making dimensions from dwg. files

[triggerguard1]

How to do make dimensions that are related to items that have been added in the drawing, not in the solid model? I have a dwg. file that I've added some minor features to in the drawing view. I now want to create dimensions that are relative to those items. When I snap the dimension, it displays what the current position is, but if I decide to alter that dimension, it doesn't move the object, it just changes the value.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. The job I'm working on is extremely hot. Thanks in advance guys.

 

[MadMango]

What you are doing goes against all reasons for having 3d software. I'll stop there.

If you are sketching in the drawing view, you should be able to fix one of your sketch segments, and then dimension to the next segment. When you double-click your dim to alter it, it should drive that sketch segment according to the dim you input.

What version SW are you using?

Wanna Tip? faq731-376
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."

 

[triggerguard1]

I'm using Solidworks 2003. Unfortunately, the drawing was made in ProE. I had it emailed to me as a dwg. file. Basically, what it amounted to was, we are quoting on a machined part that must have two screw holes, and two dowel pin holes added to the part for fixturing purposes. Our customer wanted to know where they would be located relative to the existing part, for cosmetic purposes. Obviously, if I'd made this part in Solidworks, it would be an easy change, but I didn't have the luxury considering they need to see the design change and quote by Monday morning.

The positioning of the holes needed to be relative to the existing model, not the other holes that I created as well. I needed to create a basepoint for the dimensions to orient from.

 

[TheTick]

You can still add features like cuts and bosses onto the imported geometry. Have you tried that?

Sketch entities on a drawing behave just like in a sketch. You can constrain to part geometry, as well as to other sketch entities. One example of this would be to constrain a line endpoint onto a vertice, and the constrain the line perpendicular to an edge for use in dimensioning.

Be sure that the sketch entities (lines, circles, points)you are drawing are all associated to the same view. To do this, right-click the view and pick "lock view focus". Then, everything you draw will be related to that view. This is important, because you can only dimension between entities that are associated with the same view.

There's no double-lock defense; there's no chain on my door.
And I'm available for consultation,
but remember your way in is also my way out

 

[snomann65]

I'm with you triggerguard1, I too am burdened with 2D DWG/DXF files and cannot understand the rational behind the dimensioning tool, basically after the sketch (DXF)is extruded into a 3D model I find that modifications to dimensions are near inpossible or their just plain locked. At times I've dumped the work in progress (ex DXF) and recreated the drawing from scrap. (My complaint)Unfortunately their are many more 2D packages with their own little twist on exporting and saving to DXF/DWG which are financially viable to small engineering shops, lets face it $500.00 for Niftylittle.cad is far more inviting than AUD$12,000.00 plus for SW2003 not including the other bits-n-pieces that are required to output the information that customers expect to see. For the 12000 I'd expect more progress in the development of the basics and interpretion of imported drawing. outside of that I love it to death.