SCSCATTER

SCSCATTER fills a closed polyline with copies of a selection. Choose random placement without overlap, a grid with fixed spacing, or a layout that fits as many table sets as possible. A live preview shows the result before you place it.

Starting

Type SCSCATTER on the command line. There is no ribbon button for it.

How it works

1. The command asks Select closed polyline/curve to fill:. Pick the closed curve to fill. An open curve is refused (Curve is not closed.).
2. Select the objects to scatter: Select objects to scatter:. If you had already selected objects beforehand, those are used and this prompt is skipped. The closed curve itself is never used as one of the objects.
3. The Scatter window opens. Under PLACEMENT choose the placement mode and fill in the fields. The preview in the drawing updates when you leave a field or press Enter. While the window is open, you can pan and zoom in the drawing.
4. Click OK to actually place the copies. Cancel (or closing the window) places nothing. The command then reports how many were placed.

The large counter in the window shows the number of copies. If fewer fit than requested, the number turns orange and a message appears, for example The area is full. Lower the count, gap or scale, or allow overlap.

Options

The size of one copy is the bounding box of your selection (with rotation and scale) plus the requested gap.

Random (random, no overlap)

Field	What it does
Count	Number of copies, maximum 10000 (default 25).
Gap	Minimum free space between copies; half of it is kept from the boundary. 0 = touching allowed.
Seed	The same seed gives the same layout. Shuffle gives a new random layout.
Allow overlap	Copies may overlap each other; they still stay inside the polyline.
Rotation	Minimum and maximum angle in degrees (default 0 to 360). 0 to 0 = no rotation.
Scale	Minimum and maximum size change in percent, for example -50 to 50 (default 0 to 0 = no scaling).

Grid (XY array)

Field	What it does
Spacing X / Spacing Y	Distance between centres along the grid X and Y axes. Suggested: 1.25 times the width and height of the selection.
Offset X / Offset Y	Shifts the whole grid, measured from the middle of the polyline.
Angle	Rotates the grid and every copy with it.
Gap	Half of it is kept free along the boundary of the polyline.

Only copies that fit completely inside the polyline are placed.

Fit tables (as many table sets as possible in neat rows, with walking space)

Field	What it does
Set shape	Round (round table with chairs, uses a circle as footprint) or Rectangle (rectangular set, uses its bounding box as footprint). A (nearly) square selection is suggested as Round automatically.
Walking space	Free space between two sets (chair to chair). Suggested: 0.6 times the smallest dimension of the selection.
Wall clearance	Free space between a set and the polyline. Suggested: half the walking space.
Layout	Best (tries rows and staggered, keeps whichever fits most), Rows (straight rows and columns) or Staggered (every other row shifted half a set).
Best angle	Rotates the layout so the most sets fit. When off, the command uses the fixed angle in the field next to it.

If no set fits, the window says No set fits - lower the walking space or wall clearance. In grid mode: Nothing fits - check spacing, offset and gap.

Settings

The settings you used last are remembered for next time (as long as BricsCAD stays open), except the seed: you always start with a fresh layout.