Overconstraint problem

[rickduley]

I am starting work with Shih's book Learning Autodesk 2014 although I am working with AI 2015.

In the first exercise I am sketching this beastie

Text calls for an angle of 50.00 degrees opposite the one shown.  Trying to dimension this raise an overcontraint warning.  In fact, the only point that is not dimensioned in this sketch (where the inner slope on the right meets the upper horizontal line) cannot be dimensioned without that warning.  I am offered the alternative of a Driven Dimension.

What causes this problem and how do I fix it?

Thanks

[rickduley]

Oh Dear!    It's always this way.  The moment I give up and ask for help, I send off the post and then solve the problem.  Garn!  

The solution was to delete the horizontal line and the offending slope, then replace them.  No problem after that.

Still a question though if you folks don't mind.

Note the two .100 dimensions at the top.  How can I control the way the arrows fit?  Obviously, here the example on the left is preferable.  I know this would be an issue if AutoCAD, does it even matter in Inventor?

Thanks

[JDMather · Accepted solution]

In the future - it would have been more helpful if you had attached the *.ipt file here when you ran into trouble.

My guess is that the real problem is that Inventor automatically put a Perpendicular constraint between the angled lines.

(BTW - I would not constrain/dimension as shown in the book. I might find time to post example later today.)

Don't worry about the arrows or dimension location in sketch mode (try zooming in or out - what happens to your dimensions text/arrows).

In AutoCAD you are doing 2D detailing.  When you finish your model in Inventor you will leave the Inventor modeling (ipt) environment and enter the Inventor detailing (idw or dwg) drawing environment where you will detail your drawing to standards - just like AutoCAD (only better).

[rickduley]

Thanks JD