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Linear Pattern Zero Instances to Multiple Instances with Design Table

Question asked by Seth Haddix on Nov 28, 2017
Latest reply on Mar 26, 2019 by Benjamin Nielsen

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Hello all,

How would you go about patterning a rectangle in a 2d sketch so that the number of instances can be controlled by a DT?

Here's the trick:

We want to pattern the rectangle up to n times in the Y direction but, but sometimes we want n to equal 1 so that no pattern is produced. N is a value controlled by a design table.

Is there another way to control the number of rectangles patterened in the sketch with some variable (e.g. n) so that even when n = 1 Solidworks doesn't throw an error saying "Value must be between 2 and 3000)?

I did explore using a "table driven pattern" and linking the table to an external excel file. I'm still working on that.

Thanks for your time,

Seth

Jeremiah Feist Nov 28, 2017 12:54 PM

Correct Answer

the simplest way around this limitation is to also control the suppression of the pattern feature in the design table, and when you want N=1, suppress the pattern.

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Jeremiah Feist Nov 28, 2017 12:54 PM

the simplest way around this limitation is to also control the suppression of the pattern feature in the design table, and when you want N=1, suppress the pattern.

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Dennis Dohogne @ Jeremiah Feist on Nov 28, 2017 12:58 PM

Jeremy Feist wrote:

the simplest way around this limitation is to also control the suppression of the pattern feature in the design table, and when you want N=1, suppress the pattern.

Jeremy is right on! Suppression states can easily be controlled with IF statements in the DT as well.

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Seth Haddix @ Dennis Dohogne on Nov 28, 2017 1:05 PM

Awesome guys! I was just playing with that. Thanks for the prompt responses!

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Benjamin Nielsen @ Jeremiah Feist on Mar 25, 2019 4:00 PM

Jeremy, I'm running into the same issue and the suppression definitely helped me out. But I am wondering is there a way to suppress 1 direction at a time inside the linear pattern? Right now I'm working with a pattern that is 1 instance in a certain direction and multiple in another direction.

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Jeremiah Feist @ Benjamin Nielsen on Mar 25, 2019 5:18 PM

a pattern (like any feature) cannot be partially suppressed.

have you tried using 2 pattern features?

have you tried the somewhat recently added "up to reference" option for linear patterns?

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Benjamin Nielsen @ Jeremiah Feist on Mar 26, 2019 7:54 AM

Ahh, thank you for the answer, sadly, I believe, in my case neither two patterns nor the up to reference option would work. When using the two patterns I don't get all the bodies I need. In the case of a 2x2 pattern, using two patterns I would only get 3 of the 4 bodies I need since the 2nd pattern would only be capable of patterning the first body, unless I manually tell it to copy the body made by the first pattern. But that sort of defeats the purpose of automating the design.

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Jeremiah Feist @ Benjamin Nielsen on Mar 26, 2019 9:41 AM

ahh, patterning bodies.

I just did a little playing, and it looks like a 2 direction pattern is perfectly happy to have the instance count for direction 2 be 1. is it always the same direction that needs the option to be 1? if so, make that direction 2. if not, you may need three patterns - 1 for 2 direction cases, and 1 for direction 1 only cases, and 1 for direction 2 only cases. and control it all with your equations.

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Benjamin Nielsen @ Jeremiah Feist on Mar 26, 2019 9:49 AM

Yes, I am finding that I should start with that, patterning bodies. Or really anything with bodies as opposed to features.

Aha! Okay, I was not aware that one direction would be fine with even one instance. And that's a brilliant idea, throwing more patterns at it. What I'm doing is basically designing a wall that needs broken up into equal sheet sizes with dimensions no bigger than 48"x96" (plywood). So I'm just having the equation work out for me how many boards in direction 1 by how many boards in direction 2 and then patterning them out so all I have to do is put in two dimensions and I have a wall. Does that make more sense?

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Seth Haddix Nov 28, 2017 1:09 PM

One last question. If we wanted to do this all in a single sketch, could we somehow suppress the sketch linear pattern? I haven't found a way to do that.

I can see how we could suppress a feature linear pattern though.

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Jeremiah Feist @ Seth Haddix on Nov 28, 2017 1:12 PM

I don't believe so.

and any time you consider a sketch pattern, remember that the feature (or body) patterns are almost always superior in every way.

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Seth Haddix @ Jeremiah Feist on Nov 28, 2017 1:18 PM

Thank you, Jeremy!

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11 Replies

Jeremiah Feist Nov 28, 2017 12:54 PM
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Correct Answer
the simplest way around this limitation is to also control the suppression of the pattern feature in the design table, and when you want N=1, suppress the pattern.
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- Dennis Dohogne @ Jeremiah Feist on Nov 28, 2017 12:58 PM
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  Jeremy Feist wrote:
  
  the simplest way around this limitation is to also control the suppression of the pattern feature in the design table, and when you want N=1, suppress the pattern.
  Jeremy is right on! Suppression states can easily be controlled with IF statements in the DT as well.
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
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  - Seth Haddix @ Dennis Dohogne on Nov 28, 2017 1:05 PM
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    Correct Answer
    Awesome guys! I was just playing with that. Thanks for the prompt responses!
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
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- Benjamin Nielsen @ Jeremiah Feist on Mar 25, 2019 4:00 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Jeremy, I'm running into the same issue and the suppression definitely helped me out. But I am wondering is there a way to suppress 1 direction at a time inside the linear pattern? Right now I'm working with a pattern that is 1 instance in a certain direction and multiple in another direction.
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
  - Jeremiah Feist @ Benjamin Nielsen on Mar 25, 2019 5:18 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    a pattern (like any feature) cannot be partially suppressed.
    
    have you tried using 2 pattern features?
    have you tried the somewhat recently added "up to reference" option for linear patterns?
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
    Actions
    - Benjamin Nielsen @ Jeremiah Feist on Mar 26, 2019 7:54 AM
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      Correct Answer
      Ahh, thank you for the answer, sadly, I believe, in my case neither two patterns nor the up to reference option would work. When using the two patterns I don't get all the bodies I need. In the case of a 2x2 pattern, using two patterns I would only get 3 of the 4 bodies I need since the 2nd pattern would only be capable of patterning the first body, unless I manually tell it to copy the body made by the first pattern. But that sort of defeats the purpose of automating the design.
      Like • Show 0 Likes0
      Actions
      - Jeremiah Feist @ Benjamin Nielsen on Mar 26, 2019 9:41 AM
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        Correct Answer
        ahh, patterning bodies.
        
        I just did a little playing, and it looks like a 2 direction pattern is perfectly happy to have the instance count for direction 2 be 1. is it always the same direction that needs the option to be 1? if so, make that direction 2. if not, you may need three patterns - 1 for 2 direction cases, and 1 for direction 1 only cases, and 1 for direction 2 only cases. and control it all with your equations.
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
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        Benjamin Nielsen @ Jeremiah Feist on Mar 26, 2019 9:49 AM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Yes, I am finding that I should start with that, patterning bodies. Or really anything with bodies as opposed to features.
        
        Aha! Okay, I was not aware that one direction would be fine with even one instance. And that's a brilliant idea, throwing more patterns at it. What I'm doing is basically designing a wall that needs broken up into equal sheet sizes with dimensions no bigger than 48"x96" (plywood). So I'm just having the equation work out for me how many boards in direction 1 by how many boards in direction 2 and then patterning them out so all I have to do is put in two dimensions and I have a wall. Does that make more sense?
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
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Seth Haddix Nov 28, 2017 1:09 PM
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One last question. If we wanted to do this all in a single sketch, could we somehow suppress the sketch linear pattern? I haven't found a way to do that.
I can see how we could suppress a feature linear pattern though.
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- Jeremiah Feist @ Seth Haddix on Nov 28, 2017 1:12 PM
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  I don't believe so.
  
  and any time you consider a sketch pattern, remember that the feature (or body) patterns are almost always superior in every way.
  Like • Show 1 Like1
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  - Seth Haddix @ Jeremiah Feist on Nov 28, 2017 1:18 PM
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    Thank you, Jeremy!
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Linear Pattern Zero Instances to Multiple Instances with Design Table

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