Newbie question -- coordinate system

Hello, I have recently switched from AutoCAD to SolidWorks and am having a bit of a problem here. I am trying to add a new coordinate system to my drawing and reference it when creating new sketches. I got it in there, but all the dimensions of new sketches I create are referenced to the origin of the drawing (the original cs). How can I change the reference to my new user coordinate system? Thanks a lot.

-Ryan

Hello, I have recently switched from AutoCAD to SolidWorks and am having a bit of a problem here. I am trying to add a new coordinate system to my drawing and reference it when creating new sketches. I got it in there, but all the dimensions of new sketches I create are referenced to the origin of the

drawing (the original cs). How can I change the reference to my new user coordinate system? Thanks a lot.

-Ryan

I believe that you can only have one origin regardless of the coordinate system. What are you trying to model that requires more than one coordinate system?

I am just trying to reference my next sketch from a corner of a surface. I need to center a circle on a square surface, but the square surface is not at a location relative to the origin where the numbers are easy to work with. I actually did this already, but there are other things I need to do with this part that are similar and won't be as easy to do as this one. It would just be alot easier to reference, for example, the center of that circle to a corner of the square.

As an example: The upper left corner of the square is at x=5.47 y=1.63 relative to the origin. So I had to place the center of my square relative to these coordinates.

It would've been easier to form a coordinate system at that corner, and reference the center of the circle from that new origin.

Thanks.

-Ryan

I might not be understanding this correctly, but why not just dimension the circle to the corner. I don't think you need the extra coordinate system. This is different from AutoCad. You do not have to place your circle based on exact coordinates. Just get it close, then use dimensions to lock it in place. If you haven't gone through the tutorials yet, now would be a good time to do so.

Brian

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Ryan,

Boy o boy, your brain needs some serious re-wiring. I know it's hard to do, but you need to stop thinking in Autocad. The methods are so different that it's a serious handicap.

You don't create coordinate systems for construction in SW. A simple way to center a circle, on the face of a "cube" is to start a sketch on the desired face. Then draw a construction line diagonal with the ends "coincident" with the corners. Now draw a circle with the center point "coincident" with the "midpoint" of the diagonal line. The circle will stay centered regardless of the size of the rectangle/square.

Seriously though. Autocad guys have the hardest time of all new users. They need the most training, and it usually takes much longer for them to become proficient. This doesn't mean their dumb, it just means that they are "conditioned". We have an older longtime ACAD guy who just can't learn Solidworks at all, I tried to teach him for about five years.

I would suggest a good book like "Solidworks for Autocad Users". There's also built in help for ACAD guys in Solidworks. Then again, there's formal training (de-programming). ;>)

Regards

Mark

The other responses to your question seem to have answered it quite well. As an ex AutoCad user I can sympathise with the way you are approaching the problem, but it's all wrong!

The quickest and best way to get up to speed would be to take the 3 day "SolidWorks essentials" course from your vendor.

Another options

1/ has an essentials course video tutorial that can be download at a price. I haven't tried the Solid Professor essentials course but I have tried their "Advanced Concepts", a lot I did already know but did find some very useful tips.

2/ Sit down with an experience user, for a hour or two, just to understand why your approaching this problem the wrong way.

Once you have been using SolidWorks for a while, you will hate the idea of using AutoCad again. I regularly turn down AutoCad work as I find the thought of working with it, on mechanical design work, to be instantly frustrating.

John Layne

What I always do with ex-ACAD users is first make sure that they understand a very important, but simple piece of info. With ACAD, you put lines on the paper and then put dimensions on them to tell you what you just did. With SW, you put lines on the paper, and then put dimensions on them to tell them what you want them to do. You MUST understand that concept or you will never "get" it.

WT

"John Layne" > as easy to do as this one. It would just be alot easier to reference,

Why is it, every time I post first thing in the morning I don't pick up my spelling and grammatical errors until after I hit the send button?

I'll go get my first coffee and put my glasses on.

John Layne

Hey guys, Thanks for all the help. I did notice that practice in AutoCAD doesn't really promote ease of use in SolidWorks. Once I understand how to do something new in SW though, I realize how much easier (not to mention better and more beneficial) it is than in ACAD. Just have to continue to adjust my thinking. Anyways, thanks again for all the help!! It's much appreciated.

-Ryan

"John Layne" spelling and grammatical errors until after I hit the send button?

You're being much too hard on yourself. I didn't notice any spelling or grammatical errors in your reply. I had to reread it, looking specifically for problems, to find a few. Those weren't bad enough to stop me from following the flow of what you were saying. Anyway, engineers aren't expected to be able to spell or write grammatical sentences!

Jerry Steiger Tripod Data Systems "take the garbage out, dear"