Dimension problem

[MMike1]

I have a part.... it's a swept tube. I don't have the tubing function, so it's done the old fashined way. circles along a path.

It's bent into a "squared off" U. Now I'm trying to dimension it. When I click on smart Dimension, the dashed border around the view turns purple and it won't let me select any of the edges. It will only select the centerline of the part. I would rather select the edge....It worked for me earlier today. Now it won't. I don't think I'm doing anything any differently than I was doing 2 hours ago

 

[MMike1]

...furthermore, I have a small hole drilled 1" from the end for a cotter pin. I can't even dimension the location of that hole because it won't let me select the edge. I must have toggled something somewhere along the line.

 

[CADGemini]

Sometimes when I run into quirks like this I restart my system and the function returns to normal again. Have you done this?



Best Regards,
Jon

Challenges are what makes life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

Solidworks 2005 SP3.0

 

[SBaugh]

have you tried turning the sketches on and dimension\ing from them to the feature? You can always turn them off later.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
faq559-716 - SW Fora Users

 

[MMike1]

Well I let my system rest over the weeknd and it's still giving me troubles. And it's so weird. Half of my dwgs are fine, the other half won't let me dimension the way I want.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Are you sure the edges you are trying to select, are exactly parallel to the dimension (viewing) plane?


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[smcadman]

If there is a plane or face parallel to the tubing, use Split Line with the "Silhouette" option. Insert > Curve > Split Line, make sure "silhoutte" is picked. For the "direction of pull", choose a plane or face parallel to the tubing that needs dimensioning. For the "faces to split", choose the tubing. A split line will be projected onto the face of the curve that can be dimensioned on the drawing.

Flores