7.9.3.1. Basics for use

7.9.3. Tools 7.9.3.1. Basics for use
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Carry out a function
- Activate button with simple mouse click.
  -> The buttons' function is "hanging" on to the cursor and the button is highlighted.
  Button highlighted
- Move the cursor to the desired location in the sketch.
  -> Depending on the selected command, the object snap (circular symbol) becomes visible.
- Carry out the function of the buttons through simple mouse clicks at the desired spot (e.g. Insert line).
Mouse functions:
- Move: With pressed left and right mouse key you can shift the whole content.
- Fit in: Perform a double-click with pressed Ctrl key. -> The whole content of the sketcher is fitted in the window.
- Zoom rectangle: Drag a rectangle with pressed middle mouse button.
- Selection rectangle: Drag a rectangle with pressed shift key and left mouse button.
- Multi selection: Click on the desired elements with pressed Ctrl key.
- Mouse wheel: With the Mouse wheel, you can zoom in and out. Turning downwards will reduce the image. If Invert is active exactly the other way round. Depending on where positioning the mouse cursor before scrolling the mouse wheel, the object's position is adjusted.
  You can see the scaling factor right below. Positive exponential numbers signalize that you zoomed out, negative that you zoomed in. Double-clicking with pressed Ctrl key resets to the standard scaling factor (10 to the power of 0).
You can adjust the default setting under PARTdesigner -> Extras menu -> Preferences... -> Sketcher (feat.) -> Mouse.

Deactivate commands: Activated commands are deactivated when clicking on another commands and/or by secondary mouse click into the Sketcher area.
Note
Only when clicking into the empty area of sketch with secondary mouse key before, an element can be selected!

Some commands are inactive at first
The buttons of the tool group Copy, Mirror, Rotate, for example, are only then selectable when a sketch element has been marked.
Note
Only when clicking into the empty area of sketch with secondary mouse key before, an element can be selected!

Automatic object snap on points and auxiliary points of construction: If you move the cursor in the immediate area of a start, middle, endpoint or intersection point, these points will be surrounded by a small blue circle and thus identified as points and auxiliary points of construction.

You can select any point of construction (yellow point) or auxiliary point of construction (only blue circle) on the element.

Points of construction (yellow points): Start, middle and end points of elements (line or circle, for example)

If a command is active, auxiliary points of construction (blue circle) are also displayed, if the mouse cursor is moved over the points.

Construction point: Start, middle and end point of a line

Construction point: Start, middle and end point of a circular arc

Auxiliary point of construction in the intersection point of two circles

Quick settings:
- Snap to grid: If, for example, a line is drawn, it is automatically placed on the grid lines. A placing between grid lines can only be achieved with option turned off.
  Quick settings
- Show grid:
  - Hatch spacing: given in mm
    Under Color settings you can set the grid's color.
- Scale grid on zoom:
  If the option is enabled and you zoom in, at a certain moment the grid is automatically scaled with factor 10. On this compare the two following figures. If the option Snap to grid is enabled, this option is automatically disabled, because snapping at "wrong" points is unwanted.
  Grid with standard view
  Grid scaled with factor 10
- Scalar parameters: This option is used when drawing circles or angles (e.g. Circle with center point and radius/point or Line at angle to horizontal, length).
  For example, if a width of 5 is set, a circle will snap at multiples of 5, regardless in which direction the mouse is moved.
- Show scale:
  Den Vergrößerungs- / Verkleinerungsmaßstab sehen Sie im Sketcher rechts unten. Positive Exponentialzahlen signalisieren, dass herausgezoomt wurde, negative, dass hereingezommt wurde. Ein Doppelklick mit gehaltener Strg-Taste stellt wieder auf den Normal-Maßstab (10 hoch 0) um.
- Show axis extension:
  
  Axis extension on (default)
  
  Axis extension off
  
  Under Color settings you can set the coordinate system's color and axis extension.
- Snap to coordinate axes: If, for example, Snap to grid is turned off, but this function turned on, a line will strictly orient towards the coordinate axes, whereby the length can be freely chosen in contrast to Snap to grid.
  Snapping distance [px]: Default value is 25
Sorting in groups
To improve the overview, the individual function buttons are summarized in groups with similar functions. As of V12 on some toolbars only the last used one is displayed, the others can be made visible by clicking on the little black arrow. In PARTdesigner, under Extras menu -> Preferences... -> Sketcher (feat.), there is the function Group tools, so that you can switch back to the old V11 behavior if you like (all buttons visible at once).
The single toolbars can be moved.

Switch toolbar on and off

With the secondary mouse key, click in one of the toolbars and set or remove the checkmark at the desired toolbar.

Toolbars

The single toolbars:

	Note
	The most toolbars are both visible in the pure sketch mode and in the 2D drawing mode (call see Section 7.9.2, “Launching the Sketcher ”), some exclusively in the 2D drawing mode. The following listing show a respective note for each.

Toolbar "Default": Both pure sketch mode and 2D drawing mode
Toolbar "Delete": Both pure sketch mode and 2D drawing mode
Toolbar "Attributes": Both pure sketch mode and 2D drawing mode
Toolbar "Quick settings": Both pure sketch mode and 2D drawing mode
Toolbar "Shapes": Both pure sketch mode and 2D drawing mode
The toolbar "Shapes" contains tools for Points, Lines, Circles, Arcs, N-edges
Toolbar "Modify": Both pure sketch mode and 2D drawing mode
The toolbar "Modify" includes tools for Transform, Trim (part 1), Trim (part 2, Threads
Toolbar "Text": Only 2D drawing mode
Toolbar "Attributes -> Dimensioning mode": Only 2D drawing mode
"Dimensioning mode"
Toolbar "Attributes -> Insert hatch": Only 2D drawing mode
Toolbar "Attributes -> Polyline": Only 2D drawing mode
Toolbar "Shapes" -> Tool group "Ellipses": Only 2D drawing mode
Ellipses Toolbar

Shortcuts
You can call the single functions in the Sketcher via shortcuts.
Advantage: Saving of time. Shortcuts will help you execute commands much quicker as with mouse.
Disadvantage: You have to remember shortcuts. Tool also show the shortcut beside the command name, so that you will learn them with time.
The following figure gives an overview on all shortcuts.
Overview Shortcuts
There are different modes to call them:
- Only character/number
- c + character/number (c stands for Ctrl key)
- s + character/number (s stands for shift key)
- cs + character/number (cs stands for Ctrl key combined with shift key)
- a + character/number ( a stands for Alt key)
Esc clears selected function.
Under PARTdesigner -> Extras menu -> Settings... -> Sketcher (feat.) -> Shortcuts you can adjust already existing shortcuts.
In order to find the correct command be oriented towards Fig. „Overview Shortcuts“. When knowing the shortcut you can search for it in the column Key. Enter the new desired shortcut here and make sure that there is no conflict to another already existing, because the command won't work then.
Change into formula point:
If fixed points are used when executing functions, in the docking window Edit element, these points will be displayed and not their coordinates. If the coordinates shall be adjusted, a point has to be converted into a formula point.
1. Select the point to be converted.
  Arc through 3 points on circle -> Change into formula point
2. Click the context menu command Change into formula point.
  -> Under Edit element, now the point's coordinates are displayed.
  Display of point coordinates
New allocation of reference point:
Also you can allocate another reference point subsequently (if it has been in the Sketch history before).
1. In the context menu, click on New allocation of reference point.
  -> In the status line, Choose new reference or cut point... is displayed.
2. Select the new point.
  -> The function is accordingly adjusted.
  Arc through 3 points on circle -> New allocation of reference point
Edit selection:
In cases where multiple selection is possible, in the docking window Edit element, the point Elements with context menu command Edit selection is displayed.
Edit selection
1. Click on the context menu command Edit selection.
2. Select or deselect the desired elements.
  -> The command is immediately executed.