Constrain section view to work plane

[djreesing]

Hi there,

If you edit a section view sketch you can project model edges in the sketch and use them to constrain the section view line. However I cannot seem to project an included workplane to the sketch. For a particular application I really need to use a workplane because the model is actually a dummy that gets replaced by a vb macro. So any projected model edges will loose their reference.

I found out that I could use a sketch in the model to create the section view. In a model sketch it is possible to project work planes, so this looks like a good solution. However I do prefer the flexibility that you have when you use a drawing sketch.

So does anyone have an idea on how to use a work plane to constrain a section view, other then the model sketch method explained above.

Thanks.

Daniël

(IV2013)

[Anonymous]

Hi Daniel,

Expand your model in the drawing browser, scroll down to your required workplane, right click on it and select "include". Then you should be able to use the workplane to define the section cut.  I haven't dabbled in the VBA side of IV so I'm not sure how it will affect the outcome.

[Anonymous]

Apologies Daniel, I appear to have shot my mouth off there.  Normally a section view can be snapped to a centre line, but apparently not to one created using a workplane (at least, not with my settings).  I'll keep digging and see if I can find whether this can in fact be done.

[Anonymous]

After much digging it doesn't look like this is currently possible.  I notice that you asked a similar question about a year ago without success as well.  Maybe this is one for the idea station?

[djreesing]

That was also my conclusion, but I hoped someone here could prove me wrong.

The post from last year was about keeping a base view aligned to a workplane (I think you refer to this post right? http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Autodesk-Inventor/Keep-drawing-view-aligned-to-workplane/m-p/3559028). Thats a different story and has nothing to do with what I want to achieve here. However it might be a good idea to post it at the idea station. When I have some spare time I will post it there.

But on-topic again, I would still like to know if it is somehow possible to include/project a model workplane in a sketch in a drawing view.

Daniël

[djreesing]

Idea posted to idea station: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Inventor-IdeaStation/Project-work-plane-in-a-drawing-view-sketch/idi-p...

Also for the other post about aligning drawing views to a work plane: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Inventor-IdeaStation/Drawing-view-orientation-relative-to-user-work-pl...

[Anonymous]

You can show a workplane in a drawing view, provided that it's prependicular to the view.  Just select the workplane in the browser, right-click and select 'include' and make sure visibility is turned on.  The workplane will show as a centreline except that you can't interact with it, aside from adjusting the length. 

[djreesing]

Yes I know, but that's not an answer to my question. I want to project this workplane in the sketch on my drawing view so I can dimension my section view line to it. But this is currently not possible I believe.

Daniël