How to set the value of a slider mate?

john_P37

I have a linear slide assembly with a slider mate. The slider mate can vary from (say) 10 to 30 mm.   I put this into a higher level assembly. I want to edit in context some other parts, but I want to position the slider at (say) an intermediate value of z=12 mm.   Can this be done?     I can animate between 12.00 and 12.001 mm, which is close enough, but as soon as I go out of the animation box the assembly reverts to the starting condition. 
   The workaround is I go back to the original base assembly and pin the slider mate to between 12.00 and 12.001 mm. This leaves it effectively in place, but positioned well enough for my assembly.    But it's cumbersome...
thanks, John

mthiesmeyer

Hi John,

You can set the value of your slider mate with the following steps:

1.) Open the mate feature dialog



2.) Double click the text displaying the current slider value in the graphics area



3.) Submit the value that you want in the dialog and hit enter (I chose -7)



4.) Hit the green check mark and your part will remain where you put it until something changes!

Hope that helps.

Best,

Mike

mthiesmeyer

Hi John,

You can set the value of your slider mate with the following steps:

1.) Open the mate feature dialog



2.) Double click the text displaying the current slider value in the graphics area



3.) Submit the value that you want in the dialog and hit enter (I chose -7)



4.) Hit the green check mark and your part will remain where you put it until something changes!

Hope that helps.

Best,

Mike

NeilCooke

Or even quicker, just click the mate in the instance list (no need to open the mate dialog), then follow Mike's instructions above.

NeilCooke

@john_P37 - if you wanted 12mm to be the default position, edit one of the mate connectors associated with the mate (click the down arrow next to the mate in the instance list) and move it by 12mm in the Z direction. Now, whenever you want to set it to 12mm, you can right click the mate and select Reset.

owen_sparks

...or use the "named position" tool if you have a few positions you want to be able to toggle through.

OwS