When editing a 3D spline, is there some control key I can press so that when I move a spline point it only moves in relation to my point of view?
for example, if I'm working in the XY plane the point will not move in the Z axis? or if I'm working in the ZY plane the point will not move in the X axis?
Thanks
You can add horizontal, vertical or fix relations to the spline control points. Check attached video.
Thats for 2D splines, not 3D
Oops sorry, didn't read the word 3d spline
Perry,
It seems to me that SW does just what you are asking for, except that it will pick up constraints that are "out of plane". I've sometimes set up four windows when manipulating 3D splines so that I can move between them to adjust the positions somewhat more easily. If you really need to lock in the movement to not allow any out of plane movement, then you will probably have to use Deepak's suggestions.
Jerry Steiger
I dont see any automatic constraints being picked up as I move a spline point and no constraints are listed in the relations box.
I would try the split screen viewing method but my screen is small to begin with. I tried going into the parameters sliders of the selected point and moving the X or Y slider, but when you move one slider the ALL move! Seems like there should be a way to move a spline point without affecting the Z axis of your current view. I seem to recall being able to do just that in Inventor...
Hi Perry,
In addition to what Jerry suggests, which is a great way to lock down one axis of movement - you can also use the 3D sketch triad if you want to work in a single 3D viewport. To get to it RMB while in 3D sketch. If you preselect a spline point and then envoke the sketch triad,it will position itself on that point. If you don't select anything, it will postion itself in the lower right corner of your screen. The 3D sketch triad can be use for both the spline points, and the vector and tangent magnitude handles.
Regards
Mark
I'm sorry, but how does Jerry's suggestion "lock down" an axis of movement?
The sketch triad sounds helpful. I will investigate that.
If I can't get the results I'm looking for I may just have to resort to adding a bunch of 3D planes and putting an "on plane" contstraint on some of those spline points.
Thanks
Hi Perry,
Do this: go to your heads-up view toolbar in your SolidWorks viewport (it is the set of icons center at the top of your viewport) click on the View orientation icon (5th from the left ) and put your viewport into 4 viewport mode.
Now set your upper left viewport to "Top", the left left viewport to "Front" and the lower right to "Right" and leave the upper Right to perspective view. While editing your 3D sketch spline in one of these three viewports (Top, Front, Right) when you drag on a spline point or widget handle it will ignore any translation in the Zed (into the screen axis.)
Mark
Hi Mark
I knew that I could split the display as you mentioned but have never done that. Again because of little screen real estate. What I did not know however was then when you do so you can lock movements, ie spline vertices to the current viewpoint.
That is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks so much for clueing me in on that
Perry
Well, this seemed to be working pretty good at first but today I was editing a spline in 4-view mode and the properties pane was showing obvious movement in all 3 axis
right click on the spline point and select "move entities"
then select one of the arrows of the triad and it will only drag on that one direction.
Perry,
I can only get that to happen if I am moving the spline point in the "iso" view.
Jerry Steiger
Resurrecting this old thread.
The "4 view" solution seemed to work well, something must have changed though because it no longer works.
If I am working, say in the X-Y viewport and move a spline point, I can see it fly off into the Z direction in the other viewports.
I don't know why solidworks can't get this right. If I remember correctly, Inventor did this quite nicely.
Hi Perry,
Do this: go to your heads-up view toolbar in your SolidWorks viewport (it is the set of icons center at the top of your viewport) click on the View orientation icon (5th from the left ) and put your viewport into 4 viewport mode.
Now set your upper left viewport to "Top", the left left viewport to "Front" and the lower right to "Right" and leave the upper Right to perspective view. While editing your 3D sketch spline in one of these three viewports (Top, Front, Right) when you drag on a spline point or widget handle it will ignore any translation in the Zed (into the screen axis.)
Mark