Ability to 'Link' dimensions

[MarqueIV]

I know it is very easy to set a dimension equal to another dimension, or even a user-defined parameter, but that still creates all those extra sketch-defined parameters.  For instance, if you create a rectangle, then fillet all four corners and the system names those radii r1, r2, r3 and r4, you can go in and set r2-4 equal to r1 so they are all the same. You can even create a parameter called CornerRadius, then set all four--r1-r4--equal to CornerRadius and update it in one spot.  That's great, but requires a lot of visits to the parameters window to name things.

What I would like to see is the ability to simply 'link' the other corners' radii directly to r1 (or the parameter), meaning if I were to double-click to edit any of them, I'm actually updating the linked value without having to visit the parameters window.

Yes, I know in the case above you can sort of do that by setting r2-r4 equal to r1 then editing r1 directly, but that requires you to know which *is* r1.  If they were linked like I'm suggesting, they would *all* be r1 so you could edit any of them.  To break the link, you would add that as an option in the drop-down where you currently show all variables in the sketch.

And in regards to that, you really should show all those in the sketch *and* all those that are user-defined.  I'd state user-defined are actually more important than those in the sketch. After all, we defined them for a reason.

[haughec]

Would it help to provide easier access to user parameters?  We have a task in our backlog to present user parameters in a folder near the top of the browser.  This would allow you to reference & modify user parameters without using the Parameters dialog.

Thanks,

Charles

[MarqueIV]

Actually, I'm not a fan of that idea at all.  That would clutter up the tree, and names without context are either too long or too vague. PLus, if you had a lot of variables, that would push your actual bodies, components and sketches down too far so you'd either be scrolling like mad, or constantly opening and closing parameters, losing your place in the list.  The tree just is not a good place for them.

In that regard, I would simply say let us leave the parameters window open without being modal. There is no reason to make it modal anyway. It serves no point.  Even better, let us drag from it right onto a dimension or input box.

As for this though, what I propose still allows double-click editing of the values in context of the sketch, just like any other dimension or feature, but the actual parameters are linked so it essentially would be like you double-clicked each linked item . No need to go to the parameters window at all, and again, it keeps you in context which lets you focus better on the design.

[colin.smith]

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