Making changes to the array in the sketch.

sergei_nesterov

In sketch mode, I make an array. Several array elements are added to my drawing (centerlines, callouts with the number of copies, object duplicates). But then I notice that I forgot to draw or add a line to the array. Is it possible to edit (add, delete) array elements?

mahir

sergei_nesterov said:

Is it possible to edit (add, delete) array elements?

Not to my knowledge. Sketch tools like patterns and offsets aren't really editable features. You can change dimensions, but not the original setup parameters/elements. Your best bet is to recreate the pattern. Alternatively, if you have items attached to your existing pattern instances, you can create a separate pattern just for the missing line.

lana

@sergei_nesterov
if you want benefits of parametric modeling, try working with Face Pattern in solid body. There you can make changes to the seed and adjust pattern selections to handle them.

billy2

This is a philosophical idea, with Pro/E, we always claimed features were more stable than sketches. Limit your sketches to 10 entities and replicate with features seemed to be more robust. That was the early 1990's; but I believe it's still true today even after 3 evolutions of CAD systems.

Your sketch scares me.

alnis

@billy2 if you think that sketch is scary...




This is one of those cases where I was modeling something as fast as possible with zero regards to maintainability (it was a competition to make a complete CAD model for a robot in only a few days). Ultimately, it looked right and regenerated, so...

Of course, I would never do this on an actual project! I just needed the model to look right haha

EvanReese

alnis_smidchens said:

@billy2 if you think that sketch is scary...




This is one of those cases where I was modeling something as fast as possible with zero regards to maintainability (it was a competition to make a complete CAD model for a robot in only a few days). Ultimately, it looked right and regenerated, so...

Of course, I would never do this on an actual project! I just needed the model to look right haha

lol! the stuff of nightmares!

At Fractal we actually have internal parlance for this. Level 1 CAD is for exploration and is as fast as possible, but is a pain to edit. Level 2 is for iteration on a single direction, level 3 is ultra tidy for final execution. It's really helpful to be able to just say, "this is a level 2", and everyone knows what that means. Your example is level 1 for sure.

billy2

guys I couldn't sleep last night. 

Look guys you have a pattern on plate, I get it.

But, think about this which happens all the time. You're working on someone's stuff not knowing the model and trying to make a change. Most will click on a face to find the feature that made that face.



And then:


Breaking up the design and managing it so the next guy can understand how you built it, easily pick up your design intent & ultimately make a change. This is the goal.

There's too many models in the world that are impossible to work with and it doesn't have to be that way. Build'm for the next guy.

It's a broad statement "no more than 10 sketch entities" but it helps get new users to break up their features into manageable chunks.

But, then of course, there's exceptions to the rule. Possibly a nasty pattern in a sheet metal part.

billy2

@Evan_Reese that's so true what you said about the evolution of a design and how Fractal's project structure is setup. I wish more design houses were this organized. Designs metamorphize during evolution. I'm interested in how you keep all 3 approaches, can you?. There's engineering layouts and then there's released documentation. Can they both exist with one driving the other?