Inserting a point

[RTschaggelar]

Alibre seems to to have a serious problem with multiple windows open at the same time. I'd like to insert a point to later on draw reference line through. For a strange reason all the pick incident selections do not apply and I'm left with coordinate entry. With sufficient math in my background that shouldn't be a problem ... except that this particular form does not accept formula entry, only numbers. Actually all of the Insert Point methods require hard numbers... toss it ..
What was apparent, the Insert Point and the Formula Editor window mutually closed each other. It is a pity the developers never actually do a project with the software themselves. Am I really expected to memorize all the variables ? I may also want to copy paste the variables.

 

[RTschaggelar]

Followup. I tried to set parameteric points, with the help of reference planes and lines. I want an extrusion along a cone. Start with a circle on XY. Place a perpendicular reference plane where I want the extrusion along. Place a node on XY. Move the node the where the first circle and the reference plane meet. It appears as sketch in the tree view. Then create a point from the node. The point appears in the object tree as point, but is not visibly shown. Do the same an XY parallel plane away. Now I have to points on two circles. Place a line through these points. It appears as axis in the treeview, but is also not visibly shown. And now I cannot sweep a shape on XY along this line almost perpendicular to XY.

 

[sz0k30]

I have always hated the poor way Alibre handles points/nodes.

 

[MilesH]

If you insert a Point from within a Sketch, it won't show (except in Design Explorer) until you have closed the Sketch. If you open the Sketch again, it will show from within the Sketch. I think I was given a reason, years ago, but I can't recall what it was...

 

[Ex Machina]

So, there are 2 ways to add points. One is from the reference menu where you can select edges, axes intersection, planes intersection, etc. and the other way is through the sketch menu. When you have added a point within the sketch, or have sketch element endpoints you can export them as point references. Here's a screenshot with the location of the tool:

Here the button is grayed out because the sketch is empty.

Between these two methods you can create any point you want. In fact, I find that reference insertion in Alibre is a lot more fluid and easy than Fusion and Solidworks which are the other 2 CAD systems I am most comfortable with.

Especially, inserting from a sketch is really flexible. You can do all sorts of stuff with it.