Fixing Vector

Calling the command:

Fixing vector is used in order to define position and orientation of a 2D fragment in an assembly. Moreover, fixing vectors may be used for positioning of drawing views based on an existing page.

Upon calling the command, you can anytime switch between creation of fixing vectors, 2D coordinate systems and 2D connectors using the following automenu options:

Following options are also available:

General information

There are two types of fixing vectors: a fixing vector, defined by two points, and a fixing vector, defined by one point.

When inserting a fragment with a fixing vector defined by two points, the position of the first point (the origin of the vector) will determine the position of the fragment on the assembly drawing, and the position of the second point (the end of the vector) will determine the rotation of the fragment.

One-point fixing is used for quick snapping of parts, the image of which is indifferent to the rotation angle, or does not require rotation. When inserting a fragment, using a single-point fixing vector, only one point will be requested, and it will not be possible to set a rotation for such a fragment.

When you create a fixing vector in its parameters, you can specify the drawing layers that will be displayed in the assembly. In this way, you can, for example, insert different views of the same part into an assembly.

If there is a 3D model in the document, then it is possible to establish a connection of the fixing vector with a specific workplane. This allows you to use 2D fragments in 3D assemblies to determine the position of the 3D fragment in space relative to the end position of the fixing vector and the selected workplane. Detailed information on various methods of positioning 3D fragments by 2D fragments is available in the Layout. Link between 2D and 3D Fragments chapter.

Fixing vector creation

In order to create a fixing vector, upon calling the command, specify one or two points by moving the cursor over them and pressing or <Enter>.

You can use arbitrary point of a drawing, or select existing 2D nodes, characteristic points of graphic lines and intersections of construction lines using object snappings. Selecting a characteristic point of a graphic line or an intersection of construction lines results in automatic creation of a connected 2D node there. The following automenu option can be used for selecting existing 2D nodes:

Upon activating this option, pressing anywhere within drawing window results in selecting a nearest existing 2D node.

If you finish the input using the (<Enter>) option, upon specifying one point, a vector defined by a single point will be created. Its direction coincides with the positive direction of the X axis of the drawing.

To select the second node, press <Enter>. You may also specify two points first, and then enable the Use only first point checkbox in the fixing vector's parameters dialog (if the input is finished, upon specifying a single point, this checkbox gets enabled automatically).

Upon specifying two points, input gets finished automatically.

Upon finishing the input, the fixing vector's parameters dialog will appear. Specify desired parameters and press OK.

After pressing OK, the fixing vector will be displayed in the drawing. You can control the visibility of the fixing vector using the value of the Level parameter or the Hide/Show construction command. In the context menu for fixing vectors that have linked layers, there is a command to Apply layer visibility. When it is called, the visibility or invisibility of layers is set according to how they will be displayed when inserting this document into another document as a fragment using this fixing vector.

Topics in this section:

•Parameters Dialog of Fixing Vector

•Edit Fixing Vector, 2D LCS, 2D Connector

See Also:

•Position and Orientation of Drawing View