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Is it possible to use constrains between two different sketches?

florian_fordflorian_ford Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
I hope it can be somehow done and I overlooked the option but I I would like the ability to have geometry-level constrains between sketches. This would dynamically re-shape geometries based on changes down the road.

When I enter into a sketch I would like at least to be able to "USE" geometry from another sketch, like construction lines and so on. Did you ever found yourself needing to design a part based on geometry in another Part?

Thanks.

Comments

  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,310
    Use the "Use" command?
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • florian_fordflorian_ford Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    Use command seems to only work on solid geometry not construction assisting geometry. Also I believe "Use" only copies the shape you want to use without a dynamic back-reference to the original (Used) geometry.
  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,310
    edited February 2016
    "Use" projects any edge, solid or sketch, and maintains associativity. 
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • florian_fordflorian_ford Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    Ok, I figured out the reason I can't see the other sketch and I can  only see the solids and edges as available for Use cmd: when i enter Editing mode in one sketch, the other disappears completely because it has been created later on in the history and the feature list goes gray past the current sketch i am editing.

    What can I do in this situation?
  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,310
    edited February 2016
    You can drag features/sketches to reorder before your current sketch. If this is not possible you will have to rethink how you created your design. 
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • florian_fordflorian_ford Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    So if I have two parts made one after the other and I am altering their design as I go with it, if I need to see the later sketch to use "Use" or just as visual cues I'd have to move it back and forth in the features list. Is this the workflow expected by Onshape?

    I must admit that I am not a CAD professional so my workflow is to build up and alter as I go. So "thinking through" one's design from the beginning is not easy to do for the design intent's purpose. 
  • florian_fordflorian_ford Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    edited February 2016
    Nope, it screws up my whole construction :(
    Isn't it possible to make a switch for a "forward-lookup" that would make another "future" sketch available for "Use"? :) Bad practices? I don't know, for creative people it's difficult to lock them in a linear thinking workflow.

  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,310
    It is the same for any parametric feature based modeler. It's like baking a cake, you have to do things in order. Try creating all your design intent in one sketch. 
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
  • florian_fordflorian_ford Member Posts: 54 ✭✭
    edited February 2016
    Actually I was thinking at an "uber" sketch to contain selected sketches or all the sketches :)

    I have just created another sketch which, being last so far, can use one of the previous sketches geometry. I forget that sketches are free but you are right, the design intent is not something easily to grasp. Maybe some "use case" videos about design intent should be something you guys could create and make available. IMHO it is the hardest thing to learn the best practices and acquire that particular feel of the workflow OS expects.
  • NeilCookeNeilCooke Moderator, Onshape Employees Posts: 5,310
    Check out our bi-weekly webinar series - design intent is a regular topic. We will create some videos on design intent, Part Studios, and Assemblies. 
    Senior Director, Technical Services, EMEAI
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