Inventor Snapping Options ???

[clyons]

I'm just getting started with Inventor 2014 Pro, so this may be a stupid question, if so sorry.  I use OSNAPS and 3DOSNAPS and their various settings in AutoCAD and am having trouble finding something similar in Inventor.  I know something as simple as SNAPS must be available.  How do you set snapping options up in Inventor?

[JDMather]

Should be automatic in Inventor.

When you place your cursor near an endpoint, midpoint or centerpoint - you should see a green dot indicating a snap.

If you are trying to snap to a previous sketch or geometry in a new sketch - you must Project Geometry that previous geometry into the new sketch.

Attach your file here if you can't figure it out.

[clyons]

OK, on closer inspection I am now seeing the endpoint & midpoint snaps.  But this is REALLY hard to see (especially since I run on a small FHD laptop screen).  Regular AutoCAD uses much larger snap icons.  Is it possible to change the snap icon to somthing more visible in Inventor?

This automatic snapping seems pretty limiting.  Here's all the snap types AutoCAD allows:

Is there any way to turn on some of these other snap types in Inventor?  Just seems like having the ability to snap to some of these locations would be really helpful (especially if the snap could trigger the generation of the associated constraint(s)).  Appreciate any help.

[clyons]

Is there any Inventor function similar to AutoCAD OTRACK?  Again, being able to see available snap points without physically having to select them sure seems like it would be useful.  Maybe I'm just missing somthing here, please let me know if this isn't as useful in Inventor as it seems like it would be.

[JDMather]

You can make the the indicator larger in Tools>Application Options>General>Annotation Scale.

You can get automatic Tangent in several ways - one is by starting line on arc and click and hold, drag.

You can get tracking by scrubbing.

You can get parallel or perpendicular by scrubbing.

I am familiar with AutoCAD.

This is a little out of date, but I recommend you go through this -

http://home.pct.edu/~jmather/SkillsUSA%20University.pdf

[riff62]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Inventor...Just remember AutoCAD and Inventor are 2 different programs...Just because you are used to something working one way in AutoCAD doesn't mean that Inventor is the same..Its a frustrating, but ultimately rewarding journey learning Inventor. There are many who can help you along the way, including JD who is one of the smarter Inventor users here. Also, Youtube is your friend when you get stuck and no one is answering your post. We are all (well most) here to help, and have all had to learn Inventor at some point. Please feel free to post when you need help, and Welcome to the forum. Remember, "Inventor is not AutoCAD"..Just keep repeating this to yourself..Once you get the hang of it, you will only go back if forced..lol

[acad-caveman]

I might be missing your exact point, but ...

Typically Inventor will give you all the snapping options that AutoCAD has, but if you were/are a long time ACAD user,

the most frustrating thing about Inventor's snapping function is that you cannot override it explicitly.

What I mean by that is in ACAD you have the  most common OSNAP-s turned on in AUTOSNAP ( typically end, ctr, int, tngt ), but if you

need something else, you just click the appropriate snap icon, all other snaps turn off temporarily, leaving you with the one AND THE ONLY ONE

you're interested in.

This is one of the biggest things that bugs me when sketching in Inventor vs. drawing in ACAD.

What I mean is that the RMB "Point Snaps" in sketch mode would "appear" to be the answer,unfortunately it stops
 woefully short of the intended goal, and only present you with a measly Int, Ctr or Mid snap.

In my opinion, the "Point Snaps" menu should have ALL the possible SNAP points available for the user to pick from.

And now the worst part, the "Point Snaps" menu is NOT AVAILABLE for dimensioning in sketch mode, nor is it available for

annotations in drawing mode.

[tis07282015]

it does not do that. I do not see green button to snap mid points, end points.

Sam

[optimaelsalvador]

I used FeatureCam, DELCAM, Autocad, MasterCam with no problem for the last 20 years, now I'm stocked in inventor for one year and I have realized the geometry sucks. And is always "my fault" regarding the Inventor genius here.

[mcgyvr]

---

@optimaelsalvador wrote:

I used FeatureCam, DELCAM, Autocad, MasterCam with no problem for the last 20 years, now I'm stocked in inventor for one year and I have realized the geometry sucks. And is always "my fault" regarding the Inventor genius here.

---

@optimaelsalvador Each program has its own workflow/process,etc... None should be expected to be identical..

Have you tried explaining what specifically you are having problems with or do you just complain without any real information?

I'm not even sure what "I have realized the geometry sucks" means.. 

We are all pretty helpful here and we help here out of the goodness in our hearts.. We are just regular users like you are that don't get paid for any of this.. But we don't really enjoy helping people that just want to come here and complain..

We would much rather help someone that wants to learn and helps us understand their frustrations,etc... 

We have all been frustrated by Inventor (and other software programs) in the past too.. It happens.. 

So if you wish please go ahead and provide some detailed information about what you are having trouble with or why "the geometry sucks" as you put it and we will try to help you learn the best way to accomplish that in Inventor.. 

[mcgyvr]

---

@tis07282015 wrote:

it does not do that. I do not see green button to snap mid points, end points.

Sam

---

@tis07282015

sam,

Have you checked your constrain settings.. Maybe you have accidentally turned them off..

While active in a sketch go to the button I have circled in red (constraint settings) and see if your settings match mine..

[tis07282015]

Thanks this is help full.

Also your previous answer for projecting geometry was help full too.

Thanks

Sam

[kelly.young · Accepted solution]

@clyons there is a small icon at the bottom that has a grid and magnet, this might help you out.

Set Sketch Grid

As far as the user friendliness of Inventor sketching vs AutoCAD, I remember back when I first began diving headfirst into Inventor and finding it challenging because I was self teaching through books and videos. Once you really wrap your head around it being a different approach it becomes much easier, remember that constraints are linking your lines.

Make sure they are fully constrained sketches so that you can drive them in the future. If you have a specific task you are having a difficult time getting the geometry drawn or find a limitation, post a question and someone might be able to give you some relief to that headache.

[tis07282015]

Selecting mid point, etc.

I just got updated to 2019 Inventor.

When I had 2018 Inventor it worked fine, how ever one question has not even been answered that " how do I stop projecting geometry when I don't need it " It just keeps loading geometry I don't need !!!!!!!

Thanks

Sam

[SBix26]

---

@tis07282015 wrote:

Selecting mid point, etc.

I just got updated to 2019 Inventor.

When I had 2018 Inventor it worked fine, how ever one question has not even been answered that " how do I stop projecting geometry when I don't need it " It just keeps loading geometry I don't need !!!!!!!

Thanks

Sam

---

The files you posted don't seem to have anything to do with the topic, or with your problem statement above.  (The part file you attached has a bunch of holes that are not constrained, and are created by cutting a bunch of circles instead of using the Hole tool, but no extraneous sketch geometry).

To quit automatically projecting geometry into your sketches, you simply go to Application Options, Sketch tab and uncheck the options for this: Autoproject edges during curve creation and Autoproject edges for sketch creation and edit.

---

Sam B
Inventor Pro 2019.3 | Windows 7 SP1
LinkedIn

[mzimroz]

Hi,

I've been using Inventor 2017 for months, and suddenly I am unable to snap to corners or outside center of radii.  I have the same settings checked off as you have in the screenshot, but I'm still unable to snap to corners or outside radii. 

- Matthew

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Please be more specific on the snapping workflow. Is it in the part sketch or drawing dimension? If it is drawing related, please go to Tools -> App Options -> Drawing -> uncheck "Enable ordinate dimension geometry selection."

Many thanks!

[mzimroz]

Thank you for the quick reply.  Yes, it no longer snaps to corners or outside radii while dimensioning drawings.  It doesn't seem to affect sketches, thankfully. As an example seen in the photo, I've selected the second line from the left (now blue), but I cannot select the corner circled in red (unless I select the top line, right click and select intersection, and finally select the line on the left).  This isn't the greatest example since I could simply click the 2 lines to dimension the space between, but for some reason, I cannot select the corners anymore.  I've unchecked "Enable ordinate dimension geometry selection", but it still doesn't allow me to select corners. Could it be something else in the application options?  I've attached a photo of my "drawing", "application options" to show what I have selected.

Thanks!

[SBix26 · Accepted solution]

With the Dimension tool active, right click and select Snap Settings >.  Is Endpoint checked?  Is Center checked?

---

Sam B
Inventor Pro 2020.2.1 | Windows 10 Home 1903
LinkedIn

[mzimroz]

This worked! Thank you so much!