creating datum planes in wF3

Hello peeps.

I'm a 2001 user with my own seat and no maintenance contract.

I recently discovered that WF3 can be purchased by anyone wanting to learn
this fabulos program, in sudent edition release. I thought great a change 2
learn this prog in my own time and catch up, especially as my 2001
foundation pack had no surface module included for the £7,600 I paid for it
back in 2000. So I paid my (almost) 200 quid and have WF3 SE installed.

Havent got to the surface module yet but i'm totally stuck tryin 2 create a
datum plane on an angle, say though an edge or axis. I get to the point
where the plane is through the edge I want, the plane is then visible on my
model showing the direction, but the dialogue box does not appear to give me
constraint options or to enter any values. Ive tried clicking every
mouse/keyboard option I can think of but still the ok button in the dialogue
box is greyed out!

Please help!!

Martin

 

I get to the point where the plane is

Have you picked a planar reference for the angular value reference?
(Been a while since I looked but think the applicable Help topics
are pretty good.)

 

And be sure to hold down the Ctrl key when you do. Here's another one: for
an offset datum, hold down the Ctrl key when you pick the planar reference.
This gives you a default offset value and a drag handle for quick, rough
alignment plus an input box. There's also a flip arrow to reverse the
red/yellow sides.

David Janes

 

What is it at an angle to? Ctrl and pick the angular reference - a plane
[datum or surface] parallel to the rotation axis/edge

Sean

 

Ah the ctrl key...the missing link!
Got it now thanks chaps.

Must admit its a bit of a meither having to re-learn the spin, rotate, pan
functions.

Having seen a demo of solidworks recently, my first impressions of WF are
that it looks very similar to solidworks, especially the dynamic preview

Martin

 

My first impression of this very valuable function was that they'd finally
learned something from their little cousin, Pro/DESKTOP, whose graphics have
been superior to Pro/e's for years. But I do hope there's some serious cross
polination going on and the success, especially of the "low end" software,
is kicking the complacency and arrogance out of the big players (Pro/e, UG,
Catia).

David Janes