How do you Angle a Line In Sketch????

alex_chomiak

Every discussion post I have looked at doesn't seem to work. I cannot select multiple lines to angle them using the Dimension tool.

NeilCooke

Not sure what you mean? Draw a line at an angle then add a dimension between that line and another line. You can't select multiple lines.

matthew_stacy

@alex_chomiak, Onshape has two default behaviors that may resist what you are trying to accomplish.  Firstly, Onshape does an admirable job of interpreting your intent and automatically applying basic sketch constraints, including horizontal and vertical.  ADMIRABLE, but not PERFECT.  Despite our fascination with surface modeling we live in a rectilinear world, so these are often reasonable assumptions.

The second behavior (related to the first) is that Onshape assumes that if you are dimensioning between two parallel line segments then you are probably interested in the distance.  This is also a very reasonable assumption ... most of the time.  Many many years ago CAD software forced us to sift through an entire menu of dimensioning tools (one for linear distances, another for angles, ... Etc.).  Not fun!  Ninety nine times out of a hundred, Onshape's streamlined approach will prove more efficient.

So to circumvent Onshape's default tendencies (similar to many other modern CAD platforms) you first have to delete any HORIZONTAL, VERTICAL, PERPENDICULAR, or other constraints that prevent your line segment from rotating.  You can also disable automatic constraints by holding down the SHIFT key while sketching.

Then you need to manually rotate the line segment so that it is no longer parallel to the sketch entity you wish to dimension from.  You can accomplish this by selecting and dragging an end point or applying the TRANSFORM tool.  Now when you select the dimension tool and two sketch entities that are not parallel, Onshape will dimension the angle between them.

In summary:

1. Delete existing sketch constraints so that at least one of the line segments can rotate
2. Manually rotate one of the line segments so that it is NOT parallel to the other line segment
3. Apply the dimension tool.

This screenshot shows the default HORIZONTAL constraints that may prevent you from specifying an angle between them.

This next screenshot shows one of the line segments manually rotated out of parallel so that the angle can be dimensioned.