It looks like @Jacques pointed us to the Scan Essentials section of the help center. The way the ‘Box-Align’ method works is similar to the Modeling Tips and Tricks #2. The Push-Pull of the box to get alignment is similar to using section panes. Manipulation of the face/plane of the box to get an ‘average’ or ‘best fit’ of the model to the as-built reality.
One thought occurred to me: are you using CTRL+Shift in 3DConnexion? While enabled, you can’t type numbers into the Measurement field. But if you are using Point Cloud Pick mode, maybe points remain selected (which are not highlighted as components would be), unbeknownst to you, when you go to make your next set of point selections? I say that because it is not clear in SU which exact point in a point cloud is selected, if any. So maybe like stray construction points, there are stray selection points. Just throwing that out there.
Our approaches may be different based on acquisition hardware. On import, I’m usually prompted with a message like, “Your model is far from the axis. Do you want to move it”. I suppose your axis is always at the point of the scanner, so not far from the model origin. I rely on SU to bring topography, mosaics, point clouds, etc. to the same origin/aligned with each other (a sort of faith-based, automagical approach? ;^). I don’t tend to move them because realignment of PCs to topolines is like snapping chalk lines on a sea floor.
What you wrote about your method makes sense. The key differences seem to be that I don’t move the PC, but move SU axes to it, and you use Scan Essentials tools more. You may have noticed a couple of ‘boxes’ in my previous post. Those are ‘Keystones’ or ‘Cornerstones’ that I added for alignment/anchoring purposes (for 2 property surveys in this instance). What it seems we are both doing is creating a known alignment point. I think there is a call for ‘anchors’. Anchors already exist in SU AR/VR but they are not visible. Groups/components seem like the answer for now.
It also seems that you are using the measuring tool (on PC) a lot, whereas I’m using ‘box-fitting’ to get my measurements. I’m curious as to why/how you are using the Tape Measurement Tool: if you are entering numbers, I presume you are making guides. But if measuring to a PC point, wouldn’t ‘box-fitting’ get you close enough -avg/best fit- (given that many walls, floors, etc. are a bit off anyway)? If you’re on the design side of things, you’re getting a ‘map of the territory’. It’s then the craftsperson who says, “I put the cabinet up. The wall was 1/4 off. I made it fit nicely anyway and the plans were good.”. Most of what is to be built can be drawn exclusively from/on the SU model. That gets you out of Scan Essentials and back into ‘normal’ Tape Measuring Tool mode.
But at the end of the day the tools need to work. I didn’t get much of the odd behavior you’re getting from the tools. Is there a glitch? Could different workflows solve the issue? Hopefully this problem is resolved soon and if you get to the bottom of it you’ll share the solution. Good luck!
