sketch replace or feature reroute

[antran7]

I have a basic sketch (a line and a tangent arc) that is pretty early in the model. I use it to define many things in my part (top profile, float lines, sweep paths, etc).

Well, afer the model was build, the ID person decided that it should be a line and a tangent spline instead.

Is there an easy was to replace that arc with a spline? If I do it the hard way (and bypass the warnings I get), I've got to re-edit all these features and recreate sketches or guide curves to reference the spline.

Conversely, could I take these failed features and tell them to reference the spline instead of arc (and not have to manually redefine them wit the spline).

Cheers,
An

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Is the spline going to remain an arc?
Or is it the ID guys intent to vary the shape of the spline?


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[antran7]

it varies the shape. something an arc couldn't do.

 

[TheTick]

I've been in almost this exact situation.

Create a sketch to replace the original, right before the original sketch in the feature tree. Identify features referenced by the original sketch using Parent/Child. Go through each feature, and replace references to point to the new sketch.

I call this "neurosurgery". Actually, it's closer to replacing DNA. It an be done, but there are no shortcuts; just mindful patience.

I could be the world's greatest underachiever, if I could just learn to apply myself.

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[antran7]

yup... that's what i was scared of. i ended up doing just that. even worse, this curve was an early feature in my mastermodel! so other parts referenced that curve also.

i'm surprised solidworks hasn't addressed this (pro/e has a replace feature that lets you preemptively redirect whatever referenced an obsolete sketch entity to a new one). This has to happen more often in solidworks, since you can't reverse sketch offset entities or make then coincident with the original line once they're made.

 

[Pevac]

You could have tried to convert the existing arc into a spline and just manipulate it into the desired shape. I am not sure if this would have left the previous IDs for it, but worth a try!