Hidden datum planes

[yawangle90]

I'm trying to work out how to make datum planes invisible:

How to make datum plane specific to a certain sketch/feature hidden within the model tree and the layer tree,so that only when you edit the sketch will you see that particular datum plane actually exist (i.e. sketch-"sketch plane" field-right mouse click-information window-attribute: no disp, internal)?

This will tidy up the model tree considerably, especially when patterning.

Thanks in advance!

Wildfire 2.0

 

[hydromech]

This is the way I do it...it might not be the best way!

1)Select Extrude Tool
2)Click on Placement button
3)Click on Define

It is now asking for a plane to sketch onto.

4)Click on the datum plane tool to create a new plane.
5)Select the face that you want to make the plane on or offset from.
6) Click OK


When you select the plane you will return to the extrude tool and the plane that you have created will be inside the extrude feature.

7) Click Sketch
8) Select References
9) Sketch away..!

The plane will not be visible in the model tree. But you can see it and edit it if you expand the feature that uses the plane.

PTC don't recommend this method as it limits the use of the sketch that is on the plane.

Hope this helps...


Hydromech

 

[yawangle90]

Hi Hydromech I think your description is the one to make the datum plane coupled with the sketch/extrusion, and subsequently hiding it, but it will still be visible within the tree, and you can still hide/unhide it.

What's happening is i'm trying to (and found others' PRT models that have done so) make the datum planes completely _invisible_ from the model tree; such that unless you bring the actual feature up and 'edit definition', you won't even know that the feature was placed on this specially created datum plane.

I hope this clarifies.

 

[hydromech]

Other than switching off the datum planes, I wouldn't know how to do what you require...

The way I descibed creates a group and places the feature and the plane together.

If you hide the plane conpletely and have no obvious reference to it, how will anyone who edits the model know where the feature is created from or projected to..?

 

[Heckler]

I wish other modeling packages used this method. It would make my feature tree a lot less cluttered. I use Pro/E 2001 so I'm not sure if this still holds true for WildFire.


Creating Datum Planes On-the-Fly

In the process of feature creation, the system lets you create a datum plane on-the-fly using the Plane option in the Datum menu.
Consider the following rules about the datum planes created on-the-fly:

• Datum planes that you create during feature creation are internal to and belong to that feature.

• Datum planes on-the fly become invisible after you create the feature. Any associated dimensions positioning the datum plane are included with those of the feature. This gives you more choices for varying dimensions when you create a feature pattern.

• Datum planes created on-the-fly cannot be referenced by other features.

• When you use Copy/Mirror to copy features and use datum planes on-the-fly as the mirror plane, this datum plane stays visible because it can be referenced by more than one feature.

• When you create datum planes on-the-fly to use in creating a cross-sectional view of a model or quilt, Pro/ENGINEER puts them on a layer named xsec_datums. The layer xsec_datums is automatically blanked.


Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 2.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

(In reference to David Beckham) "He can't kick with his left foot, he can't tackle, he can't head the ball and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that, he'

 

[mjcole]

yawangle90,

Heckler thank you for that detailed list of rules on Make Datums. PTC has scrapped the Make Datum option as a functionality which annoyed me and the other 2001 users who used Make Datumshopefully they'll give the user an option of using Make Datums in wildfire so they can be hidden. Hydromech describes the WF2 functionality as it was designed.

In answer to your question about how to create Make Datums or invisible datums in Wildfire II it is possible however I'm not sure for how long my work around will work in later versions of the product. If you use this method you have to switch in to Legacy mode, Applications -> Legacy but remember to switch back to standard mode before saving so the part will save in Wildfire 2 mode.

When you are in legacy mode you may create the extrusion or sketched datum curve that you want and can use the Make Datum for your sketch or reference plane or both and you wont have to see them when you pattern the feature. If you wanted to pattern a staircase using a Make Datum as your extrusion sketch plane using legacy mode will help. As soon as you redefine the Feature using Wildfire, you will be unable to redefine it in Legacy mode because it becomes a dashboard feature where Make Datum option is no longer available.

Michael

 

[Heckler]

Michael,

That's another reason to stay on Pro/E 2001. I would like to know if PTC actually listens to their user base because I can't imagine the user base not liking this function.

Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 2.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

(In reference to David Beckham) "He can't kick with his left foot, he can't tackle, he can't head the ball and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that, he'

 

[dgallup]

Datums on the fly are back and working very well in WF3. PTC ditched them in WF1 because many noobies found them confusing. However, so many people like you (myself included) found them very useful and powerful and kicked up so much fuss that PTC finally brought them back.