3 Replies Latest reply on Jan 7, 2008 1:11 AM by Anna Wood

    Sketch line color

    Tim Warris
    Tim Warris Jan 6, 2008 9:25 PM
      Hi All,

      I am a new user to SW2008, coming from SolidEdge V19 and am struggling my way through the transition. Not sure if my background in SE is helpful or a hindrance as I find I am constantly thinking I know exactly how to do this in SE but not in SW, and usually not sure if this is a technique I should be using.

      What I am trying to understand is the line color in sketches in SW. I am working on a simple assembly and would like to edit some of the parts in the active assembly. When I edit the sketch of an assembly part in place the lines are all black, the current sketch as well as all the edges of the other parts in the assembly. In SE all the active sketch entity lines are a different color, making editing the sketch much easier. Having all the lines black I find it almost impossible to differentiate the current sketch entities from everything else. How does everyone else handle this? Perhaps this isn't the way I should be doing this, but in SE editing a sketch in a part in an assembly is a very common operation.

      Cheers!

      Tim
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        • Sketch line color
          Anna Wood
          Anna Wood Jan 6, 2008 11:35 PM (in response to Tim Warris)
          Look at Tools > Options > System Options > Colors and review the colors SW uses.

          Have you gone through the Tutorials that are under Help? That is usually a good plan to get you an idea of the workflow in SW.

          Undefined lines and points in SW are a blue color. They turn to black when they are fully defined.

          Sketches in SW are a heavy line weight. Models edges are a much lighter line weight. Is your model in Wireframe mode or in Solid/Solid with Edges mode?

          The techniques are the same with SW and SE to design and make changes within an assembly. There are many visual clues as to what is what within SW. You just need to learn what to look for and re-program the brain from what you are used to with SE.

          Can you post a screen shot of what you are seeing when you are sketching? This will help use help you... :-)

          Cheers,



            • Sketch line color
              Tim Warris
              Tim Warris Jan 7, 2008 12:52 AM (in response to Anna Wood)
              Hi Anna,

              Thanks for the feedback. Using wireframe mode helps quite a bit. The line weights provide good contrast for the different entities. Had not thought to try that, again in SE I found I rarely, in fact never, switched from a Solid with Edges mode.

              I have been going through most of the tutorials and doing all the usual new system steps, but until one actually starts to build something its hard to tell what you actually know. (or don't!)

              So far I have found SW to be quite powerful and has a few nifty tools that I didn't see in SE, but the interface seems much less intuitive with many options buried deep in menus. On feature that always impressed me with SE was how few tools were required to accomplish a great deal. Of course its still too early to do any type of a fair comparison as I am still in the frustrating phase of figuring out how to make an unfamiliar system do what I need...

              Cheers!

                • Sketch line color
                  Anna Wood
                  Anna Wood Jan 7, 2008 1:11 AM (in response to Tim Warris)
                  Actually, I rarely use wireframe when designing. Only when I am doing a quick look through a design to make sure all my holes and stuff are lined up in the tools I design. To much clutter otherwise....

                  Hopefully on Monday one of the other designers here where I work will chip in with some ideas for you. He has spent quite a bit of time in SE and is transitioning to SW. I am sure he can offer you some insight.

                  All the various 3D CAD package have their strengths and weaknesses. The reason SW is not intuitive yet is that you are probably trying to think to much like the workflow in SE. Once the lightbulbs go on about how SW likes its data workflow it will get easier. Not much different then trying to make SW work like AutoCAD for all the 2D guys transitioning.

                  Cheers,