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Changing Relationships and Driven/Driving relationships within a design table

Question asked by Andy Birko on Apr 23, 2012
Latest reply on Feb 26, 2014 by Jarred Mosdal

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Hi all,

I kind of new to solidworks so please forgive me if this is a common issue but it seems like it's a pretty unique one.

I've got a design table driven model and recently got a few requests that would fundamentally change the relationships on which one of the sketches is based. Namely, in my current model, I have to lines with the relationship of "equal" to a couple lines in another sketch and then an arc who's radius is "driven". The request would be to change the radius of the arc to be the driving dimention and the line length would be driven.

If you look at the attached screen shot, the larger sketch is the one I'd like to change. The two vertical lines have the length dimension equal to the vertical lines in the smaller sketch in the back ground. The arc dimension is driven.

I know that this would be easy to implement by making the changes and saving as a new model but I'd really like to be able to keep it in one model and be able to change those relationships through the design table if at all possible.

Thanks,

Jarred Mosdal Feb 16, 2014 12:25 AM

Correct Answer

Sketch relationships can be supressed individually for each configuration. You will end up with a "$STATE@Tangent23@Sketch1" column in your design table (or whatever relations you are working with). Then you specify "S" or "U" values to suppress or unsupress within each configuration row in the design table. This can also be controlled from the sketch directly if you double click the relationship to edit it there. The bottom of the Display/Delete Relationships control box has a Configurations dropdown window.

I was also able to suppress a dimension that appears in column C of my design table to make it driven by adding a "$State@Distance21@Sketch1" column (see my screen capture). This was initiated by selecting the dimension while editing the sketch, clicking on the "other" tab and the "Specify Configs..." button below the "Driven" check box.

So, in my first 8 configurations, a dimension is Driving based on the value in the design table column C while my tangent relations are suppressed. And in the next 3 configurations, the dimension is Driven (so the value in column C is ignored) and the unsupressed tangent relations fully define the sketch.

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Jerry Steiger May 8, 2012 10:31 AM

Andy,

Did you work this out? I think the easiest way to rebuild your design table is just to change your sketches. Make sure that you have at least two different values of the radius in different configurations. Then delete the design table and rebuild it automatically. (Insert/Tables/Design Table with the Auto-create option chosen.)

Jerry Steiger

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Andy Birko @ Jerry Steiger on May 8, 2012 10:51 AM

No Jerry, I still haven't worked it out. I've put this on the back burner at the moment.

What you say will work to add the arc radius dimension to the design table but, I don't think it will change the relationships as necessary.

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Jerry Steiger @ Andy Birko on May 8, 2012 2:14 PM

Andy,

You change the relationships in the sketch. Remove the equal relationships on the lines and change the radius to driving. (If the equal relationship needs to stay, then you will need to change the lines in the other sketch to driven.)

Jerry Steiger

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Andy Birko @ Jerry Steiger on Jul 13, 2012 10:13 AM

Let me try to explain another way. I basically want the model to be able to be built one of two ways.

Case 1: vertical lines drive the radius dimension - this is what I have right now. Changing the radius in the "far" sketch changes the line height in the "close" sketch which drives the radius in the close sketch

Case 2: Radius in the close sketch is driving the line height in the close sketch or, no interdependent relationships between the two sketches.

Ideally I'd be able to configure the relationships via the design table. Exactly what I'd like to do is

Case 1: As is

Case 2:

Suppress the equal relationship between the line in the "far" sketch and the near sketch

Change the dimension of the "near" radius from driven to driving

Specify the radius of the "near" radius.

I'm just not sure if it's possible to do so with a design table.

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Jerry Steiger @ Andy Birko on May 9, 2012 5:28 PM

Andy,

OK, I think I finally understand. I don't remember there being a way to configure whether a dimension is driving or driven or whether a relationship is made or not. If you can't do that, then it seems like you are stuck.

Jerry Steiger

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Chuck Somers Oct 8, 2012 2:42 PM

How about just adding another feature (set) for scenario #2? Suppress one or the other. Then, when mating, use planes instead of faces/edges/vertices to avoid mating errors when swapping between configurations within an assembly model.

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Jarred Mosdal Feb 16, 2014 12:25 AM

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Jarred Mosdal @ Jarred Mosdal on Feb 16, 2014 12:35 AM

FYI: Here are the gooseneck punches I drew with one sketch and multiple configurations from a design table.

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Andy Birko @ Jarred Mosdal on Feb 21, 2014 5:00 PM

Jared,

I think this is exactly what I'm looking for. A question though - did you add the $State columns by hand or did you select them using the same methods one normally uses to add dimensions to a design table?

I made a simple model to test this out and I think I can get it to work but it would be much easier if I could use the click method of selecting for the design table.

Thanks!

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Jarred Mosdal @ Andy Birko on Feb 26, 2014 2:00 AM

Solidworks is not open in front of me while I write this, so forgive my approximations from memory: When you create the design table, there are options relating to new parameters and new configurations as well as edit control. I allowed model edits. Then, I changed or added a dimension at the sketch level for only one configuration. When I reopened the design table, I was prompted to add the new dimension to the table automatically.

Another way to find the right dimension:

Incidently, if I viewed the property box for a dimension in a sketch (select the dimension and view the left side of the screen), the name appears there as "D22" or "D22@sketch1" or something like that. I was able to find the dimension of interest by looking for the similar name in the design table window that opened (the one that adds dimensions to the design table automatically). This is how to do this "automatically", although you can quickly learn to disect the structure of the "behind-the-scenes" programming references used here and type anything you want manually.

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Andy Birko @ Jarred Mosdal on Feb 21, 2014 5:05 PM

By the way - I just hand entered everything from my test model into the design table and it works perfectly!!!! Thanks so much!

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11 Replies

Jerry Steiger May 8, 2012 10:31 AM
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Correct Answer
Andy,

Did you work this out? I think the easiest way to rebuild your design table is just to change your sketches. Make sure that you have at least two different values of the radius in different configurations. Then delete the design table and rebuild it automatically. (Insert/Tables/Design Table with the Auto-create option chosen.)

Jerry Steiger
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- Andy Birko @ Jerry Steiger on May 8, 2012 10:51 AM
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  No Jerry, I still haven't worked it out. I've put this on the back burner at the moment.
  
  What you say will work to add the arc radius dimension to the design table but, I don't think it will change the relationships as necessary.
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  - Jerry Steiger @ Andy Birko on May 8, 2012 2:14 PM
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    Andy,
    
    You change the relationships in the sketch. Remove the equal relationships on the lines and change the radius to driving. (If the equal relationship needs to stay, then you will need to change the lines in the other sketch to driven.)
    
    Jerry Steiger
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    - Andy Birko @ Jerry Steiger on Jul 13, 2012 10:13 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Let me try to explain another way. I basically want the model to be able to be built one of two ways.
      
      Case 1: vertical lines drive the radius dimension - this is what I have right now. Changing the radius in the "far" sketch changes the line height in the "close" sketch which drives the radius in the close sketch
      
      Case 2: Radius in the close sketch is driving the line height in the close sketch or, no interdependent relationships between the two sketches.
      
      Ideally I'd be able to configure the relationships via the design table. Exactly what I'd like to do is
      
      Case 1: As is
      
      Case 2:
      Suppress the equal relationship between the line in the "far" sketch and the near sketch
      Change the dimension of the "near" radius from driven to driving
      Specify the radius of the "near" radius.
      
      I'm just not sure if it's possible to do so with a design table.
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      - Jerry Steiger @ Andy Birko on May 9, 2012 5:28 PM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Andy,
        
        OK, I think I finally understand. I don't remember there being a way to configure whether a dimension is driving or driven or whether a relationship is made or not. If you can't do that, then it seems like you are stuck.
        
        Jerry Steiger
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Chuck Somers Oct 8, 2012 2:42 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
How about just adding another feature (set) for scenario #2? Suppress one or the other. Then, when mating, use planes instead of faces/edges/vertices to avoid mating errors when swapping between configurations within an assembly model.
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
Jarred Mosdal Feb 16, 2014 12:25 AM
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Correct Answer
Sketch relationships can be supressed individually for each configuration. You will end up with a "$STATE@Tangent23@Sketch1" column in your design table (or whatever relations you are working with). Then you specify "S" or "U" values to suppress or unsupress within each configuration row in the design table. This can also be controlled from the sketch directly if you double click the relationship to edit it there. The bottom of the Display/Delete Relationships control box has a Configurations dropdown window.

I was also able to suppress a dimension that appears in column C of my design table to make it driven by adding a "$State@Distance21@Sketch1" column (see my screen capture). This was initiated by selecting the dimension while editing the sketch, clicking on the "other" tab and the "Specify Configs..." button below the "Driven" check box.

So, in my first 8 configurations, a dimension is Driving based on the value in the design table column C while my tangent relations are suppressed. And in the next 3 configurations, the dimension is Driven (so the value in column C is ignored) and the unsupressed tangent relations fully define the sketch.
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- Jarred Mosdal @ Jarred Mosdal on Feb 16, 2014 12:35 AM
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  FYI: Here are the gooseneck punches I drew with one sketch and multiple configurations from a design table.
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- Andy Birko @ Jarred Mosdal on Feb 21, 2014 5:00 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Jared,
  
  I think this is exactly what I'm looking for. A question though - did you add the $State columns by hand or did you select them using the same methods one normally uses to add dimensions to a design table?
  
  I made a simple model to test this out and I think I can get it to work but it would be much easier if I could use the click method of selecting for the design table.
  
  Thanks!
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
  - Jarred Mosdal @ Andy Birko on Feb 26, 2014 2:00 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Solidworks is not open in front of me while I write this, so forgive my approximations from memory: When you create the design table, there are options relating to new parameters and new configurations as well as edit control. I allowed model edits. Then, I changed or added a dimension at the sketch level for only one configuration. When I reopened the design table, I was prompted to add the new dimension to the table automatically.
    
    Another way to find the right dimension:
    Incidently, if I viewed the property box for a dimension in a sketch (select the dimension and view the left side of the screen), the name appears there as "D22" or "D22@sketch1" or something like that. I was able to find the dimension of interest by looking for the similar name in the design table window that opened (the one that adds dimensions to the design table automatically). This is how to do this "automatically", although you can quickly learn to disect the structure of the "behind-the-scenes" programming references used here and type anything you want manually.
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
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- Andy Birko @ Jarred Mosdal on Feb 21, 2014 5:05 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  By the way - I just hand entered everything from my test model into the design table and it works perfectly!!!! Thanks so much!
  Like • Show 1 Like1
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Changing Relationships and Driven/Driving relationships within a design table

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