CREATING CUSTOM TRAIL LINES

[Anonymous]

How can I create a custom trail line in an .ipn? I have an assembly that I need to move some parts out of the way for drawing purposes and I want to be able to create a trial line from one feature to another feature. The trail (tweak) lines that inventor generates is not what I wish to show. I know there is a way to this this because I was able to do this at another company. I don't know if it's a case of using a different version of inventor or not because I thought they were both Inventor 2017 (but I could be wrong).

[mcgyvr]

Don't think you can.. You could create a sketch though in the drawing I suppose (assuming you are doing this for drawing purposes)

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I ended up doing that on a couple of drawings but the problem is if I change the part orientation the sketch doesn't change with it.

[jhackney1972]

I am assuming you want to modify the appearance of the Tweak lines in the presentation drawing view, not the presentation itself.  Take a look at my screencast to see how this can be easily done to one tweak trail or all.

[Anonymous]

No, that's not it at all. I want to create a trail (tweak) line that isn't there yet. I want to create my own trail line to where I want it to go to and from. I don't want to just change the appearance. I know how to do all that. I want to create a trail line from one part to another that doesn't exist, or isn't created from, inventor automatically.

[mcgyvr]

The functionality to create custom trails like you want is not currently possible.. 

[Anonymous]

Was it possible in a different or older version? I know I've created a custom trail line before using inventor at a different company I was at a year ago. I thought it was Inventor 2017 but it may have been a different version.

[mcgyvr · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Was it possible in a different or older version? I know I've created a custom trail line before using inventor at a different company I was at a year ago. I thought it was Inventor 2017 but it may have been a different version.

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Its entirely possible.. I don't remember..

I rarely if ever use presentation so I'm far from an expert in it.

But I know that a few years back they did a substantial overhaul to the "presentation environment" while at the same time killing off Inventor Publisher..

Many of the functions that were in both those programs were lost/not carried over or whatever you want to call it and have yet to be restored.. 

It created quite a stir amongst Publisher users and presentation users who were told that these changes would be a suitable replacement for the Publisher being killed off or whatever.  Development seemed to have run out of time and it seems quite a few useful features/functions were not able to be implemented in time and from what I've seen they aren't actively working to reinstate those features.. (these are my opinions/perceptions)

Personally I looked at the presentation environment after the announcement of the overhaul and after hearing/imagining the "potential" uses and how they might help me do the assembly documentation,etc.. part of my job.. I was quickly let down by the overly basic functionality it presented and could see it taking a long time and extensive manual work to achieve what I wanted..  I suspect its overall usage/user base is quite small though which would be a valid explanation why it isn't being actively developed/improved.. 

From the little I know about it what is is now is a downgrade from what it used to be pre overhaul.. 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your help. After I thought about it a while longer I realized the old way of tweaking a part was only one direction at a time and not the 3 dimensional option that there is in the new inventor. I'm thinking that may be the difference? Unless someone else has any other ideas?

[chris]

The way I currently handle this is to place your .ipn view and then sketch on that view. draw your own "tweak" lines and then close the sketch. now you have some lines.

[Anonymous]

Right click on a trail to the part you wish to add a trail to and select edit trail.  This brings up the edit tweaks user interface, see the illustration.

 there 2 line segment buttons, one with a green + and one with a red x, choose the green +, see below

Click and point to the hole or location to add your new trail as in previous versions. 

[timdown73]

Thanks! DstairGBWZT, that's exactly what I was looking for!!

[Anonymous]

I am not sure if you are still looking for a solution, i had the same problem then i figured it out.   You click on the drop box that comes up when you start your tweak, and change it to a single line.  Yeah it is that easy.

[Anonymous]

IT WAS POSSIBLE BEFORE. I USED TO ADD MY OWN CUSTOM TWEAK LINES ON ALL MY ASSEMBLIES FOR SPECIAL DRAWING PURPOSES. I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THEY STOPPED THIS OR A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS. I HOPE SOMEONE CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION BECAUSE I REALLY NEED TO FIND A BETTER WAY TO ADD THESE LINES THAN SKECTHING THEM ON A DRAWING

[mncenzipo]

Hi did anyone figure out how to tweak using custom trails? Like a circular path or an path that is not straight.