Comments on: SolidWorks Dimensioning Tips

By: Dorillian Blue

Dorillian Blue — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:03:10 +0000

I find using the filter when dimensioning useful (e.g. select Edge, and Vertices and Dimension only)

This way you select circle edges as opposed to center marks - which often dangle.

You can also be confident (without having to keep zooming in to the pick point) that you are selecting just what you want and not hidden sketches etc or center lines which you may be oblivious you are picking unless - again - zooming right in.

By: Dorillian Blue

Dorillian Blue — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:03:10 +0000

I find using the filter when dimensioning useful (e.g. select Edge, and Vertices and Dimension only)

This way you select circle edges as opposed to center marks - which often dangle.

You can also be confident (without having to keep zooming in to the pick point) that you are selecting just what you want and not hidden sketches etc or center lines which you may be oblivious you are picking unless - again - zooming right in.

By: TIM

TIM — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 10:58:22 +0000

Ahhh To tell you the truth I never really thought of that… Thank you for the help!!!

By: TIM

TIM — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 09:58:22 +0000

Ahhh To tell you the truth I never really thought of that… Thank you for the help!!!

By: Josh

Josh — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:04:40 +0000

Hey Tim, sorry, misunderstood there. I checked out AutoDimension and it worked fine on everything I had. There’s no toolbar command for it though. I imagine that’s because it’s part of the Dimension command. The closest you’ll get is setting up a keyboard shortcut for a Smart Dimension and then switching to the autodimension tab. sounds like an enhancement request.

By: TIM

TIM — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:52:31 +0000

I know about the fully define sketch when working on the part. Im talking when making a drawing of the part. Thanks though… As far as the service pack we are runnning the early verion currently… (1.1) So I dont really know… The one thing I do kow is i like this program more the UG i hate it lol

By: TIM

TIM — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:52:31 +0000

By: Josh

Josh — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 17:42:53 +0000

HI Tim, I’m running SP 2.0 EV and am not having problems locating the ordinate. what SP are you on? The command for the auto-dim, is called Fully Define Sketch and is located in the Dimension/Relations section on the toolbars. You can get the button from there.

By: TIM

TIM — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 16:04:38 +0000

Hey my company is going from Solidworks 2007 to 2008 and we are having some issues. The auto dimension feature is placing ordinate zeros wherever it wants… Not where you want to place them. Any help would be nice. Also is there a way to get a autodim button on the tool bars? still havent figured that out either… thank you

By: TIM

TIM — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 15:04:38 +0000

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:06:48 +0000

Hi Steve, the centered rectangle tool is definitely a much need addition. On the equation part, you may be using a driven dimension in your equation that is causing you to have to rebuild twice or open and rebuild. An example of this would be if you had a pattern instance based on the length of something. You can try to do this through just using relations and the geometry, but sometimes, depending on the situation, it can not be avoided.

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:06:48 +0000

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 19:58:56 +0000

I was watching the new videos on SW ‘08 and that centered rectangle tool looks like it will make things even easier. On another note, I started using cross-part equations as an experiment on some of my parts. One thing I’ve noticed about referencing other parts or assemblies is sometimes the equations fail and can’t find a solution. Before you go and delete all your hard work, check and see if the referenced part is loaded lightweight. And if it is still set to resolved, edit the part in place and just give it a quick rebuild. That usually gives SW a chance to figure out what’s going on.

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 16:43:32 +0000

Right on Kyle. that is a handy little trick. guess what too, in SW 2008 there’s a centered rectangle command. After all these years!!

By: Kyle Mason

Kyle Mason — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:40:42 +0000

midpoint is great for rectangles, many times the first sketch of any part starts with a square, or rectangle. Draw your rectangle anywhere, then draw a construction line diagonally from corner to corner. Select the origin, hld ctrl and select the construction line, then tell click on the midpoint button to make that relation (or set up your sketch constraints to your num-pad like I do, 5 is midpoint)
Now your base sketch is centered in both x and y directions. Makes things much easier when you have to change the size of your part and still keep other features relative