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Constraint Numbers

Constraint Numbers

Quite often when I’m editing an existing mate, I don’t know which is selected face1 and which is selected face 2. If I am resolving something through design doctor it is particularly important to know this. I know they are different colours but they are not different enough for it to be obvious which is which. 

I just thought that there could be a number 1 and 2 near the direction arrows to make it obvious.

21 Comments
BryanKelley
Alumni
Status changed to: Comments Requested
Hello jamjumpin, So it's not really Constraint Numbers per se, but better feedback from Inventor insofar as what geometry on which component is being referenced for each element of the Constraint? Is that correct? Thank you, Bryan Kelley Sr. Software QA Engineer DLS – Mechanical Design
jamjumpin
Advocate

That's correct. But it makes sense from a UI point of view that there would be numbers to do this.

In the constraint dialogue box is asks you to select 1 and then select 2.

 

The yellow and dark yellow that I currently have are no use for telling the difference between the two.

LT.Rusty
Advisor

If you change to the High Contrast color scheme is goes to green for #1, yellow for #2. 

dan_szymanski
Autodesk
Status changed to: Implemented
This idea has been implemented within Autodesk Inventor 2014. Enhancements were made to the Free Move command within assemblies.
jamjumpin
Advocate

Thanks, I will review this when we get our copy, but from what I've read about the free move tool, it's nothing like what I was asking for. 

mike2411
Contributor

I think it would be helpful if you could "Right Click" on a part in an assembly (in the modeling area) and choose to "Edit Constraints" from the right click menu. Maybe create a "Fly-Out" in the right click menu where one would hover or click on "Edit Constraints" and the fly-out would list all the constraints associated with that part. You could choose the constraint you want to edit, click on it and the constraint box would pop up.

mikeh7
Collaborator

Agreed - Currently:

  • Pick on part
  • Right click - Find in browser
  • Move your focus to the browser
  • Plus out the part
  • Pick each constraint to see features involved, and/or edit.

 

1 addition to that, make it the old way, where if you hover over the constraint in the flyout, it highlights the parts involved.  Pick the constraint and it highlights the features involved.

jletcher
Advisor

@Mike2411

 

How many times do you edit a constraint?

 

Why do you edit the constraint?

 

Once I put it in it is very rare I would touch it again..

 

So if you are editing them so much you need this option you maybe doing something wrong..

 

@mikeh

1 addition to that, make it the old way, where if you hover over the constraint in the flyout, it highlights the parts involved.  Pick the constraint and it highlights the features involved.

 

Don't understand it does this now. If I just hover over them in the browser the constraint shows in the graphics window.. Yes the part does not highlight but the constraints do I like it this way better better clarity.

 

 

 

 

mikeh7
Collaborator

It does not do this now, you reiterated me.

 

Hover over the constraint and it shows the parts involved - both parts.

Pick the constraint it highlights the features.

Now when you do it, it goes straight to the features and when parts are stacked up you don't know what part is involved.  Especially when the constraint involves a point or line.

 

Very important when fixing constraints and trouble shooting constraints in a 1000 part assembly.  Not a big deal if working on 5-10 part assemblies.

 

As for edit constraints-when designing from the ground up, new design replace a weldment with a casting, geometry is different than the original, editing constraints is quite regular.  Again 5-10 part assemblies not that often, but in 1000+ instance assemblies I don't know anyone who can design 100% correctly the 1st time. 

 

 

 

 

timdown73
Collaborator

Hello Mike2411, I'm not 100% sure if this is what you are looking for but... I had an idea implemented into INV 14 that may be what you are looking for.  I was also tired of having to click so much just to get to the applied constraints of a part. In response AutoDesk implemented "Show relationships" which can be found on the "Assembly" tab and in the RMB menu (as shown in the image below).  You can also get to it under the "free move" command.  Customizing it into the marking menu, so it can be swiped works best for me. Once you activate the command the constraints glyphs appear in the model space. You can click on them for direct edit access. I have also posted a link to the idea below.  Hope this helps.  Smiley Happy  Apologies if I have misunderstood your idea.

 

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Inventor-IdeaStation/Right-click-to-access-highlighted-part-s-applied-...

  Capture.JPG

 

jletcher
Advisor

Sure does you may have an issue if it is not working for you.. I even tested before posting..

 

You may need training if you are spending your day playing with constraints. Like I said once they are placed I rarely touch them again.

 

There are ways to constrain, good ways and bad ways you do it the bad way you will edit them and waste a bunch of time do them the right way you never have to mess with them.

 

I don't know anyone who can design 100% correctly the 1st time.

Depend on what you mean all mine are 100% correctly design the way I wanted it to be the 1st time..

 

If a constraint errors I 99.9999% know why and already know the fix.. And 100% of the time does not involve a edit on the constraint..

 

I just don't see the need for this.... It would be the same as looking in the browser if you want it shown closer to the part just drag the browser over to you part..

 

 

 

mikeh7
Collaborator

Tim

Thanks for the feedback.  It does what I"m wishing, but it still is multiple clicks.  In 2011 and prior you could hover over the constrain and the parts would show up.  No clicks just a hover.  Was really nice.

 

Thanks Again!

timdown73
Collaborator

Sure thing Mike, great minds think alike!  Glad I could help. 

Yeah agreed clicky, but a big part of reason I proposed it was to stay out of the browser, menus and tabs.  I like to stay in model space as much as possible using the marking menu and swiping.

mike2411
Contributor

Yeah Tim, something like that. We are still using Inventor 2013 so we don't have that option here. It kills me to read the posts by some of these guys who model and do EVERYTHING in Inventor "perfectly"! I only wish I was as "perfect" as some of these guys claim to be!!

mikeh7
Collaborator

mike2411 - keep you chin up bud, don't be too hard on yourselfSmiley Wink  Innovation comes from thinking outside box, and IdeaStation is the Innovation sandbox for Inventor, which is the tool that lets us Innovate.

mike2411
Contributor

Thanks mikeh!

mrattray
Advisor

@mike2411 wrote:

Very important when fixing constraints and trouble shooting constraints in a 1000 part assembly.  Not a big deal if working on 5-10 part assemblies.


This is your problem. You should never have a 1000 part assembly. Use more sub-assemblies and you'll find yourself rarely editing constraints. Also, look into more robust modeling techniques like multi-body solids and skeletal modeling.

dan_szymanski
Autodesk
Status changed to: Gathering Support
Marking this idea as Implemented per the reference idea provided below. Here are the duplicate comments provided in the other post. "This idea has been implemented within Autodesk Inventor 2014. Enhancements were made to the Free Move command within assemblies. When invoked, you can select and temporarily reposition a part or sub assembly within the assembly allowing you to access visual constraint/joint icons (indicators) and take action (edit or delete). A visual "rubber band" relationship indicator is also visible when invoked. Selecting update restores the position of the component based on the applied constraints/joints. There are also three new commands that aid in better understanding assembly relationships, "Show", "Show sick" and "Hide All". Please be sure to check them out. Thanks!"
dan_szymanski
Autodesk
Status changed to: Gathering Support
Changed status from Implemented to Duplicate. Not fair for us to claim 2 identical issues as Implemented. 🙂 -Dan
timdown73
Collaborator

Smiley WinkThanks!

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