Measure

The Measure command allows you to measure a distance between two points in your simulation. Each individual measure can be shown in millimeters, centimeters, or meters regardless of the other measures.

The Measure command is useful if you wish to quickly [determine] a distance between two points in your simulation.

How to Use in VR

The Measure command can be accessed from the default Tools sub menu.

[IMAGE: Tools pie menu — original at /pictures/v1.19/PieMenu119_tools.png]

Upon activating this command, aim the controller's laser and press the trigger to set the starting point of the measure. Then, aim the laser at the second point of the measure and press the trigger. A measure tag will be spawned between the two points, displaying the distance [between] them.

This measure tag is collaborative: your collaborators will see it.

While the Measure [command] is activated, you can create as many measures as you want. The created measures will remain [after you exit] the command.

You can move a measure tag anywhere in space by clicking on the label button [while] inside the command. This will not change the two points between which the measure was made, but rather allows you to [reposition] a measure tag to make it more visible.

Each measure tag can be grabbed and moved to [the] side [of a measure].

[IMAGE: Measure in VR — original at /pictures/v1.21/measure-vr.png]

Measure Helper

When active, a straight line from each object's normal surface will show in the scene. This line serves [only] as a helper to display a normal line, and it [does not] calculate any distance. To calculate a distance from one point, [you should use] the Laser command.

Show Decomposition

This option [activates] measurement decomposition in all three axes. By default, it [uses] the scene's world axis as the baseline and [the] X-axis as the starting point for decomposition. You can change the axis baseline from the combo box. The buttons next to the combo box [let you] display different positions of the decomposition or [view] just one axis.

World Axis: [The] baseline axis of the decomposition will be [the] scene's oriented axis.
Source Axis: [The] baseline axis of the decomposition will be the source object [axis].
Target Axis: [The] baseline axis of the decomposition will be the target object [axis].
Normal Axis: [A] decomposition based on the source point normal as [the] X axis and "world up" as [the] Z axis (Y is computed to create a valid base).

Other Measure Commands

You can select the full pie menu to [access] two additional measure commands.

Minimal Distance

[IMAGE: Minimal Distance icon — original at /pictures/v1.17/Icon_Minimal_Distance.png]

[The] Minimal [Distance] command allows you to select any two objects in the scene, and [SkyReal] VR will detect the closest point between them [and] display [the] distance. [SkyReal] VR uses [the] object's convex decomposition [for this calculation], so [the] accuracy [depends] on [that decomposition].

Laser

[IMAGE: Laser icon — original at /pictures/v1.17/Icon_laser.png]

When using the [Laser] option, you can create a point on any surface that will [cast] a line using [the] surface's normal [direction]. The measure indicated in the label will dynamically change during runtime according to [the] laser's target.

Video Example

[VIDEO: Measure command demonstration — original at /videos/commands_measure.mp4]

How to Use on Desktop

The Measure command can be accessed from the Add to Scene menu in the left side menu.

[IMAGE: Access Measure from left menu — original at /pictures/v1.21/access-measure.png]

When this command is activated, a floating menu appears in the top-right corner of the screen with all the options disabled.

[IMAGE: Create Measure floating menu — original at /pictures/v1.21/create-measure.png]

[To begin, click] the Create Measure button. The menu is then hidden, and a red cursor appears at the tip of the mouse pointer. [Click] two points in the scene[, and] a measurement tag [will be] generated between them, displaying the distance that separates the points.

Once the measure [is] created, you can edit your measure settings. This measure tag is collaborative: your collaborators will see it.

While the Measure [command] is activated, you can create as many measures as you want or click on any measure to edit its settings. You can also select any measure to delete it.

Measure Settings (Desktop)

[IMAGE: Simple measure settings — original at /pictures/v1.21/simple-measure.png]

Show Decomposition

World Axis: [The] baseline axis of the decomposition will be [the] scene's oriented axis.
Source Axis: [The] baseline axis of the decomposition will be the source object [axis].
Target Axis: [The] baseline axis of the decomposition will be the target object [axis].
Normal Axis: [A] decomposition based on the source point normal as [the] X axis and "world up" as [the] Z axis (Y is computed to create a valid base).

Measure Helper

When active, a straight line from each object's normal surface will show in the scene. This line serves [only] as a helper to display a normal line, and it [does not] calculate any distance.

Options and Settings

Use Collaborative Color: Check this to make the measure line use the user's collaborative color.
Measure Color: Set the color of the measure line (if Use Collaborative Color is unchecked).
Measure Thickness: Define the thickness of the measure line (in meters).
Move After Click: Check this to make the measure line moveable after it has been created.

Tips

Use Show Decomposition to break down a measurement into its X, Y, and Z components for more precise analysis.
The Laser command is especially useful for dynamic measurements that update in real time as you move.
Minimal Distance is ideal for finding the closest gap between two complex objects without manually searching for the nearest points.
Measure tags are collaborative, so all users in the session can see and reference them.