Any way to make datums more easily selectable 1

[imagitec]

Even with the datum filter on, I find it difficult and sometimes impossible to select the specific plane of a coordinate system that I want.

I need to orient the part so that that the csys "opens" toward me, because I can't pick a "far" plane "through" a near plane.

Even when the csys is oriented properly, I need to move the mouse around _very_ _slowly_ then STOP! when I see the datum plane I'm interested in highlighted. If I hold my breath, it might still be selected when I click the mouse button.

If the csys is on a face, I can't select the datum plane that is on the geometry face. Again, this is with the "Datum" filter on. I would think the every but the csys should effectively be invisible, but it's not. The geometry, even though not selectable, "hides" the datum plane I want to select.

I'm new to NX, but it shouldn't be this hard. Any advice?

Thanks,
Rob

Rob Campbell, PE

 

[cowski]

Which version of NX? the following procedure assumes NX6.

Mouse around until the edge of your desired datum plane in in the selection ball, then hold down MB1 until the 3 dots appear. Let go of MB1 and the quick pick box will appear. There may be lots of entries in the list, you can filter it by pressing the 'construction objects' filter button, pick your desired datum plane from the list.

 

[jerry1423]

You can give it a name, then when prompted enter the name that you gave it.

To give it a name:
rmc (right mouse click) on feature (datum or whatever) in the model tree > properties > general > put any variable name in the space shown > enter, ok

If "select by name" is available on the menu that you are utilizing, then you simply can put that name in the space and "enter" and the feature will highlight and be selected.

A problem with this is that "select by name" is not available on every menu, and I do not see it on the sketch menu.

 

[imagitec]

Cowski,

Thanks. That works. I'd seen that menu a few times before. I must have inadvertently held the MB too long, but I thought it was because I clicked on some magic part of the CSys, but I could never reproduce it reliably.

Jerry1423,

Thanks for the tip, but I'm simply trying to use the CSys planes to apply assembly constraints. I don't want to rename a plane every time I want to do this; I often don't have write access to the parts I want to mate; and I'd still have to select the plane to rename it!

But thank you, again, for replying and giving me a tip that will probably be useful in the future.

Rob

Rob Campbell, PE