Equations & Linked Values

I feel there should be a way to tell if a dimension is linked to an equation or a Liked value by a small Letter "L" or "E" in the actual dimension itself. Does anyone else agree with this? It seems that if I access an old part file I will have to actually look at the equations to remember what equations are linked together. Edit sketch shold reviel what dimensions are linked.

Just my $.02.

Larry Jedik

Reply to
Larry Jedik
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I agree. The only thing we can do for now is to add our own prefix to the dimension. The problem with this is that you have to maintain it manually, and sometimes linked dimensions get broken without the user knowing it. That's a separate problem.

Reply to
Dale Dunn

Hi Larry,

Mechanical Desktop - now defunct and not having a lot to offer these days, handles this aspect of linked dimensions and equations in an awesome way.

When you create a dimension in MDT it is automatically given a label like 'D0' 'D1' etc. Now, you can type, in the drawing window stuff like: D1 = D0 / 2 -.02 and that equation will stay there forever, if you like you can change the display to show the result or the formula, it's your choice.

What's even better is that it has a variable table, which opens seperately and allows you to enter stuff like: Clearance = .015 Wall = .06 Draft = 2

Now with variables defined (which can be local or global or saved and reused in new drawings) you can enter them into your dimensions on the fly:

D2 = wall + clearance

Other neat things are if you have a dimension you simply entered numerically like D3=1, later you realize you need to add .02 to this dim you can enter

  • .02 into the dim and from then on it will display:

D3 = 1 + .02

Which is a great way to keep track of your changes to stuff. Sometimes by the end of a design a dimension might read:

D4 = wall + .06 + .1 - .025

I wrote an enhancement request noting some of these points ages ago as a pipe dream.... I really believe it is a vastly superior tool for equation and variable use in a cad program. With new design table functionality a lot of the power is there, but it's the ease with which the above system can be used that really makes it shine. It's just 'there' and 'on' all of the time.

Zander

Reply to
Zander

i've longed for this in SW for ages.

Reply to
DWH

SolidWorks does have this capability and assigns dimensions deafault names such as D1, D2, etc. that can be renamed by right-clicking and selecting properties on the dimension. If you want to see the dimension names while in a sketch go to Tools>Options>System Options>General and check 'Show dimension names'.

Reply to
Jeff Norfolk

How about just displaying them in a different color?

Reply to
Jeff Norfolk

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