Converting lines in Solidworks drawings 1

[titaniumapple]

Hi, I want to take a model view I've inserted into a drawing and convert it into a sketch so I can manipulate and change it.

The only way I've found of doing this is to select each individual line with Ctrl then select 'Convert' - there must be a quicker way!

Thanks for any suggestions

 

[titaniumapple]

I've found 'Detached Drawings', I'll give that a go

 

[titaniumapple]

Nope that doesn't work!

Help!

 

[debodine]

You don't have the original model that you inserted into the sketch to work with?

debodine

 

[titaniumapple]

Just to clarify, this is a Solidworks Drawing file. I've opened the part, gone into the drawing file, gone to Model View and put in a view.

This means the view is referencing the part, so whatever changes with the part changing within the drawing.

Is there a way to take that view and just make it a plain old 2D sketch so I can delete/stretch/trim/whatever the lines? At the moment I can't do anything to the view (besides hiding lines) without changing the model itself, which I don't want to do.

Thanks!

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

You could save as DWG and edit that in DWGeditor.

If you explain more about what you are trying to accomplish, maybe we can offer an alternative method. There are often different ways to achieve the same thing in SW.

Could you create different configs and overlay them?

If the model is an assembly, you could use the Alternative View function.


SW07-SP3

 

[titaniumapple]

Ok, I've got a plan view of an assembly and I want to mirror it on the same sheet without altering/affecting the assembly model it's referenced to.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Just mirror the assembly model and add a view of it into the drawing. If you don't need the actual assembly and associated parts mirrored, save the assembly as a part and then mirror it. Then insert a view if that into the drawing.


SW07-SP3

 

[rfus]

sketches in parts and assems can be shown in drawings and assigned to layers, create them there

 

[titaniumapple]

Thanks the model method would work but it's not ideal as it means extra models and therefore more headaches later.

I'm not trying to import a sketch from a part or assembly, I want the plan view of the whole assembly, and it's needs to be editable.

There must be a way to copy or edit a view you've created in a Drawing. If not there should be!

Thanks

 

[J-C]

Open both Solidworks and Dwgeditor....copy (control c) the drawing view, then paste (control v) into dwgeditor....then copy/paste it back.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
UG NX4.01.0 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2007 SP2.2 on WinXP SP2

 

[titaniumapple]

Thanks, but it didn't work. Copied using both Ctrl+C and Edit-Copy and pasted both ways too but no luck, nothing got put into DWGEditor. When I go to Paste Special, it comes up as Unknown Source.

Argh!

 

[titaniumapple]

I'm using 2006 btw, if that makes a difference..

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you could edit the drawing views independently of the model, you are defeating the whole purpose of the associated model-drawing philosophy. You might as well use ACAD.

Gildashards method is excellent. Once the drawing view is copied into DWGeditor it could be mirrored and then copied back into the SW drawing. A star for you Jason.


SW07-SP3

 

[ctopher]

I agree. If you want to edit the dwg, use AutoCAD or some other 2D program.
IMO ... If solely using SolidWorks, there is no point making a model if you want to detach the model from the dwg and edit the dwg.

Chris
SolidWorks 07 3.0/PDMWorks 07
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 03-26-07)

 

[titaniumapple]

Yes it's a good idea but if it doesn't work then it's pointless. Also, when converting a Solidworks file to a .dwg it removes the specific formatting applied (linetypes etc.), so it prints differently compared to printing directly from Solidworks.

It seems there's a lot of extra work involved in editing a Drawing made with Solidworks, I expected a better solution tbo, hopefully that will come with another revision.

 

[SBaugh]

A SW drawing is not like ACAD! You still view the 2D drawing like you are using and viewing the 3D model. If you want to convert the edges to make sketches that is your only choice, but your reasoning is not practical in SW. If you just want 2D drawing then stay with ACAD... but if you want to make the jump to 3D then the suggestions above are the best to follow. You should make configurations of your parts and make a configuration of your assembly and place that in your SW drawing. That IMO is the better approach and you don't loss the associative data, which is the main purpose of using SW. Converting edges to a sketch then removing the relationships to change to make a different plan view is asinine.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Use the Mapping function if you want to maintain format when converting to DWG format.

I think the problem is that you are trying to do with 3D what you are used to doing in 2D. They are totally different animals.

The 2D drawing views get modified by changing the 3D model. The drawings in a 3D package are meant to reflect exactly how the 3D model is. That is one of the major premises of parametric 3D CAD.


SW07-SP3

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

That's strange ... I can't copy and paste a view into DWGeditor either. I'm sure I used to be able to!

Can anyone confirm that it can or can't be done?


SW07-SP3

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Just re-discovered how to copy a view to DWGeditor;

After selecting the view in a SW drawing, go to Edit and select Copy to DWGeditor (well duhh!!) and then paste the view into DWGeditor.


SW07-SP3.1
SW06-SP5.1