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Basic sketching improvement request
chris_8
OS Professional Posts: 102 PRO
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:
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:
3
Comments
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?
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.
Twitter: @onshapetricks & @babart1977
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.
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.
Twitter: @onshapetricks & @babart1977
Twitter: @onshapetricks & @babart1977