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Flattened length symbol?

Question asked by Mark Dougall on Feb 6, 2020
Latest reply on Mar 5, 2020 by Mark Dougall

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First of all I'm trying to use this symbol in a drawing which Solidworks online help says is the GOST Symbol in English but that doesn't bring up anything for me outside of their help page. I think it's flattened length but I can't be sure as I only know the German, Gestreckte Länge.

Anyway my Question relates to wanting to use this line to calculate the Overall length of a pipe before bending and I was Looking for a way for SolidWorks to calculate this. At the moment I've overriden the primary value but if the part changes in the future I would like this number to update. I've read somewhere about calculating from the surface area of the pipe and using the overall volume to get the length but how would I add those values into the Dimension text if I at all could?

Any help is appreciated.

Glenn Schroeder Mar 3, 2020 11:32 AM

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Mark Dougall wrote:

I can only find the custom properties (those stored in the file Information). Cut list porperties do not appear on that drop down list that the "Link to Property" icon gives for me.

I'm back at work now (jury duty didn't last long). You need to choose "Component to which the annotation is attached" from the drop-down, and also the Note needs to have a leader attached to the component (you can hide the leader later if you want). After choosing that option from the drop-down the cut list properties will be available to select.

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16 Replies

Tateos Tvapanyan Feb 6, 2020 10:04 AM
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Yes, it is the flattened length. To show the overall length you can use a "Path Length Dimension"
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- Mark Dougall @ Tateos Tvapanyan on Feb 6, 2020 10:10 AM
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  Ah, sorry should have specified, it's a 3D Sketch and therefore the path length doesn't work on it. Unless I'm missing something?
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  - Tateos Tvapanyan @ Mark Dougall on Feb 6, 2020 11:38 AM
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    That's a different story. Try to use "Fit Spline" on the 3D Sketch, then the Smart Dimension will give you the full length of the spline.
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    - Mark Dougall @ Tateos Tvapanyan on Mar 4, 2020 7:58 AM
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      Unfortunately this didn't work for whatever reason. I can get a path length for a Spline I create but when I use fit Spline SolidWorks can't get a Dimension from it.
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      - Tateos Tvapanyan @ Mark Dougall on Mar 4, 2020 9:34 AM
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        When using fit spline path length doesn't work. Use the Smart Dimension instead.
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        Mark Dougall @ Tateos Tvapanyan on Mar 5, 2020 3:33 AM
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        Smart Dimension still doesn't work for me on a fit Spline. It was smart Dimension I was using before. Unless I'm doing something wrong?
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        Tateos Tvapanyan @ Mark Dougall on Mar 5, 2020 4:27 AM
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        What I am doing is:
        
        1. Create a 3D Sketch
        2. Create a new 3D Sketch and fit spline.
        3. Create a feature Swept boss.
        4. add it to drawing ISO view
        5. Hide initial 3D sketch and show the 3D sketch with the fit spline
        6. I am use the Smart Dimension and click over the fit spline sketch
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        Mark Dougall @ Tateos Tvapanyan on Mar 5, 2020 7:39 AM
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        Ah Right, sorry didn't realise you meant to use smart Dimension in the drawing view. That seems to give me some odd Problems in the drawing. I had tried that method before but as you can see from my Image the leader won't attach to the part and there's no way to hide it. On top of that I could only get the Dimension from the left view and not from the one on the Right with the Sketch visible.
        
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        Tateos Tvapanyan @ Mark Dougall on Mar 5, 2020 8:39 AM
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        Yes, I've got the same issue but thought this is an SW version problem.
        A workaround could be to place an annotation, link the dimension with the annotation and hide the dimension afterwards.
        This will keep the annotation "live" and will change it when you change the part.
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        Mark Dougall @ Tateos Tvapanyan on Mar 5, 2020 8:58 AM
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        Glenn gave a Pretty good solution with structural members. I'm not such a big fan of hiding hanging dimensions as I know myself that I'll never find them again when I Need them! Would be nice if I was just able to reference the total length in a Dimension somehow like I had wanted to but there's Always something to work around in Solidworks.
        
        Basically my initial wish is to Display the Dimension as Show in my Picture below but instead of overwriting the Dimension number with a typed-in one, I could reference some other Dimension (Total Length of the Spline) so that it updates itself when I Change the part. Maybe I'll save this for next years SolidWorks world Idea suggestions.
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Glenn Schroeder Feb 6, 2020 2:42 PM
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If you'll create the pipe with the Structural Member function then the software will generate the total length as a cut list property, and it will be available to reference in Drawings.
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- Mark Dougall @ Glenn Schroeder on Mar 3, 2020 8:10 AM
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  Hi Glenn,
  
  I like this idea. But how would I go About adding the refernce to a Dimension or note?
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  - Glenn Schroeder @ Mark Dougall on Mar 3, 2020 9:45 AM
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    I'm on my phone now so can't post screenshots, but there's a "Link to Property" icon in the Note property manager.
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    - Mark Dougall @ Glenn Schroeder on Mar 3, 2020 10:01 AM
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      I can only find the custom properties (those stored in the file Information). Cut list porperties do not appear on that drop down list that the "Link to Property" icon gives for me.
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      - Glenn Schroeder @ Mark Dougall on Mar 3, 2020 11:32 AM
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        Mark Dougall wrote:
        
        I can only find the custom properties (those stored in the file Information). Cut list porperties do not appear on that drop down list that the "Link to Property" icon gives for me.
        
        I'm back at work now (jury duty didn't last long). You need to choose "Component to which the annotation is attached" from the drop-down, and also the Note needs to have a leader attached to the component (you can hide the leader later if you want). After choosing that option from the drop-down the cut list properties will be available to select.
        
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        Mark Dougall @ Glenn Schroeder on Mar 4, 2020 2:54 AM
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        Thanks Glenn, that's where I was going wrong. I just had the note hanging. Great Workaround for pipes and a lot more simple than I was anticipating.
        
        Sorry it took so Long to get round to this - was on Holiday - but good to know for future.
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