Layout Tools

The 2D Layout for 3D Design workbench provides a number of tools that you can use when designing a layout. These tools are available using the following toolbars:

Read also about the Local Update command from the contextual menu.

Tools

The Tools toolbar displays a number of options. This toolbar is situated at the bottom right of the screen. If you cannot see it properly, just undock it.
  The Tools toolbar provides the following options:
  • Snap to Point
  • Create Detected Constraints
  • Dimension system selection mode
  • View Background Manipulation
  • Update
  • Sketch Solving Status

Snap to Point
If activated, this option makes your geometry (as well as 2D components) begin or end on the points of the grid. As you create geometry, points are forced to the intersection points of the grid. Note that this option is also available via Tools  > Options > Mechanical Design > Drafting > General tab.
You can use autodetection (the SmartPick capability) even if this option is activated. For more information, refer to the SmartPick task in the Sketcher User's Guide.
 

Create Detected Constraints
  If activated, this option creates lasting constraints. If you do not activate this option, the constraints you create are temporary: the geometry is only temporarily constrained, which means that it can then be moved without being constrained.
 

Dimension system selection mode
  This option applies to dimension systems. With this option activated, clicking a dimension system enables you to select the dimension system as a whole. When this option is de-activated, you will be able to select a single dimension within a dimension system.
 

View Background Manipulation  
 

When activated, this option lets you select and manipulate a 2D layout view by clicking or dragging any element of its background.

Note that when the View Background Manipulation option is activated:

  • the commands that need to select an element (for example use-edges, dimensions, filter...) cannot be used on background elements, since the view is automatically selected.

  • selection and manipulation of elements in the 2D Layout view are not modified.
 

Update

  Click this icon to update the 3D profile (and corresponding part) that corresponds to a given layout. For example, if you perform modifications in a layout which impacts the 3D profile, the part will be shown as being not up-to-date. Clicking this icon lets you reflect your latest modifications in the 3D model.
 

Sketch Solving Status
 

Click this icon to analyze the geometries in the view. This command gives you a quick diagnosis of the geometry status. A dialog box is displayed which informs you of the general geometry status, whether it is under-constrained, over-constrained or iso-constrained.  
 

Visualization

The Visualization toolbar displays a number of visualization-related options. This toolbar is situated at the bottom right of screen, after the Tools toolbar. If you cannot see it properly, just undock it.
 
  • Sketcher Grid
  • Cutting Plane
  • Display Backgrounds as Specified for Each View
  • Show Constraints
 
  • Display View Frame as Specified for Each View
  • Analysis Display Mode

Sketcher Grid
Activate this option to display the grid in your session. The grid will help you draw geometry in given circumstances. For example, the grid will make it easier to draw profiles requiring parallel lines. The grid depends on the active view position, orientation and scale. Note that this option is also available through Tools  > Options > Mechanical Design > Drafting > General tab.
 

Cutting Plane
  Activate this option to cut the 3D background of layout views along each view's definition plane. This can be useful to validate the geometry of a design view, as the view content and 2D background will remain visible, even if their view plane is behind the cutting plane. Since it is the view plane that is used as the cutting plane, the result will depend on the position of the layout in 3D space.

Note that the cutting plane is applied globally to a layout, that is it is either active or inactive for all views at once.

Refer to Using the Cutting Plane for more information.
 

Display Backgrounds as Specified for Each View
  Activate this option to display the 2D and 3D backgrounds as specified for each view.

Refer to Managing the Layout View Background for more information.
 

Show Constraints
  Activate this option if you want existing constraints to be visualized.
Constraints are only visualized in the 2D Layout for 3D Design window, not in the 3D window.
If you cannot visualize constraints even though this option is active, go to Tools > Options > Mechanical Design > Drafting > Geometry tab and select Display constraints. You can also modify the constraint color and/or width.
 

Display View Frame as Specified for Each View
When activated, this option lets you display the view frame which is available for each view, as specified in each view's properties (Edit > Properties, View tab, Display View Frame check box). In this case:
  • the view frame will be displayed for all views for which the Display View Frame check box is selected.
  • the view frame will be hidden for all views for which the Display View Frame check box is cleared.

Deactivating this option hides the view frame for all views.
 

Analysis Display Mode

This option lets you visualize different types of dimensions (for example, dimensions driving 2D geometry and true dimensions) using a specific color for each. 

These colors are those customized in the Options dialog box. To modify these colors, go to Tools > Options > Mechanical Design > Drafting > Dimension tab. Select Activate analysis display mode and, if needed, click the Types and colors button to assign the desired colors to specific dimension types.
 

Tools Palette

The Tools Palette appears whenever you select a command for which specific options or value fields are available. This enables you to know immediately when tools are available for a command.

 
 
 
 
The options or fields available in the Tools Palette depend on the command you selected. A single example is provided here. Other options will be described in context, in the relevant documentation scenarios.
 

Example when creating geometry

Let's take an example such as creating a line. The values of the elements you are sketching appear in the Tools Palette as you move the cursor. In other words, as you are moving the cursor, the Length (L) and Angle (A) fields display the coordinates corresponding to the cursor position.

The Horizontal (H) and Vertical (V) fields are optionally displayed, depending on whether the Show H and V fields in the Tools Palette option is selected in Tools > Options > Mechanical Design > Drafting > Geometry tab.

You can also use these fields for entering values of your choice. In the following scenario, you are going to sketch a line by entering values in the appropriate fields.

  1. Click Line from the Geometry Creation toolbar.
     


    The Tools Palette displays information on value fields.
     

  2. Enter the length (L) of the line.

  3. Enter the value of the angle (A) between the line to be created and the horizontal axis. The line is created with the specified values.
 

Local Update

In the Specification tree, when you right-click on the Layout, Sheet or View node to display the contextual menu, the Local Update option is always available.