Ignore construction lines when picking objects in tools

[csongor_varga]

I am working on a sketch, and I create construction lines as guides. On those usually I have other lines.

Now it makes it very difficult to pick the actual line is tools like Move. I obviously don't want to move the construction line. 

Therefore I right click on the construction line and fix it. Now if I use the Move tool, it only pick my actual lines, but not the construction line.

But if I use the Rectangular Pattern tool, that does not appear to use the same logic. I can happily pick my fixed construction line which does not make sense. At least I would expect these tools to work the same way.

Could this be a bug?

[jeff_strater · Accepted solution]

no, this is not a bug.  Move does not allow selection of any fixed geometry, because it cannot be moved.  Doesn't matter if it is construction or normal geometry.  However, Pattern has no such restriction - you can pattern fixed geometry just fine.

[TrippyLighting]

That is certainly not a bug. 

Can you explain what you are trying to design ?

I have a feeling that there might be better workflows to achieve what you are trying to do.

[g-andresen · Accepted solution]

Hi,

If I understand you correctly, it is about selecting superimposed lines.
To do this, you move the cursor over the lines, press the left mouse button and hold it for 1-2 s. Then a menu appears in which the recognized lines are listed. Select the desired line and start the action for it.

günther

[csongor_varga]

I have the outline of a box, where I am designing some repeated patterns that will be cut-out in the future. I wanted the cut-outs 15mm from the edge so I created a offset and made the offset lines as construction lines. I just used them as snap objects to align my cut-out shapes.

I know I could have used the dimension tool, but I have been using AutoCAD for years back when I was designing 2D. I usually created a "guide" layer to draw construction lines on for snapping objects to them. But in ACAD I could easily lock or hide and entire layer, so it was easy to get rid of them at the end.

[TrippyLighting]

Can you share a screenshot of the 3D object what you are trying to design? A photo of hand sketch would work.

I abandoned Autocad over 20 years ago and started using SolidWorks which uses a constraint based sketch engine. Using a sketch engine in a parametric 3D modeling will require some re-learning and abandoning of old techniques.

In a modern parametric 3D CAD software a sketch serves to create (very) basic geometry. Patterns, mirror operations fillets and chamfers that can be modeled as 3D features should not be part of a sketch, for example.

[csongor_varga]

As you can see, it is a simple sheet metal object.

Cut-out on the top: flat ovals in alternate lines. I drew the first oval, copied it and move it up, and selected both and started to copy in a rectangular pattern.

[g-andresen]

Hi,

Follow the suggestion by @TrippyLighting  and define a slot with offset in the sketch.
Then use extrude cut to make it the primary cutout.
The rectangular pattern tool creates a pattern of this feature with 2 instances in the vertical and e.g. 7 instances in the horizontal.
The unwanted instances can be suppressed (uncheck).

The use of variables in the parameter list will make the design more changeable.

günther

[TrippyLighting]

If you can share your model I might be able to show you an alternative method.

Export as .f3d and attach to next post. 

[csongor_varga]

Find the model attached. I did go a bit further and added some shaping to the flanges going down. I guess that could have been done more efficient way as well. Unfortunately the 4 parts are not exactly the same.

But I understand your comment on not duplicating the shapes in sketch, but rather duplicate the cutout as a feature in 3D modeling.