Angle between sketched lines on a design

[fsonnichsen]

I am trying to obtain the angles between the lines and the horizontal in the attached diagram.   I want to display this on the design for future demonstration (e.g. I don't want an evanescent one from inspect). Is there a way to do this?

Thanks

Fritz

[laughingcreek]

I didn't open your file b/c it's an .f3z.

You will have to dimension your angle to any line that is horizontal.  (I don't know why you can't use an axis for this, but you can't).  If one already exists in your sketch you can use that, if not draw your own.  The lines don't have to be coincident.

[fsonnichsen]

I did draw a horizontal line.  I will send the f3d once I can figure out how to generate it.

Regarding the f3z I don't know what is going on there so I will create a separate post. My design is created from copying two other designs using Data Panel:"Insert into Present Design". It appears that this does not generate a "normal" design and the export does not work.

Thanks

Fritz

[laughingcreek]

maybe just screen shot your sketch.

.f3z files are files with externally linked components.  breaking the links will allow you to export a .f3d file. (you can make a temporary copy first if you don't want to break the links.  or do an immediate undo after exporting.)

I don't like to open .f3d files partially because it requires several extra steps, and requires me to upload files to my data panel.  the main reason is b/c I have no idea what I'm about to upload.  I once opened a file described as "simple" from of a forum that had around 100 small mesh objects and a dozen or so weird interdependent linked assemblies within it.  Took me a long time to clean up my data panel after.

[g-andresen]

Hi,

if components are inserted and linked, break the links

günther

[fsonnichsen]

OK-I put out a separate post on this as it probably needs separate attention.

But I think I know why I cannot generate the f3d as follows:

>> I first have two .SAT files from another scientist.

>> I included these into a new design and saved the design to the cloud.

>> The new design shows "Local" assembly contexts (see attached)

So apparently saving to the cloud does not really do this.-it is half on my PC (local) and half in the cloud. Personally it confirms my distaste for this whole complex cloud thing. The big question is--how do I normalize the design so that it is saved as one entity that can be saved (exported) and sent to others?

Thanks

Fritz

[laughingcreek]

To save it as an .f3d, right clink on each component with a linked glif on it and "unlink".  That is is.  None of the other things you said is relevant to saving as .f3d

Local contexts are referring to references you made in your current design while editing the linked component "in place" (using the pencil glif to edit the linked component).  They get saved in your linked component so if you open it separately you can still use the references for modeling.

when you use save from the file menu, everything gets saved to the cloud.  nothing in your model is "on your computer".  might have originated there, but it all get saved up when you named the model and saved.  you can't have a live link to a file on your hard drive.

.f3z works just fine as a means of sharing a complete design with all the external references.  I just don't like to open them from people I don't know b/c they can pack all sorts of weirdness into them, and I can't tell till after the upload is started.

[fsonnichsen]

Thanks--I was a bit "thick" here but now I see what you and Guenther were indicating regarding the "links". I have attached the f3d as desired.

Fritz

[TheCADWhisperer · Accepted solution]

[TheCADWhisperer]

Rather than the angles of those "random" sketch lines - I suspect this is what you are after?

[fsonnichsen]

OK--I can do that in sketch mode--but if I want them on the front design page to send to others it appears that I cant get them to "stick".

Fritz

[laughingcreek]

---

@fsonnichsen wrote:

....but if I want them on the front design page....

---

can you clarify what you consider to be "the front design page"

[fsonnichsen]

There are the sketch pages. When you go into sketch the dimension icon appears and you can apply dimensions from there.

When you hit the green "sketch finished" icon and return to the "design page". I would like to have the dimensions here so I can "snapshot" this page and send it to some engineers.

thanks

Fritz

[laughingcreek · Accepted solution]

right click the sketch in browser, "show dimension"

[fsonnichsen]

Ha--they hid that one but now I see it. Thanks!

[fsonnichsen]

CadWhisperer

   I did something similar by changing my display to Wireframe and then drawing my lines. One thing I should have pointed out is that the two surfaces from which the lines are drawn are not flat--they have a very slight parabolic curvature that I will determine with a mathematical algorithm or raytrace software. So the extended lines that I drew are approximations.

Earlier I had created a Drawing from the design and tried to use "Edge Extension" but the lines were -understandably -not selectable as they are not really straight lines. 

That said I really like the way you cross sectioned the ring. I know a "slice" can be done on a Revolution Sketch. I am looking at your timeline (it won't replay) and I see something like this-but I am still trying to figure out how you got from my design to the revolved one and then took a cross section.

Thanks for the time you spent on this!

Fritz