Sketcher CreatePolyline/cs

Description

The Sketcher CreatePolyline tool creates a series of line and arc segments connected by their endpoints. The tool has a fillet option.

Polyline being created with Pos-OVP and Dim-OVP parameters

Usage

See also: Drawing aids.

Pos-OVP = Positional On-View-Parameters
Dim-OVP = Dimensional On-View-Parameters.

1. There are several ways to invoke the tool:
   • Press the Polyline button.
   • Select the Sketch → Geometries → Polyline option from the menu.
   • Right-click in the 3D View and select the Polyline option from the context menu.
   • Use the keyboard shortcut: G then M.
2. The cursor changes to a cross with the tool icon.
3. The Polyline Parameters section is added at the top of the Sketcher Dialog.
4. Optionally press the F key or click the Fillet checkbox to toggle the fillet option. If this option is selected a fillet is created between a new segment and its previous segment if possible.
5. The modes of the tool require a previous segment. Do one of the following:
   • Create a line segment:
     1. Pick the start point of the line segment. Or with Pos-OVP: enter its X- and/or Y-coordinate.
     2. Pick the endpoint of the line segment. Or with Dim-OVP: enter the length and/or angle of the line segment. The angle is relative to the X-axis of the sketch.
   • Pick the endpoint of an existing line or arc segment (Auto constraints must be enabled).
6. Optionally press the M key or select from the dropdown list in the parameters section to change the tool mode:
   • Line:
     1. Pick the endpoint of the line segment. Or with Dim-OVP: enter the length and/or angle of the line segment. The angle is relative to previous segment. Multiples of 90° do not have to be entered, they are automatically detected and result in geometric constraints. If the Show directional autoconstraint helpers preference is selected (default), you can also snap to a directional helper line.
   • Arc:
     1. The path of the cursor after leaving the endpoint of the previous segment determines the start direction of the arc (tangential smooth, tangential sharp, perpendicular left, perpendicular right). Move the cursor back over the endpoint and try again if the direction is not correct.
     2. Pick the endpoint of the arc segment. Or with Dim-OVP: enter the radius and/or aperture angle of the arc segment.
7. Optionally repeat the previous step to create more segments.
8. To finish the input do one of the following:
   • Snap to the start point to create a closed polyline.
   • Right-click or press Esc to create an open polyline.
9. The polyline segments have been created and applicable geometric constraints, and Pos-OVP and Dim-OVP based constraints have been added.
10. If the tool runs in continue mode:
    1. Optionally keep creating polylines.
    2. To finish, right-click or press Esc, or start another geometry or constraint creation tool.