2D Design: Using Guidelines

Guidelines in Carveco are a helpful design aid that let you align and snap to key reference points during your design process. They don’t affect machining, so you can leave them in place without impacting your toolpaths.

🔹 Step 1: Enable Rulers

• To use guidelines, make sure rulers are visible.
• Go to View > Show Rulers.
• This adds rulers to both the X and Y axes in the 2D view.
• Note: Guidelines behave differently in the 3D view, so they’re best used in 2D.

🔹 Step 2: Add Guidelines

• Click and drag from the top ruler to add a horizontal guideline.
• Click and drag from the left ruler to add a vertical guideline.

🔹 Step 3: Edit or Position Guidelines Precisely

• Right-click a guideline to bring up options:
• Insert X or Y Guideline at a specific position
• Edit the position manually
• Delete the guideline
• Use values like -2 to place a guide 2 inches left of center.
• Check Lock before clicking Apply to prevent accidental movement.

🔹 Step 4: Create Offsets

• Use the Offset option in the Edit panel to add symmetrical guides.
• For example, add one at center (0) and offset by 2 inches to create matching spacing.
• Don't forget to click Apply and Lock each new guideline.

🔹 Step 5: Drawing with Snap to Guidelines

• When drawing vectors, Carveco will snap to guideline intersections.
• This is great for precise alignments when creating shapes or profiles.
• If you make a mistake, press - on your keyboard to undo the last point.

🔹 Step 6: Removing Guidelines

• Right-click any guideline and choose Delete Guideline.
• Remember, guidelines are non-machinable—they don’t export with toolpaths.

Using guidelines can greatly improve accuracy and workflow during vector design. They're flexible, editable, and safe to leave in your layout!