Selecting 1000's of lines at once for milling

[ninthabandit]

I have a chess board where each square contains 20 or so lines. I want to generate a toolpath for engraving. Is there a way to do this without manually selecting each one? 

[jhackney1972 · Accepted solution]

I am hoping your layout is a single sketch.  When you go to the Manufacturing Environment, for the geometry selection in your toolpath, select the single sketch in the model browser.  Attach your model if you need help.

[ninthabandit]

Thank you - when I select my sketch, the toolpath goes around the chessboard in a square and stops. I get "open contours have been detected try lowering the chaining tolerance" warning. Here is my model. Would you please advise? 

[seth.madore]

Are you looking at creating a groove where each line exists? I would recommend using the Trace toolpath and then selecting the Sketch as before:

 

You will need to use either Axial Offset or negative Stock to Leave to get the tool to cut below the surface.

[ninthabandit]

This worked. Thank you!

[marcus.toepke]

I know it's basically missing the point, but I would do it completely differently!

I would add two of the squares to the sketch and then use the 3D parallel operation!

Then put the whole thing into two patterns!

This way you are much more flexible if you want to change the distance of the lines to be engraved :winking_face.

Oh one thing is to do to the tool for this. It need a tip diameter! I put it to 0.001