How do I modify section features in 2D drawing?

[caduser1]

How do I modify section features in 2D drawing?

I have a section view in a drawing which I would like to modify a bit.
I would like to stretch the arrows a bit further away from the part and I
would like to reposition the section letters. Does anyone know how to
accomplish this? Couldn't find in help or searching this forum.
Also, is there a way to add dimensions to the section view?
Thanks.

 

[mrehmus]

I don't think there is anything to be done (until development changes things) to be able to adjust the line length in a section view. I now add some text to the view and force that to expand the red window surrounding the view. That way I can draw a longer section line.

Dimensioning cross-sections is accomplished in the same manner as any other view.

 

[zzedexx]

Re: How do I modify section features in 2D drawing?

I have a section view in a drawing which I would like to modify a bit.
I would like to stretch the arrows a bit further away from the part and I
would like to reposition the section letters. Does anyone know how to
accomplish this? Couldn't find in help or searching this forum.
Also, is there a way to add dimensions to the section view?
Thanks.

there might be a way to stretch, but i havent found it yet. i decided i had to delete and re-draw a better line..
right now i am wondering if maybe you could draw another line across the path the line would take if u extended(stretched) it and extend the section line to it somehow therefore 'stretching' the section line..
maybe that would work?

as far as i remember, you dimension the section view as you would any other view..

cheers

zed

 

[indesign]

I also would like to move those letter some times. I wonder if this should be an enhancement request....add gap distance of text to the sectional properties.

 

[zzedexx]

hmm.. ok
i went and had a look and i stumbled on the way u can stretch the line

right click on the section line and choose edit.

a dialogue comes up allowing u to change the LETTER designation, but at the same time the line endpoints appear and can be moved.

cheers

Zed.

 

[indesign]

So does this also mean you can constrain it?

 

[zzedexx]

Re:

I also would like to move those letter some times. I wonder if this should be an enhancement request....add gap distance of text to the sectional properties.

this is painfully tedious compared to if u could just click a letter and drag or something, but i think you could maybe set up a new dimension style to use for the section annotation and use that to adjust the position of the letter...???

also, there were a few diff options for the 'style' of section under 'Section View Options' found under the Detailing tab in the Properties dialogue.

 

[zzedexx]

Re:

So does this also mean you can constrain it?

wow.. well - i just tried it and it looks like u probly can. :shock:


well, u can dimension it (the line) for length and dimension the distance it is out from what seems to be the centre point.
(and then the length dim hides itself when u exit the edit so it doesn't appear on the drawing )

i'm kinda impressed. :mrgreen:


Zed.

 

[caduser1]

well, u can dimension it (the line) for length and dimension the distance it is out from what seems to be the centre point.
(and then the length dim hides itself when u exit the edit so it doesn't appear on the drawing )

Interesting... But not terribly useful. I'd still rather have more flexability
when it comes to creating drawings. I still think this is the area where
Alibre seriously lags!! (even behind the simple, free, 2D cad software out
there)

They seem to have lots of weird, undocumented features (anomallies?)
like this one, but they lack intuitive, user-friendly features that I think
we all would really like to have. :?

IMHO they seriously need to revamp the whole 2D drawing system.
Alibre REALLY NEEDS TO look at other 2D cad software like Acad, etc..
and adopt the same features and conveniences that make those packages
quick and easy to use.

 

[indesign]

Re:

IMHO they seriously need to revamp the whole 2D drawing system.
Alibre REALLY NEEDS TO look at other 2D cad software like Acad, etc..
and adopt the same features and conveniences that make those packages
quick and easy to use.

Just remember the 2D part of Alibre is really kinda new. This being a 3D parametric program with those things being pressed originally. Even now there are users that would prefer not to have 2D at all. I am one, like yourself, that prefer and almost need 2D prints. However the move to 3D prints is gaining ground.

The 2D drawing abilities just took a jump in this past update that has helped loads in allowing me to get away from Autocad. There is still more they need to add before this becomes as good as some that have been concentrating on doing 2D for many years.

More today than ever the concept drawings with motion and photo rendering is what sells the design. But for now, 2D prints gets those parts manufactured. Don't get me wrong though....I use those solids files for manufacturing as well. 3D machining and inspection are here to stay but some shops just are not 3D yet.

 

[MilesH]

I think we need:

Continued development of 2D, but not at the expense of other areas.

Development of 3D detailing.

To encourage all of our contacts to think about moving to 3D. (With the existence of Xpress, there's really not much excuse for at least giving it a go..)

 

[caduser1]

I can not speak for others, but in my case I must still provide 2D drawings to my vendors.
I really don't know if any of my vendors
have the capability to use 3D model information for production.
Most are relatively small job shops. I really like Alibre's 3D features
and they have proven to really help us improve design. However,
I keep comming to a crawl when it comes time to produce the 2D
drawings for my vendors. The time that the 3D portion of Alibre saves
me gets eaten up when it comes to 2D. In short, 2D in Alibre is inefficient!
I just don't see why it should be so difficult to improve the 2D functionality
considering that the technology has been around for so long.
Everyone (2D software) is capable of the needed features except Alibre.
When we all can get along with 3D only that will be great, but for know
it is not a reality. I am actually suprised that more users are not
complaining about this serious short-comming.

 

[zzedexx]

Re:

I can not speak for others, but in my case I must still provide 2D drawings to my vendors.
I really don't know if any of my vendors
have the capability to use 3D model information for production.
Most are relatively small job shops. I really like Alibre's 3D features
and they have proven to really help us improve design. However,
I keep comming to a crawl when it comes time to produce the 2D
drawings for my vendors. The time that the 3D portion of Alibre saves
me gets eaten up when it comes to 2D. In short, 2D in Alibre is inefficient!
I just don't see why it should be so difficult to improve the 2D functionality
considering that the technology has been around for so long.
Everyone (2D software) is capable of the needed features except Alibre.
When we all can get along with 3D only that will be great, but for know
it is not a reality. I am actually suprised that more users are not
complaining about this serious short-comming.

well, i agree with u x infinity.

3D modelling like that of alibre is slick and impressive to look at and fling about on a computer, but without the ability to generate/print the 2D drawings of my models, using alibre to model these designs is almost completely pointless.

the whole reason the company i work for decided to use AD was to be able to have 2D drawings that automatically update to reflect the changes made to the 3D model, ie: to save tedious timewasting re-draws.

like caduser1 says, AD's massive 2D deficiencies/inefficiencies are almost negating the time saving advantages that made 3D modelling attractive in the first place.

(argh!)


Zed.

 

[indesign]

I have about 10 yrs with Acad and can use it quite well. I have found Alibre's 2D very different but not unworkable or unusable. I keep finding more tricks and useful tools that keep improving. I still use Acad but now it is about 5% compaired to 80% for 2D. Not bad for about 1 yr of learning Alibre.

The drawing tools needed are mostly there but just different than Acad. The speed issue when dealing with assemblies are the worst for me. But I must say there is little I can not do in Alibre 2D for most drawings.

So what problem do you have that can't be done?

 

[caduser1]

So what problem do you have that can't be done?

Well, from memory:

First off, the one that I started this thread with, not being able to modify
the section lines, arrows, letters, etc..

I also find that Alibre creates multiple centerlines most of which I must delete, but I can not edit these lines either (stretch them, etc..)

Also, when drawing lines on the sheet there is no way to have them constrain to features in the part views.

There is also the problem of not being able to move symbols once they are inserted.

You can not make copies of notes so if you use the same text often you have retype each one.

If you want to add centerlines between holes in part view you must
dimension the center mark, then delete it, then you get the points on the center marks, then you can constrain a centerline to the points (lame workaround!)

Say you start with 2 standard views, then later you decide to insert a 3rd
standard view, there is no way to Align the 3rd view to the others
(the Align command is greyed out).

When you zoom in/out the centerline & hiddenline dashes do not scale properly (not WYSIWYG!).

There are more, but this is all I can think of right now. I understand that Alibre works a little different and I admit that with alot of tinkering I can produce the drawings I want. My gripe is just that it is very inefficient and there seems to be alot of people "discovering" techniques that are not documented and are not intuitive.

 

[zzedexx]

Re:

The speed issue when dealing with assemblies are the worst

The speed issue when dealing with assemblies are the worst

The speed issue when dealing with assemblies are the worst

+ i agree with a fair few things wrt caduser1's last post.

 

[indesign]

Several of those things can be done but not in the conventional way you may think.

First lets look at the centerlines. I did this way back due to the fact Alibre can not determin where I want centerlines and where I do not. I set my template drawing to have the layer with the centerlines hidden. I hide the layer instead of turning off these lines because I can still use them for constraints (explained below). I will draw centerlines where I want them.

Next lets look at the constraining issue to part view features. Here is how I do this. I make a new layer called 'HIDE' (name means nothing but I hide this layer). For any feature I wish to constrain new lines to (including my cut-away lines) I simply add a dimension to the feature. Of course that dimension is in the 'HIDE' layer so it will not show on my print. Now the constriants for that feature will be available. so you can snap a midline, endpoint, centerpoint, etc. I think that trick has resolved many of my issues with Alibre 2D even if it is a lame way to do this but at least I do not have to delete the temp dimesion if I just keep them in the hidden layer to start with.

Symbols....well not a pretty way but explode the symbol and see what you can do.

WYSIWYG....still a problem.

I hope this helps and I have learned to use these ways to thepoint now I have to think if someone says you can't do it. This is not to say you should not ask that they be improved thogh....most definitly put in an enhancement request (I have).

 

[caduser1]

For any feature I wish to constrain new lines to (including my cut-away lines) I simply add a dimension to the feature. Of course that dimension is in the 'HIDE' layer so it will not show on my print. Now the constriants for that feature will be available. so you can snap a midline, endpoint, centerpoint, etc.

Thanks indesign, this is exactly what I needed. This makes the 2D more productive, but it is also an example of what I said before, inefficient and not intuitive. Thank god for this forum and the folks here that have figured this stuff out 'cause it would have taken me a long time to find this one.

OK, I'm done harping on this subject... :wink:

 

[gregmilliken]

All,

Thanks very much for the feedback; this is indeed on our priority list.

Our objective is to take some major steps forward in 2D in the next release. Performance is a top priority, but based on your feedback there are also a number of smaller yet critical elements we need to address.

The things we did in v9.1 came right from customer feedback so I want to assure you your input is the key driver for us.

Our Product Manager is reviewing all your feedback now and helping make sure we have the right list of enhancements in the plan.

-Greg

 

[bray]

Say you start with 2 standard views, then later you decide to insert a 3rd
standard view, there is no way to Align the 3rd view to the others
(the Align command is greyed out).

I use an auxilary view and select a veritical or horizontal edge when I need to do this.