Inquiry

[pnorm325i]

Is there any thought in the future to fix the inquiry command when measuring distances? First, why would you need the option fo change the decimal place??? Just put them all in, I'm checking a distance. Second, cant we put in the ability to snap so we are not trying to guess how to measure something? Ex... put in the quadrant snap, that way, I can measure any distance I want and not just the closest. Or how about he midpoint snap so I dont have to use a calculator? Let us snap to whatever we want and display the X, Y and Z distance. One other thing, does anyone use the part selection or assembly selection to measure something? What does that tell you anyway? Just curious... OK, I'm dont venting. Thanks for reading.

[andrewiv]

Answer #1: I like to have the ability to change decimal places. No specific reason, just personal preference that if I don't need 15 decimal pionts I don't want to see them.

Answer #2: This is not AutoCAD (It's the measure command not the inquiry command). It sounds like you're trying to apply 2D thinking to 3D parts.

Answer #3: I use the part and component selection priorities. It tells you the shortest distance between your two selections. It will also tell you if there is interference between the selections, so you can use it to analyze interference too.

[acad-caveman]

> {quote:title=andrewiv wrote:}{quote}
> Answer #1: I like to have the ability to change decimal places. No specific reason, just personal preference that if I don't need 15 decimal pionts I don't want to see them.
>
> Answer #2: This is not AutoCAD (It's the measure command not the inquiry command). It sounds like you're trying to apply 2D thinking to 3D parts.
>


Could you elaborate on answer#2 please?
I mean it is a very common response many folks have to similar questions, yet it is also one of the ( with all due respect ) the dumbest.
I do believe we all know and are aware that Inventor is not ACAD. Not only for the obvious reasons, but also for the method by which each derives it's result.
The question is why does Autodesk work diligently and tirelessly to throw out the baby with the bathwater, and why are people actively encouraging it?
To take your post as a good example.
In Answer#1 you state that you like the option of having the ability to change the number of decimal places displayed.
In Answer#2 however you pretty much declare that all others who like the myriad of options provided by Autocad can - for all intents and purposes - go pound sand.

What I mean is that I do not believe there are many ( or any sane person ) who is calling for the elimination of parametric modeling and the return to the old ACAD style geometry creation.
That in my opinion is not nor have ever been the issue.
What IS the issue is that Autocad possesses tools that are not found in any other CAD software ( 2D or 3D ). Tools in ACAD are hands down more flexible than any other I have ever seen.
Tools in ACAD allow you to create geometry much much faster than any ( if not all ) other CAD softwares.
Tools in ACAD are customizable for a specific person or specific application.
Tools in ACAD are modifiable on the fly to best suit the appropriate method on hand.
Tools in ACAD are used and understood by (likely) millions of people for 20+ years.
And last but most important: The tools in Autocad DO NOT HAVE TO BE EXCLUSIVE!!! to Autocad!!! They can be used in a purely parametric world with equal value and function.

Flat out rejecting the incorporation of the old tools into the new environment for the sake of " That's last century's tools" is ....

[BMiller63]

I think adding all of the extra snap info that you are requesting would come at a sacrifice of performance. I can't imagine how many quandrants would be popping up on some of my complex parts/assemblies as I tried to select geometry.

Just a tip:
typically when I struggle to get what i'm after with the measure tool, I just make a scratch IDW and dimension what I need as I go.

Also don't forget to use the "Select Other" tool cycle through selections and get what you're after.

[pnorm325i]

You may be right Bmiller about the slow down. The biggest point I'm trying to make is that you have tons of data sitting in front of you and there literally are distances that you CANT find out because Inventor has to assume all the time. Throwing a snap option in there, that maybe you can turn off, eliminates that. I too have created sketches just to check a dimension.. How dumb is that? I still think the option of changing decimal places on this command is a waste of time. So look at the first three decimal places instead of all 15. At least have it default to all decimals then.

By the way, I'm not stuck in the 2d world. Believe it or not but 3 dimensions actually have quadrants, midpoints etc.... and I do know that the command is called distance, but I used the term inquiry to indicate distance, area, angle.. etc... Not because ACAD used the term. I think that everyone here would probably agree that Inventor blows ACAD away, but like it was said, would be nice to have some more options that you can toggle on and off in there to try and make more people happy.

I like Inventor, just wishing for some improvements.

[Anonymous]

sorry I don't have the link, but there's a wishlist somewhere you can
add this to.

[JDMather]

http://www.augi.com/inventor/submitwish.asp?page=1083

[Anonymous]

saved,

Thanks JD.

[rhadley375]

I couldn't agree more that the cumbersome way Inventor does the measuring is very frustrating. I am coming from MDT, which is also a 3D parametric solids Autodesk product (NOT tallking about Mechanical), where it is super fast to snap to an end or mid or center, and it sees through the model. There is no lag time due to the possible choices. It also allows measurement from a click into space for situations where there are no features present. Making a idw is even slower still, although if the model is complex enough a good cross-section is valuable.

[IgorMir]

My beef with the Measure tool in Inventor is that there is no way to record the given information for future comparison. Similar to Text window in AutoCAD. At this point of time I still have to use pencil and paper to do it.

Igor.

[signmeup]

Oh great, a wish list. Hang on, these are all wishes from 2006 and 20% of them are already features in Inventor. Does anybody actually use this? Why can't you look through a list of wishes and just vote for the ones that look interesting? Who has time for this??

[ampster401]

well, this is a two year old post someone decided to bring back up to the top by venting their frustration...

I don't follow, nor have I ever used the "wishlist" option while it was around, but I believe there is a new way of expressing your wishes for features to be addded.

[signmeup]

"AUGI has given it's members the opportunity to dream for many years"

"a unified voice back to Autodesk to improve the products we love to use"

"your ideas help all of us achieve our goal of enhancing the productive, creative and efficient software tools provided by Autodesk."

(there wasn't an emoticon vomiting)