Part Design NEXT: Sketch on datum plane

[abdullah]

Hi!

This seems a bug. When I create an sketch on a datum plane and enter sketch edit mode, I can barely create a geometric element (line, circle), but I won't be able to select any part of this created elements. The workaround is to select the "external geometry tool" and the right away right click to exit it.

Has anybody else identified this behiour? I guess it is not intended... or am I doing anything wrong?

P.S.: Using the DeepSOIC/Norm approach with PD NEXT is very cumbersome (we need better assisting tools, I have a couple of ideas) but the result is lovely, I have been in the need of changing the initial operations of the part and everything just propagates perfectly, no more invalid sketches, no more weird results. Thanks!!

[nemesis]

Has anybody else identified this behiour? I guess it is not intended... or am I doing anything wrong?

Hi,
I also notice strange behavior with Datum Plane.
until you save your file, close it and re-open it, you can not use DP correctly.
and even after, some things just don't work.
issue #2682
issue #2859
So I think all those problems with datum plane are related.

[NormandC]

When I create an sketch on a datum plane and enter sketch edit mode, I can barely create a geometric element (line, circle), but I won't be able to select any part of this created elements.

I've noticed the same thing, it didn't use to be that way. There must have been some recent change that caused this issue.

I wonder if it's related to jnxd's changes to constraint selection?

Using the DeepSOIC/Norm approach with PD NEXT is very cumbersome

What is cumbersome exactly?

I just noticed another thing odd with datum planes: if it's the first thing you create in a body, it won't be visible in the 3D view until you create a sketch.

OS: Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS
Word size of OS: 64-bit
Word size of FreeCAD: 64-bit
Version: 0.17.10460 (Git)
Build type: None
Branch: master
Hash: 91c59c7910436c44ede608e29d9a90a287121a11
Python version: 2.7.12
Qt version: 4.8.7
Coin version: 4.0.0a
OCC version: 7.1.0

[abdullah]

With DeepSOIC's approach of creating a plane after the operation without attachment (translated attachment), creating it. Creation in a robustness way in my shortest way is:

1. Select face of end of operation (top of a pad if padding upwards) and do a plane attached to that face.
2. Change attachment to "translate". Go to the position and identify which previous operations you have to add/subtract in an expression to arrive to that position and insert them.

There should be some kind of automation here (tool to assist the user in these).

DeepSOIC's approach excels when then several operations can take the same plane as reference.

With your approach, basically the next sketch shall be translated to correctly position it. Which needs to figure it out the placement of the sketch using expressions (pad1.Length+pad2.Length-pocket1.Length). This boils down to the same problem as DeepSOIC's approach. This approach is simpler when only one operation is needed on the same "face" plane reference.

I work with a combination of both approaches. It is really awesome when you have to change the model afterwards, but I honestly die inside when I have to do all that to take advantage of it. I mean I am superhappy we have Part Design NEXT. It is simply the best improvement I have seen in FC like ever (wherein ever is my join date to this community ). However, I think we should be able to achieve it at a fraction of the pain involved. If nobody jumps in, I plane to tackle this after I am "finished" with BSplines.

Hi,
I also notice strange behavior with Datum Plane.
until you save your file, close it and re-open it, you can not use DP correctly.
and even after, some things just don't work.
issue #2682
issue #2859
So I think all those problems with datum plane are related.

Next time, instead of saving/closing, just try selecting the "import external geometry tool" and then right away right click or ESC to cancel the tool. This should solve your issue.

I wonder if it's related to jnxd's changes to constraint selection?

Well at that point I have not chosen to constraint anything. I have seen his code (we happen to work both in Sketcher. I did not examine it, just I noticed it) and I would tend to think it should not be related. But as always, you never know until you debug it. If somebody would like to fill in a bug tracker report, fell free to assign it to myself. I will give it a run when I come back to coding

[abdullah]

I just noticed another thing odd with datum planes: if it's the first thing you create in a body, it won't be visible in the 3D view until you create a sketch.

This one I have not noticed yet. In any case, if reporting it, this one should go to Part Design.

[NormandC]

This one I have not noticed yet. In any case, if reporting it, this one should go to Part Design.

Of course. Now that I'm thinking about it, datum geometry re-sizes with the body geometry, since there isn't any that's probably why we don't see anything.

EDIT: issue #2964

[triplus]

However, I think we should be able to achieve it at a fraction of the pain involved. If nobody jumps in, I plane to tackle this after I am "finished" with BSplines.

Most of it is OK but there are some details involved that are currently unresolved on a fundamental level. And the 2 developers currently working on it have the opposite opinion on some of the mentioned details. The same i guess could be said for the users.

I feel it's safe to assume third developer capable of tackling such beast as PartDesign NEXT getting involved could really help in this regard.

[NormandC]

This is where it was useful to have jriegel around...

[triplus]

It's normal in such long lived projects to take a break occasionally. I am sure he will return at some point to weigh in.

Nothing wrong with that.

[NormandC]

Doesn't change the fact that when he was around, he could act like Solomon king and resolve issues when there was no achieved consensus.