T-FLEX Parametric CAD. Fundamentals. 2D Design

Fundamentals. Two-Dimensional Design
RELATIONS
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To quickly track geometrical dependencies in drawings and manage them, T-FLEX CAD has a special type
of 2D elements – Relations. Relations serve to visually render on the drawing screen the types and
parameters of geometrical dependencies between construction elements. Using the relations one can modify
parameters of those dependencies without calling the editing commands of the respective construction
elements.
Relations are auxiliary objects that are displayed in the drawing field in the way of special marks. Those are
not printed and are not exported. The information about the type of the geometrical dependency and the
numerical parameter of the object, to which a relation pertains, is displayed on the relation mark. If a
parameter is related with an expression or with a variable, then the relation mark displays both the expression
and its current value.
Relations can be created automatically by the system (“temporary Relations”) or manually by the user.
The automatic creation is done in the command for editing construction lines and graphic lines created based
on construction lines. The system creates relations and displays them on the screen: if a construction line is
edited – then for that line itself, if a graphic line is edited – then for the construction line, on whose base the
graphic line is created. When exiting the editing command, such Relations are deleted automatically.
Temporary Relations can be used to modify construction line parameters in the transparent mode.
Manual creation of Relations is done by the user in the command “REL: Element Relations”. In this
case, it is possible to create Relations either for individual construction elements or for all construction
elements in a given drawing. Relations that are explicitly created by the user exist in the drawing up until the
user deletes them by the same command. By default, those are permanently displayed in the drawing. Using
those you can analyze parametric relations in the model, as well as modify construction line parameters. If
necessary, all or specific existing Relations can be hidden from the current 2D window or completely over
the entire document (such hidden Relations will not be displayed in any 2D windows opened for this
document).
Using Relations when Working with Drawings
Relations serve the two main purposes:
- Visualizing geometrical relations in the model;
- Modifying geometrical parameters of the model in the
transparent mode.
The first goal is achieved by creating Relations, when the user can
visually examine geometrical relations without using the
command “Help|Information…”.
To modify an existing geometrical parameter using Relations,
point the mouse at the parameter value in the Relation mark and
click . The mark will turn to an edit box displaying the
parameter value it controls.
Just like in other system fields for editing values, the user can create here the list of frequently used
parameter values and use it with the help of a special button for selecting the value from the list. This list is