Centering sketches

[Figbash]

It' easy to center a circular sketch on a circular solid using a concentric relation, but how do you handle rectangles or squares? Is there an easy way to center a square or rectangular sketch on the square or rectangular face of a solid?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[SBaugh]

You mean like Tools\Sketch Tools\Modify

Or make a Midpoint relationship to the middle of one of lines using some construction geometry.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[ShaggyPE]

Relating the center of a square or rectangle is easy to the origin. Draw a diagonal construction line and relate the origin to the midpoint of this line. When I am centering a rectangle on a rectangular surface, I draw a diagonal construction line from corner to corner on the surface. I throw a point at the midpoint of this line. I then use this midpoint the way I used the origin in the above method.
This way I use no dimensions to center the sketch.
I can't tell you how many times I have opened parts created by other workers and there are dimensions all over the place, where sketch relations could be used to clean everything up.
-Dustin

 

[TheTick]

To elaborate on Shaggy's scheme:

The diagonals of a rectangle are equal length. The diagonals intersect at their mutual centerpoint.

 

[Mandrake22]

A slight simplification would be to right click on the diagonal construction line, select the "midpoint" choice, control select the origin and make a coincident relation.
Or, control select both the origin and the diagonal and make a midpoint relation.
The last method seems to have the benefit of requiring 7 clicks, one less than the others.

 

[bigbuck]

I take this one step farther and create a macro doing all that folks have described - the mid point and all -. I then associtae that macro to a hot key. All I ever need to now is

1) Select a plane
2) Start a sketch
3) Stab my "hot key" (I use S)

ITS GOLD!!!!!

 

[Figbash]

Thanks for all of the replies. They are much appreciated!

Tom