oh to vary a pattern

[sojouner]

What I would like to know is can you vary the distance between an object that you have patterned ?
what I mean , for example , is 4 brackets ,all in a straight line but with varing distances between them.
Can i pattern them in one pattern or do I have to either insert 3 paterns to get the distances i want or drag in the 4 objects and just mate them in place?
THis idea came to me on friday for i had to do 3 verticle patterns to put the brackets in the right place , then do a circular pattern to put them on the other side , then pattern those pattern across to another verticle arm!!
I know of a couple of other ways i could do it but was wondering if this sort of variation is availiable in SW?

BTW this is my first thread so go easy on the boy!!

 

[TheTick]

Have you looked into "sketch driven patterns"? I find them to be quite useful for the type of scenario you are describing. You will find it in the help under "sketch driven patterns" or under "patterns-->sketch driven"

Basically, a sketch driven will repeat a pattern over a group of point entities in a 2D or 3D sketch. The pattern copies only on point entities, not on segment endpoints. This is important, because it allows you to use construction geometry in your driving sketch. Also, a sketch driven pattern allows you to relate the pattern to surrounding geometry with sketch constraints and not just dimensions.

Another useful feature about sketch-driven patterns is the ability to use the same sketch multiple times for a pattern.

Sanity! You're a madman!

 

[TheTick]

p.s. you may also want to investigate curve driven patterns
-Tick

 

[SBaugh]

Curve driven patterns will not work in the way he wants them too. Sketch driven is the best bet for I believe.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376
When in doubt, always check the help

 

[sojouner]

Thanks guys appreciate the help
any advice on using sketch driven patterns?
what r the pros and cons?

 

[TheTick]

No real cons that I can really say. Just use as needed.

One of the options with sketch driven patterns is to specify the reference point (one of the driving sketch points). I recommend doing this, versus the default use centroid, which can produce unexpected results.

 

[TheTick]

Two more characteristics of sketch driven patterns:

1.) Sketch points can be related to any other geometry with dimensions or constraints. This can come in quite handy when you're trying to copy one set of features based on another feature's position.

2.) The sketch points can be patterned within the sketch, so you still have many of the abilities of rectangular and circular patterns.

 

[JNR]

Heck, you can even drive the sketch for the pattern from design tables and or equasions, etc. Mmmmmmm, I see infinite possibilities...... but then I like sitting in the hot tub at night staring into the night sky too, just wondering where it ends.........

3/4 of all the Spam produced goes to Hawaii - shame that's not true of SPAM also.......