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Caution

Be careful when using these sketch tools. They can delete sketch relations without warning.

These sketch tools were originally put in the software to avoid some of the complexities and limitations of the Modify Sketch tool, which can also move, copy, rotate, and scale sketches. Figure 3.19 shows the simple interface for the Move Entities command. Select the entities to move in the upper box and the method to move them below.

FIGURE 3.19

The Move Entities interface

Select is usually used to turn off the previous command and return the cursor to its default state.

Grid/Snap is used to open the Grid/Snap section of Tools⇒Options⇒Document Properties.

Parallelogram is used to draw a parallelogram (adjacent sides are not perpendicular, and opposite sides are parallel). Click one corner of the parallelogram, then click the second and third corners. Works like the 3 Point Rectangle except that adjacent sides are not perpendicular.

Polygon creates a regular n-sided polygon in the same way as a circle. Click the center and drag the radius. You need to set the number of sides in the PropertyManager before clicking in the graphics window.

Ellipse is created by clicking the center, dragging one axis, and then dragging the other axis.

Partial Ellipse is created by clicking the center, dragging one axis, dragging the other axis, and then clicking and dragging the included angle of the partial ellipse. The Partial Ellipse feature works like the Centerpoint Arc command.

Parabola is created by clicking the location for the Focus, and then dragging the position of the Apex. You then click and drag the included angle of the parabola, as shown in Figure 3.20. This is a rarely used sketch entity and is often difficult to control with sketch relations or dimensions.

FIGURE 3.20

Drawing a parabola

Spline on Surface is used in 3D sketches to draw a freeform spline on any 3D surface. The Spline on Surface feature can cross face boundaries as long as the faces are at least tangent (ideally curvature continuous) across the edge. Spline on Surface can be used to trim surfaces or create split lines.

Sketch Text creates editable text in sketches using TrueType fonts installed in your Fonts folder. Some fonts produce sketches that are unusable for solid features, due to violating sketch rules with overlapping or zero thickness. You need to be careful which fonts you select, but I have had success with a wide variety of fonts I have found on the Internet. Sketch Text may be dissolved into lines and arcs so that you can edit them manually. Dissolve is available on the RMB menu. Figure 3.21 points out the key elements of the Sketch Text interface.

FIGURE 3.21

The Sketch Text interface

Note

Note that the Link To Property icon enables you to link sketch text to a custom property, or a configuration specific custom property. Using configurations and properties to drive sketch text can be a valuable function.

Intersection Curve, in 2D sketches, creates sketch entities where the sketch plane intersects selected faces. In 3D sketches, the Intersection Curve sketch tool creates sketch entities where any types of selected faces intersect. This can be an extremely useful tool in many situations.

Face Curves applies the underlying U-V isoparameter mesh to a selected face. It is most commonly used as an evaluation tool for complex surfaces, but you can also use it to create curves to rebuild faces. Accepting the results by clicking OK creates a separate 3D sketch for each spline. Figure 3.22 shows the original surface and the results of using face curves on a complex lofted surface.

Extend extends a sketch entity up to its next intersection with another sketch entity. This is not to be confused with the Extend for surface entities.

Split Entities splits a sketch entity into two segments. You can also delete it later to rejoin the entity back into a single segment. Closed loop entities require at least two split