"Mirror" Dimension?

christopher_owens

Hello! I was wondering if there is a way to do a "mirror" dimension? I plan on mirroring this part about the Right plane. Even though in this sketch the object line and construction line are set "Equal" and the 170 would define the finished width of the part... I just wonder if there is a way to  "pick the plane-pick the line-pick the plane" and get the mirrored overall dimension? Maybe if there were circles or closed shapes you wanted to mirror and didn't want to put "X/2" all the time.

PS Be nice to be able to "Upload" an image when asking a Question!

3dcad

Mirror is a constraint in sketch mode and it doesn't need additional dimensions (if I understood you question correctly). So if you change the original, mirrored shape will follow.

ps. You can drag image to text area or use the icon next to link (hover icon and you will see attach image/file) to upload image with your question/comment. To take the image just use your favorite screenshot software (google will help with this). You can also post gif if you need to add animation. 

christopher_owens

Here is the Uploaded image!

3dcad

You can first mirror and then set the overall dimension. If you are talking about sketch mirror..

If you mean part/face mirror after finished one half, then you just need to use X/2 dimensions in sketch since there is no way Onshape could know you are planning to mirror part when finished.  

christopher_owens

Sorry, I didn't hit the "Post Comment" to show the image! Good thing I left this page tab open!

I do use Lightshot to get the screen grabs! When you first "Ask A Question" the image button only asks for a URL address. After that the "Leave a Comment" allows you to upload a file image.

I think you are talking about mirrored sketch entities. What I want to do is have an overall dimension for the finished mirrored part in my sketch of the one half. Picky eh?

andrew_troup

christopher_owens said:

<SNIP>. What I want to do is have an overall dimension for the finished mirrored part in my sketch of the one half. Picky eh?

This was available, from very early on, in Solidworks.

There is, however, a snag, which Onshape should consider gravely, if this capability is to be implemented:

A small dimension, done this way, can very easily (in Solidworks) be mistaken for a dimension to the centreline.

This potentially means a critical part having to be scrapped (or even worse, being put into service and causing a failure)

There should, at very least, be some very evident display characteristic, to differentiate doubled dimensions from plain dimensions.

rbaek

We have a mirror tool where you can select the entity to mirror from and entities to mirror, and we have a symmetric dimension where you can select entities to be symmetric post-creation.

Are these what you are looking for or is there something else that you're looking for?

christopher_owens

@rbaek and @andrew_troup  I'll have to look at what @rbaek is describing. Sounds like that is after the "original" feature is created. What @andrew_troup is talking about is what I was looking to do. Somewhere is my past CAD I could create a foreshortened (I think) dimension that had two arrowheads on one end to indicate that it went to a line that was not shown. Perhaps something like that.