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MotionCAD Drawing Dymanic Lines

This page provides help for drawing lines and creating simple object with MotionCAD. Note to perform this operation you require the full version of MotionCAD.

How do I draw a Dynamic line?

With MotionCAD drawing a line is very simple and fast. Once you understand the basic sequence of a line all the other dynamic objects follow the same design. The picture above illustrates the mouse operations required to draw a line.


Drawing a line:

  • Step 1: Click on the "Line" tool
  • Step 2: Press and hold the mouse button down then move the mouse, you will see that the line starts where you first pushed the mouse button down and now tracks to the current mouse position
  • Step 3: Release the mouse button, the line will then be drawn on the document

All the other MotionCAD objects work in a similar way, and are the same as AutoShapes in Microsoft Office programs. Use the tool bar (shown above) when you want to create new line, text, rectangles, or other shapes.

Can I change a Dynamic line?

Yes, that is why thay are called Dynamic. Actually you can change everything about a line. To change the shape or position of an object, you must first select (right-click) it, this will  make its edit points (Green squares on boths sides) appear, and then drag any of these points. Many AutoShapes also have one or more adjustment handles that you can use to adjust their shape. 

You can color lines, make them dotted or dashed, change their thickness, or enhance them with arrowheads. You can also change the shape of lines, freeforms, and curves.  To make these changes, click and select the object and then click on the down arrow beside the options shown above.  Clicking on this arrow displays the options available. To select these options simply click on the option style.

 Do I need to change the color every time?

No, once to set the thickness and color of a line, that setting will stay for any line you draw after. This feature saves on the number of mouse clicks because depending on the video background and color of golfer clothing some colors work better then others. Once that color is selected you will tend to use it over and over.

How are Dynamic lines drawn on the video?

In the window above you will see a series of tools in the upper left hand side. This is called the object bar.  Tools in MotionCAD at called objects. They are called object because each object when dropped into a MotionCAD session can be edited, changed, saved, ... these are living objects separate from any video. In MotionCAD even the video is an object.

To draw a line on the video, execute the line drawing steps above but put the line ontop of the video object. There is no limit to the number of overlapping object in MotionCAD.

Are Dynamic lines drawn placed in the video?

In the picture above lines, appear drawn on in video. This is not true, it better described that the lines are drawn on a clear piece of plastic over the video. If you where to save the video again the lines would not be seen.

By doing lines in this manner, an unlimited number of possible analysis options are opened to analyze motion.  

Can the lines/analysis be saved to view again?

The MotionCAD document you are working with can be saved exactly the way it is seen on the screen. This file can be reopened at anytime in the future and changed and then resaved.

We have even taken this concept a step futhure with lesson templates. Templates allow you to automatically insert videos anywhere into an existing lesson. More info click here 

What other Dynamic objects does MotionCAD provide?

MotionCAD provides a powerful series of Dynamic objects:

  • Line
  • Multi-segment line (with angle info)
  • Box
  • Ellipse
  • Curve
  • Pictures
  • Text
  • Frames
  • Free hand drawing
  • Custom objects  

Most of these objects above can be rotated, colors and thickness changed, ... any many more options depending on the object.

Rotating objects for angle calculation?

Most of the MotionCAD objects can be rotated. MotionCAD will tell you the angle of the rotation on the screen and on the property sheet.

To rotate an object, again click on the object to select it then click on the button shown below. The highlighting edges will change from green squares to green circles. When you see the circles, you can click-hold-drag-release on them and rotate the object. Alternatively, you can enter the angle in the text box also circled below.

Can the points of multi-segment Dynamic line be changed?

I am glad you asked that, the answer is yes. Just to the right of the rotate function above there is is a point edit button. When you have selected an object with multiple points this button will go active. When it does and you click on it you will see all the points that make up the object you have selected. Extra points can be inserted, changed or removed.

The most impressive in the free hand objects. When you now move the mouse over one of the object's points you will see it changes shape to tell you can move the point. To move the point, just click and drag the point.