SWX 2005 w/ SP 2 & Equations

I recently updated my installation to SP2, and I have started to notice
some problems with my equations. When I go to a part that was created
with SP 0, sometimes I will get rebuild errors on my equations saying
some of the referenced dimensions are not available. It turns out that
the eqations are now _very_ case sensitive!

If I had an original equation of:

"D1@Sketch5" = "d1@sketch1"/2

it will give the rebuild error.

Change to:

"D1@Sketch5" = "D1@Sketch1"/2
(Note capital 'D' and 'S')

Now it works fine.

Has anyone else seen this? This is extremely aggravating, as now I need
to not only add the proper quotes (cen't understand why it needs quotes
to parse the equation), but I also need to make sure I get my
capitalization correct!

Side question....is there any way I can use unit suffixes in equations?
If I want to do mixed english and metric dimensions, I always need to
divide millimeters by 25.4, i.e:

"D1@Sketch5" = "D1@Sketch1" - 3.5/25.4

I would like it to just be:

"D1@Sketch5" = "D1@Sketch1" - 3.5mm

Thanks guys!

Dave

 

This is not new to me. I had this exact same problem when I upgraded from
SW2003 to SW2004. But, it only happened in one assembly that I created. I
certainly understand your aggravation. When it happened to me, I wasted a
whole day trying to figure out what went wrong. When I saw what was causing
it, I nearly went postal.

Richard

 

I was under the impression that Dimension Names were always case
sensitive. My practice is to copy and paste.

 

I've been treating them as case sensitive ever since that happened.

Richard

 

How do you do cut and paste when the equation editor is modal? You can
cut and paste one Dimension Name if you plan ahead before you get into
the editor, but then you will be doing a cycle of close editor, copy
name, open editor, paste name for each referenced dimension in your
equation.

This is just a royal PITA having to make sure that names are properly
cased, as well as quoted.

Dave

 

I'm surprised that doesn't work, since it works everywhere else. Just
another one of SW's little inconsistencies?

Jerry Steiger
Tripod Data Systems
"take the garbage out, dear"

 

When you have the add / edit equation dialog open clicking a dimension
will add the name of that dimension into the box at the cursor
position.

AC

To reply via email remove all numbers from address

 

Good tip! Thanks! The only problem is this is great when referencing
dimensions within the current sketch, but I cant find a way for this to
work when I need to reference dimensions in other sketches.

Dave

 

double click on the sketch in the feature manager (NOT the flyout) and the
dimensions will show, allowing you to use them in equations. I can't
imagine why it works from one place and not the other; just another of SW's
charming eccentricities

 

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I have no problem adding
dimensions from several sketches to the "add equation" or "edit
equation" window.

Double click a sketch name in the feature tree to display its
dimensions, then single click a dimension to paste it into the window.
Double click a different sketch name in the feature tree and repeat.

Art

 

The problem is my technique. I like to add my equations to dimensions
as I do the original insertion of the dimension, by using the "Add
Equation..." option in the little floating toolbox. When done like
this, the feature tree is not available due to the dimensions parameter
dialog being displayed in that pane. If I add placeholder dimensions,
and then go back and add/edit the equations, it works as you have described.

Dave

 

Okay, Plan B.

With an open sketch and a newly placed dimension, the "Modify" toolbar
is active and the "Dimension" property box completely covers the feature
tree. What's worse, you can't drag the top border of that box down to
reveal the feature tree beneath. But, when you hit the down arrow in the
Modify box and select "Add Equation", the "Add Equation" window opens
and the Dimension property box is greyed out. At this time you *can*
drag the top border down as far as you like to reveal the feature tree.

Another, faster, way to do this is to expand the fly-out feature tree
and then click in open space to close it, at which time the entire
feature tree pops up in its pane.

There are days when we have to spend more time fighting an inconsistent
UI than designing!

Art