create a variable by selecting points / importing variable from derived object

malet_jl

Hi,
I want to create a variable from a derived object by selecting 2 points of the derived object and calculating length
I'm new to onshape and the variable features and the way some tools like patterns works or simply extrude works is really awfull, variable can't be shared and so on... I would like either to import variables by selecting a derived object and create a popup list with all available variables, or create a variable by selecting two points and computing length... how can I achieve that in feature script? the best would be both...
thanks and regards

konstantin_shiriazdanov

there is a custom feature for this
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/77baa8153589a7fc5f289829/w/cffd0f2a7077380d5378a885/e/d3174bf5315e6aafcb889367
you can set some measured value of distance, length, angle, area or volume to a variable

malet_jl

really great!!!! I was really upset of the impossibility to use a variable of an object to create another object.... I designed a box, using derived objects, at first it looked great, but I changed a variable and now, I've to redo all the design! soooooo boring!!! with variable I wouldn't had any issue! 

brian_brady

konstantin_shiriazdanov said:

there is a custom feature for this
https://cad.onshape.com/documents/77baa8153589a7fc5f289829/w/cffd0f2a7077380d5378a885/e/d3174bf5315e6aafcb889367
you can set some measured value of distance, length, angle, area or volume to a variable

Too bad you cannot use this while in a sketch. I have longed for creating/assigning variables as I sketch instead of having to do it ahead of time. In my opinion, variables should exist "parallel" to the feature tree.