to indicate that this is a read-only measurement.

   Note: To snap the tape ends to object vertices, edges and so on, turn on Snap with the appropriate snap settings turned on.

2. Move either end to a new location. The line between stretches to the new distance, shown in the Length field.

   Note: For accurate results when moving a tape endpoint with Snap, you must turn on Pivot in the Snap Settings panel as well as the type(s) of sub-object you want to snap to; see Snaps. This is because the endpoints are actually pivots.

To set a distance:

• Turn on Specify Length in the Parameters rollout, enter a length, and then create the tape.

  The yellow line is the length you specified, although you can still set the target to any offset by dragging. You can reorient this line as required. You can also clear Specify Length and adjust the length.

Interface

Parameters rollout

Length: Specifies the length of the tape object. You must select the Specify Length check box to enable this option.

Specify Length: Activates the Length parameter setting. Otherwise the tape object's length will be specified by clicking and dragging in the viewport.

World Space Angles group

To X/Y/Z Axis: Displays the angle of the tape object relative to each axis in world space.

To XY/YZ/ZX Plane: Displays the angle of the tape object relative to each of these home planes.