Tips and tricks 2018

3dcad

To begin with, check tips & tricks 2017
https://forum.onshape.com/discussion/5936/tips-and-tricks-2017

Please add any new shortcuts, hidden features and usability inventions here 

Remember to bookmark page since forum rolls out pretty quickly these days! 

3dcad

I'll start with one to make Onshape more like desktop program using Chrome (and windows, someone can confirm if it works on other platforms).

1. Open Onshape main page (or whatever you wan't to land) into Chrome.
2. Hit three dots on top right to open menu --> More tools --> Add to desktop


3. Check 'Open as window' on confirm dialog and Onshape will open without normal browser menus and provide more room for modeling!

4. You will find nice Onshape icon on your desktop which you can drag to quick launch toolbar


If you have some documents you need to access often, repeat this while document is open and drag shortcut under Onshape in toolbar, you will have quick access using RMB on quick launch logo. 

Same procedure works for any webpage (sheets, docs, erp)

konstantin_shiriazdanov

when you design a flat leverage mechanism that have to take certain positions, it is usefull to draw a layout sketch with the both start and end positions, set the equality constrain on corresponding linkages, set dimension constraints and let sketch solver to find the dimensions of all the other geometry.

MBartlett21

If your graphics are going slow and you would like them to go a bit faster, choose the "Shaded without edges" option in the view dropdown list.
This still works because you can select edges in that mode.

john_mcclary

Select 2 or more parts from the parts list in a part studio, then click "show all" at the top

Now you can modify all of the parts in a studio at once without having to go thru the full document in "workspace properties"

/* Hint, bulk rename in part studio */

MBartlett21

@john_mcclary
You can also right-click on the Part Studio tab, select properties, then expand using the arrow in the dialog

john_mcclary

Just found out by accident, You can copy parts/assemblies from one assembly; and paste it into another without using the insert dialogue.

Includes mates

Only works in the same browser tab.

brucebartlett

john_mcclary said:

Just found out by accident, You can copy parts/assemblies from one assembly; and paste it into another without using the insert dialogue.

Includes mates

Only works in the same browser tab.

yes, I do this all the time. You can also copy and paste parts of sketches with constraints attached. 

bruce_williams

3dcad said:

I'll start with one to make Onshape more like desktop program using Chrome (and windows, someone can confirm if it works on other platforms).

1. Open Onshape main page (or whatever you wan't to land) into Chrome.
2. Hit three dots on top right to open menu --> More tools --> Add to desktop


3. Check 'Open as window' on confirm dialog and Onshape will open without normal browser menus and provide more room for modeling!

4. You will find nice Onshape icon on your desktop which you can drag to quick launch toolbar


If you have some documents you need to access often, repeat this while document is open and drag shortcut under Onshape in toolbar, you will have quick access using RMB on quick launch logo. 

Same procedure works for any webpage (sheets, docs, erp)

Seems this 'Open as window' no longer works - anybody know how to do this with latest versions of Chrome?    'Add to desktop...' is changed to 'Create shortcut...'  but there is no check box for 'Open as window'.    I had a shortcut working from 3dcad instructs but broke it and can't figure how to do it again.  That is really nice way to use OS...

MBartlett21

@bruce_williams
If you create the shortcut, you can then go into your chrome apps and right click, and click "Open as window"

bruce_williams

@MBartlett21

That is it!  I searched Internet 1/2 hour and could not find.  I just had to recreate the shortcuts from the Chrome Apps.  Thank you!!

john_mcclary

Not sure if I'm the only fool who didn't know this but,

A quick way to get all the edges of a face is to hit "use" first then window select from the side.

MBartlett21

@john_mcclary
If you wanted to select all the vertical edges (if you wanted to fillet them, etc.), you can select right to left over the vertical edges

MBartlett21

In drawings, when dimensioning, you can select an edge again to deselect it, allowing you to attach the dimension to something else.