CAD Forum

I feel like this question is too basic to even ask...

Sometimes when I try to edit a dimension in the model, I click on it, and it just puts the number in a box where i can change the number. But sometimes it brings up a dialog box with a slider wheel, and where I can tell it "this configuration only" and all that.

How do I get it to do the latter? For a while it seemed like it was random, which method of editing it would choose for me. But today I can't get it to do the latter at all. I had to create a design table to get the dimension to be different for different configurations.

It sounds like you have Instant 3d turned on. With that turned on, if you single click on a feature it will (usually) display the relevant dimensions in the graphics area. Single-clicking on a dimension will just highlight the dimension so you can assign a different value. Double-clicking on it instead of single click will bring up the whole dimension dialog box.

That was it! I'd never heard of it, but when I clicked back to SW, there it was in the top-middle of the window.

Thank you!

Yea, they set that on by default in 2020 or 2021, drove me crazy till I messaged my VAR to figure out way it was doing that.

TTevolve wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 1:27 pm Yea, they set that on by default in 2020 or 2021, drove me crazy till I messaged my VAR to figure out way it was doing that.

I like it, but not everyone does. I didn't mention it above, but even with it turned off you can double-click on a feature to show the dimensions, then double-click on a dimension to edit it without needing to open the sketch, but the model won't update until you do a manual rebuild.

Having Instant3D turned on just makes it a little easier, and the update is immediate without a rebuild.

Glenn Schroeder wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 1:59 pm but the model won't update until you do a manual rebuild.

That's something else that annoys me - when it updates as soon as I change something... and then fails because I have to change the other dimension too.

Glenn Schroeder wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 1:59 pm I like it, but not everyone does. I didn't mention it above, but even with it turned off you can double-click on a feature to show the dimensions, then double-click on a dimension to edit it without needing to open the sketch, but the model won't update until you do a manual rebuild.

Having Instant3D turned on just makes it a little easier, and the update is immediate without a rebuild.

Yes, I used to use it too. But you know how things in SW works. With every update things keep getting worse. Since 2022 version, if Instant3D is on, when you click a component in feature tree, that ugly "Move with triad" like thing shows up and it's large enough to fill a good amount of space. What's the use of it after all. In an assembly everything is fixed or mated. I had to turn Instant3D off to get ride of it.
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Tera wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:27 pm Yes, I used to use it too. But you know how things in SW works. With every update things keep getting worse. Since 2022 version, if Instant3D is on, when you click a component in feature tree, that ugly "Move with triad" like thing shows up and it's large enough to fill a good amount of space. What's the use of it after all. In an assembly everything is fixed or mated. I had to turn Instant3D off to get ride of it.
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2022-06-25_07-22-49.png

Quit using assemblies

Tera wrote: ↑Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:27 pm Yes, I used to use it too. But you know how things in SW works. With every update things keep getting worse. Since 2022 version, if Instant3D is on, when you click a component in feature tree, that ugly "Move with triad" like thing shows up and it's large enough to fill a good amount of space. What's the use of it after all. In an assembly everything is fixed or mated. I had to turn Instant3D off to get ride of it.
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2022-06-25_07-22-49.png

I didn't like it at first, but I've learned to ignore it when I don't need it. The only time I've used it is if an initial mate puts a Part inside another one so I couldn't click on it to move it. When that happens I can click on it in the tree and use that triad to move it. That doesn't happen often, but it's a very useful feature when it does.

Glenn Schroeder wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 8:51 am I didn't like it at first, but I've learned to ignore it when I don't need it. The only time I've used it is if an initial mate puts a Part inside another one so I couldn't click on it to move it. When that happens I can click on it in the tree and use that triad to move it. That doesn't happen often, but it's a very useful feature when it does.

I see it as a good thing; because I got so used to the wheel in SE assemblies. It is extremely nice to be able to move or rotate a part along an axis.

There are a few things SWX should do to make it more useful (watch below).

mike miller wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 10:00 am
There are a few things SWX should do to make it more useful (watch below).

Yeah, I prefer the SE click vs SolidWorks Click and hold. If I have to hold, I can't type a value.....the SE version is much easier.