Difference between Construction Lines...and...lines

NormalAndrew

Haven't been using OnShape too much yet, but was creating a sketch in a document that has two separate parts (one is light blue, the other grey). When I sketch on a plane, if I draw lines over an existing part, the lines show up as dashed lines (right line in above image). I thought that I had accidentally created construction lines..but nope...if I drag the line off of an existing part, I get a solid blue line (left line in above image). So, a construction line actually looks like the top line in the above image. I initially found this confusing...why not just have all undefined lines be solid blue?

Well... then I took a look at the bottom line, which is constrained to the blue part, so where it crosses the grey part it is dashed. I'm guessing that's why they do this...so you can quickly tell which part elements are constrained to?

Just found this interesting, and in the end, helpful. But...I do need to get better at telling the difference between a dashed line and a construction line. Be nice to have my assumption confirmed also.

andy_morris

Onshape uses the dashed lines as a depth cue so you know when a line is in front or behind solid geometry.
I will add an enhancement to make the construction line style more distinct from depth-cued lines.

billy2

I've been creating a lot of geometry and can now say that I don't like the depth cue dashed line. It's confusing and not helpful.

My vote is to remove depth cue dashed lines. In other words, any dashed line means it's construction.