Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
and Bracket Width makes it easier to make adjustments or changes when
workinginthePropertiespaletteorTypePropertiesdialogboxoftheobject.
If you intend to abbreviate measurements such as length, height, or radius,
be sure to use a consistent format. Will you use the abbreviation as a prefix
or suffix to the descriptive portion of the name? Will punctuation such as
dashes or parentheses be used? These symbols can have an effect on how
those parameters perform in formulas.
Decide up front whether you will use height or depth to describe the third
dimension of an object. The way you orient the families can also create
inconsistency in parameter usage. What could be width for one family may
be length for another. You can avoid this issue by considering the
orientation of the family and where the parameters go.
There are two general systems for naming the parameters representing the
threedimensions—eitherkeeptheparameternamemeaningfultothefamily
or always keep it consistent. So, if you were to use the first method (keep it
meaningful), you would call the parameter's depth, height, or width based
on what makes the most sense for the particular family. And if you were to
go with the second method (always consistent), you would always call the
three directions of the family the same—length, width, and height. In some
cases, the length really may be width, and in others the width really may be
depth. But if you are consistent and everyone at your company understands
the concept, it all makes sense. In
Figure 6.2
, you can see a family that uses
a consistent naming convention for the three main dimensions. From plan
view, the horizontal parameter will always be called
LENGTH
, the vertical
will always be called
WIDTH
, and the third parameter will always be called
HEIGHT
.
