How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
(OP)
If I have part of a sketch that is fully defined by driving dimensions, how can I take a driven/reference dimension from that and use it to drive another dimension in the same sketch? It seems that as soon as I make a driving dimension a reference dimension, I lose the ability to use that value in an expression. I've attach an example sketch describing what I mean.

Being new to NX and coming from a SolidWorks background, I'm used to being able to do this and it really helps with visualizing how geometry changes with a given set of inputs.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Being new to NX and coming from a SolidWorks background, I'm used to being able to do this and it really helps with visualizing how geometry changes with a given set of inputs.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!





RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
You cannot. A reference dimension cannot drive anything else, it is for reference only.
www.nxjournaling.com
RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
Thanks for the response!
RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
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RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
Regardless, if you want to use the angle in that reference dim you'll have to create a formula using something like the following, based off whatever 2 lengths you are driving with.
CODE -->
ETA: I can remember using reference dims in Autodesk Inventor back in 2003 or so, to drive other expressions. As well as in Solidworks a few years ago. As I just showed - it's not insurmountable, but it's a bunch of extra work that should be simpler.
RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
Where the value is, pulldown and pick Formula...
For the value enter the name of the angular dim (I'm guessing P9 from your graphic? use Expressions to figure out which is ~56.3 if you are not sure; mine was P7 as shown).
I tried it twice and worked finein both NX 9 and NX 11.
Hope that helps.
RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
Until the sketch changes and you are left wondering why P9 didn't update.
When you convert a dimension to reference, the value is frozen and no longer updates unless and until it is converted back to a driving dimension.
www.nxjournaling.com
RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
The matching of Ref Dims is the way we always did this in I-deas, which is why I tried it this way, and when it worked in Forward Create, I assumed the rest would be equivalent as well. My bad!
So you can jiggle the handle, by manually converting to Driving, then back to Reference, any time the Sketch updates, but not only is that a pain, but worse, you get a wrong result if you forgot to do that, so it's not worth it.
So I guess the previous suggestions to use TAN or unit triangle (maybe better, IMHO, in case the rectangle is not along horz/vert?) is your best bet for now.
RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
Will this work for you?
Chris Cooper
Senior CAD Specialist
Cleveland Golf/Srixon
www.clevelandgolf.com
RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
It is also so very satisfying when I go to update things and everything 'upstream' goes exactly where it should go without touching it.
RE: How can I use reference dimension to drive a sketch dimension in the same sketch in NX10?
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