use one sketch for multiple features...

[GeneGoldenberg]

... is it possible?

[TomD.inPDX]

...yes

[MartinHanak]

Eugene,

create Sketch feature (datum curve sketched in datum plane) and use it as reference in the following features.

Martin Hanak

[GeneGoldenberg]

Martin, I do know about external sketch of course

I shoud ask if an internal sketch used in a feature can be reused in another one.

Thanks

[MartinHanak]

Eugene,

the answer is NO. Internal section/sketch is hidden inside its feature and cannot be referenced from outside.

Martin Hanak

[GeneGoldenberg]

That's what I suspected

Ptc moves commands around nowhere to be found, but to add useful feature to match SW capabilities to no avail

Thanks for your reply Martin

[dschenken]

I believe you can re-order the sketch to be outside the feature. By default it is inside and hidden. Expand the feature in the model tree and drag the sketch above the feature.

[MartinHanak]

David,

please show us how to do it.

Martin Hanak

[dschenken]

When you ask 'please show' are you asking for a video? Of selecting an item in the model tree and moving it?

I do know I can drag other references into and out of features - datam planes, curves and points. And I know that PTC shows the internal sketch on the model tree. Maybe the sketch can't be dragged, that's why I used the word "believe." If I was at a model right now I would have tried it; the cost for the attempt is low.

If it can't be dragged, then perhaps it can be copied and pasted. Same low cost for the attempt.

The sketch can be selected to be redefined and then saved as a section and the section used in a datum sketch. Once there's a datum sketch, it can be used by as many features as one likes. That process I know works.

[StephenW]

I was trying the drag and drop and I couldnt move it.

As David said, you can always save the sketch and bring it back in as a sketch feature. To do that, when you are in the sketch, hit file - save. It saves as a .sec file.

[TomD.inPDX]

Internal sketches are called sections, and no you cannot use them elsewhere. Same goes for internal datum planes, axes, and points. The only way to "move" internal sections to become sketches is to save the section to a file and open in a new sketch.

You can do the opposite, however. Having an external sketch drive a feature section, you can unlink that sketch and the section becomes internal.

[Patriot_1776]

It absolutely can be. Unlike older versions of SolidQuirks, you can sketch a stand alone datum curve, and use elements of that for any number of features (in the internal sketch) or even parts if done correctly.

I believe David is right as well.

[GeneGoldenberg]

The correct answer is:

make a "copy" of your sketch in a feature and than you can bring it into a sketch that you want to create

So david and Anton both got it right.

thanks

[TomD.inPDX]

Interesting. It works the same as the sketch palette without having to save the section. This will be useful.

The same limitations exist as well since you loose your references.

I for one would really like the option to change internal sections to external sketches after the fact.

[dschenken]

When I have a section I really like I use construction geometry to dimension to. Since the dimensions only refer to sketched geometry, they are not lost when the section is saved.

Place the section and use the alignment constraint to locate the construction geometry to the rest of the model and it's good to go.

[TomD.inPDX]

Yes, of course this is highly recommended where applicable.

However, projected features or references don't share that luxury.

[gkrishna]

There is this use in session tool in sketcher,but sketches are named in a way that you won't be able to distinguish them and if you ask for preview it crashes the whole application.

[TomD.inPDX]

you can use the thumbnail preview for this.

[tmorishita]

I seldom use external sketches because back in release 14 when I learned, they didn't exist. I reuse internal sketches often. Like Stephen said, if you save the sketch it becomes a .sec file, which you can import when starting a new sketch. The .sec file then becomes the internal sketch for the new feature.