Constraint mid point to origin

[divingdoug]

Long time SW user being forced to learn Inventor by corporate machine.

In SW, I could constrain (mate) the midpoint of a line to the origin in two clicks.  I can't even find this option in Inventor.

Anyone know how / if this can be done ?

Thanks

DivingDoug

[JDMather]

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@divingdoug wrote:

Anyone know how / if this can be done ?

DivingDoug

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Coincident constraint.  (see attached)

So easy! 

You might set up hot keys as decscribed in next post.

[JDMather]

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@divingdoug wrote:

Long time SW user being forced to learn Inventor by corporate machine.

DivingDoug

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You might start here http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/skillsusa%20university.pdf

[JDMather]

BTW - can you show me how to do it in 2 clicks in SolidWorks?
I can only figure out a minimum of 3 clicks (not counting Ctrl as a click - that would be 4).

[divingdoug]

OK, in SW, 2 clicks assumes one entity is alread selected.

Was able to make the line coincident with the origin (had to turn off the coordinate system indicator before I was able to select the origin)

Was not able however to make it coincident to the midpoint of the line.

Looked through the tutorial and found a few things I had missed in trying to optimize my setup but nothing about midpoints.

[JDMather]

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@divingdoug wrote:

> (had to turn off the coordinate system indicator before I was able to select the origin)

Was not able however to make it coincident to the midpoint of the line.

Looked through the tutorial and found a few things I had missed in trying to optimize my setup but nothing about midpoints.

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What is the coordinate system indicator - I never used that?

Attach the file here - it should be trivial easy - select the midpoint, not the line as in SolidWorks - see the video I attached earlier.

[divingdoug]

Attached a pic of the coord system indicator, will fix my template for that item

Also attached part file.  Working to make a standard aluminum extrusion part.  Yes, these are downloadable from many vendors but I have yet to find one that has it in native Inventor format and I when I use these, I need for the part to be parametric.

Still looking and still cannot find a midpoint to select.

[Loren_J]

I want to reinforce JD's suggestion to go through his tutorials. I have a lot of respect for his knowledge, and it is great that he shares his tutorials with the CAD community. The Inventor tutorials are actually pretty decent.

After you start the Coincident constraint tool, mouse along the line. When the pointer hits the midpoint, a green dot displays.

There are different highligthing cues, depending on the pointer position.

• The Green dot displays when you hover over the midpoint of a line.
• Other points change color and/or size.

Also, there are two ways to start the Coincident constraint. You can select it from the ribbon, or you can right click and go to Create Constraint>Coincident. You should try to take advantage of the rich context menus in Inventor.Whenever I train somene, I keep telling them to right-click. It is significantlyfaster than mousing to a ribbon or toolbar, and it reduces mouse motion.

I want to reinforce JD's suggestion to go through his tutorials. I have a lot of respect for his knowledge, and it is great that he shares his tutorials with the CAD community. You should also use the Inventor tutorials. They are actually pretty decent.

LorenJ

[divingdoug]

That got it !

I didn't think I was being deprecating on JD's input or the tutorials he suggested. Indeed, I did run through the first one he posted the link to and have saved it to my local drive for reference.

As I proceed through the trials of learning Inventor however, I simply find it much less intuitive than SW. I am often having to research for solutions to common tasks via tutorials, forums such as these or other training materials.  I rarely had to do that with SW.

As I proceed, I am sure I will continue to utilze this forum as in my environment, I have to find the quickest path to a solution, and going through at tutorial to locate an answer to a single issue can take more time than I have.

Thanks for the help on this

Doug

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

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@divingdoug wrote:

 I am often having to research for solutions to common tasks via tutorials, forums such as these or other training materials.  I rarely had to do that with SW.

Doug

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As I teach both CAD programs and I see users with prior experience in one or the other I find users from one or the other saying exactly the same thing in reference to the program they are more familiar with.  These little hurdles that are so easy to clear with experience are maddeningly frustrating when the trick isn't known.
Keep coming back when you hit one of these hurdles and keep an open mind - there is an easy/logical solution, just different.

[JDMather]

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@divingdoug wrote:

Also attached part file.  Working to make a standard aluminum extrusion part.   

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I would do that quite differently whether using Inventor or SolidWorks - too many dimensions.
Use geometry constraints (relations) like equal (=).

[hdalia]

Thank you for this GIF!!!

It saved me years ago when I was first learning Inventor, and again now after switching back from using Solidworks for quiet some time. 

[JDMather]

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@Anonymous wrote:

BTW - can you show me how to do it in 2 clicks in SolidWorks?
I can only figure out a minimum of 3 clicks (not counting Ctrl as a click - that would be 4).

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It is now 2 clicks in SolidWorks 2016.    (if I don't count Ctrl)

[andrew_ysk]

hiii

hi, that's why sometime i can't do origin point constraint... while sometime works..  now i know original constraint itself is "perishable"

how do i get my origin constraint back if accidentally deleted it ..  ? 

or

is there any setttings to prevent origin constraint being accidentally deleted ?

pls watch attached video at 1:14  if you do not get what i meant..

thanks.

andrew

[JDMather]

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@andrew_ysk wrote:

...how do i get my origin constraint back if accidentally deleted it ..  ? 

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I didn't watch your video.

You posted to an old thread, there is now a midpoint line command in SolidWorks that is very nice.

But as your question is about Inventor,

Project Geometry the Origin Center Point and then add Coincident constraint.

As you gain experience you will not accidentally delete the projected origin.

[TapaniS]

Hello,

I would like to see your tutorial, but failed to open / download it. Can you give a valid link or recommend an updated one?

(I'm learning Inventor 2016, done already Learning Path with the program, but would like to have more. Done 15 years with SW )

[TheCADWhisperer]

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/skillsusa-document-now-on-screencast/m-p/5856691#M56480...