Modeling Dynamic/Parametric Quantity of holes

[patl1]

I am designing woodworking workbenches for a class full of students who will want different Dog Hole patterns in their bench tops. I will be CNC machining the 3/4" holes to their custom rectangular patterns. I have created the variables/parameters to allow them to spec edge distances, number of holes, etc. and all the modeling is going well until I changed the quantity of holes in the configured design. The Hole command only remembers the original number of point/hole locations selected when I created it, so if additional holes or fewer hole locations (points) are created by the change to the quantity of holes parametrically, the hole command errors out and I need to re-select the points created on the preceding sketch by the rectangular pattern that uses the parameters to lay out the pattern.

So my question is...is there a way to have the hole command select all the points on the sketch plane  similar to how in the CAM command for drilling holes, it can be instructed to selects all holes even if the quantity changes?

[patl1]

The hole pattern of Points in the sketch is updating, just not the actual Hole Pattern command 

[davebYYPCU]

Sketch Patterns are not recommended.

Make a feature, then pattern the feature.

Allows for parametric count updates.

Might help...

[laughingcreek]

don't pattern the sketch points. just do one hole, and pattern the hole itself.

[laughingcreek]

here's an example you can play with.

[patl1]

That's one of the things i tried. The issue that keeps coming up is that the top is made up of individual planks of 2x3 maple pieces glued together to make the 72" x 30" laminated workbench top. When I pattern the hole, it only shows up in the plank (body) that the original hole was created in. So when I pattern in the X and Y direction, I only get the holes that are in the same body (in this case the X direction)

[davebYYPCU]

No mention that the holes are cutting more than the one article.

In this case the work around gets a little weirder.

Attach a sample / demo file.

Might help....

[g-andresen]

Hi,

please share a file for reply

File > export > save as f3d on local drive > attach to post

günther

[patl1]

Here is the file with configurable doghole patterns. I am relatively confident that it is because of the different plank bodies involved in the bench top assy. I'd like to avoid combining the planks into 1 body so that I can maintain the visibility of the individual planks in the drawings for the students.

[laughingcreek]

you can fix the patterning problem by creating the to part as single piece, and splitting up after the pattern.  will still have a problem with appearances having to be fixed after each change though.

[patl1]

OK, thank you. I had tried this initially, just didn't care for the extra hassle with appearance, etc.