Generating Dimensions Semi-Automatically

Before You Begin, make sure you customized the following settings:

Dimension generation:
Go to Tools->Options->Mechanical Design->Drafting, and click on the Generation tab. Check the Analysis after generation option.

This task will show you how to generate dimensions step by step from the constraints of a 3D part. Only the following constraints can be generated: distance, length, angle, radius and diameter. Constraints may be of three kinds: created manually (i) via the sketcher or (ii) via the 3D part, or (iii) automatically created via internal parameters.

Open the GenDrafting_part.CATDrawing.
In this sample, constraints were manually created. You will then go to Generative Drafting workbench and create views from this part.

1. Select the views on which you want to generate dimensions. For example, the front view.

2. Click the Generating dimensions step by step icon from the Generation toolbar (Dimension Generation subtoolbar).

The Step-by-step generation dialog box displays and will remain displayed until the end of the dimension generation.

3. Check the Visualization in 3D button to see the constraints corresponding to the dimensions to be created on the views.

4. Check the Timeout option.
The default timeout is set to two seconds (2s).
Enter the timeout value you need for example, three seconds (3s).

5. Click the Next Dimension Generation switch button to start the dimension generation.

Dimensions appear one after the other on the views.

Now, you might need to pause the generation for modifying the dimension position for example.

6. Click the Pause in Dimension Generation switch button . The generation is paused.

7. Select the dimension to be modified.

8. Drag the dimension to its new position.

Note that, at this step (pause), you can perform all kinds of modifications before the dimension generation.

You want the dimension last generated before you clicked the Pause switch not to be generated on the view? Perform as follows:
1. Click the Not Generated option

in the Step by Step Generation dialog box.

The constraint is automatically excluded and the dimension will not generated.

You want the currently generated dimension to be transferred (via Transfer icon)? Perform as follows:
1. Click the Transfer icon from the Step-by-Step Generation dialog box.
2. Click the Pause switch.
3. Select the frame of the view in which the current dimension, or the dimension last created, is to be pasted.

You want to modify the graphical attributes of the current dimension? Perform as follows:

You simply need to apply the desired attributes in the required Properties toolbar.

9. Click again the Next Dimension Generation switch button

and continue the process.

The dimensions are automatically generated on all the views.

The dimensions appear as shown, for example, on the front view documented in this particular case.

The Generated Dimensions Analysis dialog box showing the dimensions and constraints generated for each part (in this case, there is only one) is automatically displayed. This dialog box is described in detail in Dimension Generation Analysis.

Note that you can stop at anytime the generation by clicking

or, on the contrary, accelerate the process by clicking