SW shows tangent lines with the same properties as main lines.
Does SW distinguish main and tangent lines as for example Inventor does, please see pic attached?
Is it possible to assign smaller thickness to tangent lines?
SW shows tangent lines with the same properties as main lines.
Does SW distinguish main and tangent lines as for example Inventor does, please see pic attached?
Is it possible to assign smaller thickness to tangent lines?
I currently have the "T" key on my keyboard programmed to change the solid lines to Use Font. That changes them to phantom style.
Bernie,
While you can do that to change lines individually it's a lot easier to just change the entire view at once. Simply right click on the view, go to Tangent Edges and Select Tangent edges with font. This will change all the tangent edges on your view to the type selected in the options. For the rest of the view just have the layer setting be set to that of what you want your visible edges.
Just as an additional note you can setup your user settings so that Tangent Edges Visible with Font will be used for any new drawing generation and then also update the drawing templates to set to the right layer for your visible. To set the new view tangent generation go to Tools>Options>System Options>Drawings>Display Style and then set Tangent edges in new views to "use font"
Eric,
I would combine the right answer as "Document Properties tab>Line Font" and "Select Tangent edges with font".
Yes it works this way and raise my perceiving of SW.
Thank you for excellent advise!
Orest
In your illustration, the font you are comparing is the line "thickness", correct?
If so, Eric is correct, this can be changed in Tools - Document Properties - Line Font
Mine is set as; Visible Edges 0.004 Tangent Edges 0.002
This is aesthetically pleasing and plots with enough contrast to be distinguishable.
Yes it is correct.
The most problematic issue was "retrieving" of this font by additional "Select Tangent edges with font".
And I also like difference between Edges and Tangent lines just except I am metric and mine has less zeros after the dot...
Eric,
I have multiple templates as I'm a contract designer. I always have to change at least one or two views if I'm not smart enough to pick the correct template first! LOL!
Hi Bernie,
Is it standard Drafting practice to have the tangent lines as phantom when the view is perpendicular?
From this thread it seems others were changing the line font so that it would appear shaded.
Either way it appears that I can set-up my template to do either as a default. (where I could use some direction).
Not having been to a University on drafting, I'd like to settle this little Phantom line dispute here at my workplace.
Thank You
Tom
One standard you can look to is the ASME Y14 series. In particular:
Line Conventions and Lettering
Y14.2 - 2008
https://www.asme.org/products/codes-standards/line-conventions-and-lettering
You may be able to find the Y14 series in your office, or at a local library. Or of course ASME would happily sell you a copy. In that standard they discuss line weights and all the specifications on drawing detailing.
Best Regards,
- Jim
Jim,
I will check out the link.
right or wrong I will be using Phantom Lines is this condition.
:-)
I am fighting with correcting our templates now.
that being said, we currently have multiple views in the template.
For the life of me I have not been able get the model to come up in the three drawing views with tangent lines as font, (phantom).
I drag a new view in, it does what I want.
I am wondering if saving (4) views in my template is advisable.
Thank You,
Tom
Hello Orest,
SolidWorks does indeed distinguish between the two. You can click on any view and change tangent lines between visible and invisible. Also you can click on and line in a view either tangent or visible and change the line thickness.
If you go to Tools>Options>Click on Document Properties tab>Line Font. You will see options for line style/weight of multiple line types including visible and tangent. If you always want your tangent edges to look a specific way I'd suggest updating your drawing template with this correction.