First sketch, only 1 square and still not defined

jules_nijst

Before I go too far down the road with my new project, I would like all my sketches to de properly defined. So I start a new project and choose the top plane.

Make a square box and immdiately it is says sketch 1 is not fully defined… whatever else I add later, Sketch 1 stays undefined…

Is this a software error ? because simpler as this is impossible and there are no ambiguities that I can see…

Really wondering what the solution is to this question

Thanks and kind regards,

Jules

jelte_steur814

Hi Jules,
so first, please make sure you understand what 'fully defined' means:
"a sketch is "fully defined" when its relations and dimensions have complete control of its size, shape, and position."

that square you drew: when you pick a corner you can still drag it anywhere. that means it's not fully defined.

when you put a dimension on one side, and e.g. constrain the height and width of the square with an equal constraint, its now a proper square (iso a rectangle) with a defined size. however the position of it is not yet defined. so if you make the origin of the part studio visible and put a coïncident constraint on the corner and the origin, it will define the position as well. all lines will go black and the sketch will be fully defined.

sketch 2 is probably fully defined because either you didn't draw anything in it yet, or what you drew auto-constrained to existing geometry..

These are very basic things and like Micheal suggested, the onshape learning pathways will give you a better fundamental understanding of what your doing than resorting to this forum each time you run into something.

MDesign

Have you constrained or dimensioned your square relative to the origin or two planes?

MichaelPascoe

If the sketch lines are blue, they are undefined. Meaning they need dimensions or constraints for their size as well as their position. You can constrain and dimension to entities within the sketch or outside the sketch as an external reference.

If you really want to become efficient at Onshape, complete the Onshape Learning Pathways. They are amazing.

https://learn.onshape.com/catalog?labels=%5B%22Learning%20Format%22%5D&values=%5B%22Learning%20Pathway%22%5D

jules_nijst

I have seen this description of yours before, but I am not sure exactly what you need to do, to constrain or dimension to the 'origin'.

When it gets to 2 planes… I get lost and have no idea anymore what you mean…

Mind you, when I extrude sketch1 (with just one square box) into 100 mm deep or whatever, then when I start sketch 2, that sketch2 IS fully dimensioned…

I really do appreciate your answer, but I am still not sure how to go exactly about what you describe, maybe just try yourself:

New project, choose TOP, sketch1, draw square box and click OK, immediately sketch1 is not defined…

Thanks very much for your trouble and kind regards,

Jules.

jules_nijst

I already wrote an answer, but it disappeared into thin air… Now I get this comment-box.

I really do appreciate your help, but am not sure exactly how to do that "dimension to the origin"…

Kind regards,

Jules.

jelte_steur814

Hi Jules,
so first, please make sure you understand what 'fully defined' means:
"a sketch is "fully defined" when its relations and dimensions have complete control of its size, shape, and position."

that square you drew: when you pick a corner you can still drag it anywhere. that means it's not fully defined.

when you put a dimension on one side, and e.g. constrain the height and width of the square with an equal constraint, its now a proper square (iso a rectangle) with a defined size. however the position of it is not yet defined. so if you make the origin of the part studio visible and put a coïncident constraint on the corner and the origin, it will define the position as well. all lines will go black and the sketch will be fully defined.

sketch 2 is probably fully defined because either you didn't draw anything in it yet, or what you drew auto-constrained to existing geometry..

These are very basic things and like Micheal suggested, the onshape learning pathways will give you a better fundamental understanding of what your doing than resorting to this forum each time you run into something.

jules_nijst

Hi Jelte and Michael,

Thank you ever so much for spending time on answering my simple questions. I have indeed discovered that a sketch cannot be overdefined; a red line appears when you have two measurements dimensioned for the same length, so Onshape does not know which one to use. Just by getting rid of the dimension of 1 measurement, the other one is now king of the hill… Sometimes I need several lines to remind me the length of things in a sketch…

I have developed some solid experience with Onshape, but that dimension to 'origin' had me baffled, but it is that small dot that appears with a new project. I immediately got rid of all that by pressing P… saw that somewhere… Now I realize that I probably should have made a measurement to that origin-point…

Anyway, thanks again for your trouble to help me. Really appreciated !

Kind regards,

Jules

MichaelPascoe

@jules_nijst You won't regret watching some of those Learning Pathway videos. It will save you tons of time.

jules_nijst

Hi Michael

Where do I find these pathway videos, Within Bambu Search does not find anything…

Thanks and kind regards,

Jules

jules_nijst

Hi Michael,

I found itLearning Pathways and 'absorbing' it…

Thanks and kind regartds, Jules.