Basic sketching improvement request

chris_8

About a year ago I started here with very little knowledge of CAD, and have learned quite a bit by working with OnShape and by reading these forums.  Since day one I have been bothered by one issue that I figured I should finally bring up.  Maybe there's a setting that I never found to enable this (if so, please enlighten me).  Or maybe this is something that should be improved in OnShape.  

Simply put, when sketching I'd like OnShape to recognize points and lines from other sketches (and objects) that exist in that Part Studio as coincident targets while I'm drawing new lines, rectangles, circles, etc.  

Currently it takes extra time because I must either create points individually, then manually make those points be coincident with points/lines from other sketches, then create my lines, rectangles, or circles and use those new points as coincident while creating.    Or I must create the lines, rectangles, or circles, then afterwards make those be coincident with the points or lines from the other sketches.

Whichever way I go about this, it's extra steps.  These steps are needed in most every sketch I do, so the extra  time spent adds up a lot.  

Here's an example.   Try creating a line, circle or rectangle in sketch 2 that is automatically coincident with any of the lines or points from sketch 1, or from the extruded block:
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/12c8d0435669d9d0937638c4/w/21130b2f725b2ac46b38f16f/e/c10c7b71c983ebbfde5cd807


I made a simple block:


I'd like to be able to use any of these items as automatic coincidents while I create a new line or other shape in sketch 2:

 

ryan_thiessen999

Chris,

There is a "Use" feature in sketch mode that allows you to select the lines, circles and other features from other drawings or solids and use them in your current drawing.  The icon is a double square around about the middle of the toolbar.  With this tool it automatically makes lines and other features coincident.

Is this what you were hoping for?

chris_8

ryan_thiessen999 said:

Chris,

There is a "Use" feature in sketch mode that allows you to select the lines, circles and other features from other drawings or solids and use them in your current drawing.  The icon is a double square around about the middle of the toolbar.  With this tool it automatically makes lines and other features coincident.

Is this what you were hoping for?

Ryan,

Thanks for the reply!   I'm familiar with the Project/Use function.   That requires an additional step compared to what I'm requesting.  

Imagine you're in a sketch and you'd like a new line to begin vertically even with another point from that same sketch.   You can mouseover that other point, then move the cursor to your desired starting point for this new line, and a dashed yellow line will be drawn, indicating you're directly in line vertically or horizontally.

I'd like that same recognition for points and lines from other sketches that exist in this same Part Studio.

Use takes more clicks, and it seems to clutter up my new sketch  more than is required.

I hope this explains my request a little better.  I'll try to add a better image or two later.

chris_8

This video shows an example of my dream for OnShape perfomance.  It would help me convert the shaped items from my imagination into CAD items much faster I think.  Is it possible @lougallo ?

derek_ward

This is a great feature request! 

brucebartlett

It might be just me, as I have just jumped back on Onshape after using other packages for a bit but can seem to get point to awake when sketching, I am sure this use to be possible. Ie. when I draw a circle I want it to snap to a point (vertex) on a part but doesn't seem to let me. 

jakeramsley

brucebartlett said:

It might be just me, as I have just jumped back on Onshape after using other packages for a bit but can seem to get point to awake when sketching, I am sure this use to be possible. Ie. when I draw a circle I want it to snap to a point (vertex) on a part but doesn't seem to let me. 

Hi Bruce,

Sketching will only infer to items in the sketch or on the sketch face.  So if you were to start a sketch on a face of a part, you can inference to the edges and vertices of that face.  If you were to start a sketch on a plane, then you won't be able to infer to the edges and vertices of the face.

brucebartlett

jakeramsley said:

brucebartlett said:

It might be just me, as I have just jumped back on Onshape after using other packages for a bit but can seem to get point to awake when sketching, I am sure this use to be possible. Ie. when I draw a circle I want it to snap to a point (vertex) on a part but doesn't seem to let me. 

Hi Bruce,

Sketching will only infer to items in the sketch or on the sketch face.  So if you were to start a sketch on a face of a part, you can inference to the edges and vertices of that face.  If you were to start a sketch on a plane, then you won't be able to infer to the edges and vertices of the face.

Thanks Jake,

I think must have been sketching on the back face of the part but looking normal to the front face and trying to select on the front face. I'll try it again and see if I get these expected results, was kinda frustrating when I was click away expecting something happen and nothing did, hence my post.  

brucebartlett

brucebartlett said:

jakeramsley said:

brucebartlett said:

It might be just me, as I have just jumped back on Onshape after using other packages for a bit but can seem to get point to awake when sketching, I am sure this use to be possible. Ie. when I draw a circle I want it to snap to a point (vertex) on a part but doesn't seem to let me. 

Hi Bruce,

Sketching will only infer to items in the sketch or on the sketch face.  So if you were to start a sketch on a face of a part, you can inference to the edges and vertices of that face.  If you were to start a sketch on a plane, then you won't be able to infer to the edges and vertices of the face.

Thanks Jake,

I think must have been sketching on the back face of the part but looking normal to the front face and trying to select on the front face. I'll try it again and see if I get these expected results, was kinda frustrating when I was click away expecting something happen and nothing did, hence my post.  

Just tried to relipcate my problem. Sketching on the back face but looking normal to the front work's as expected but I was sketching on the top plane coincident with the back face and that's way nothing was happening and felt like my whole sketch experience had changed.