; DesignWave Version 1 TIPS.TXT file, 10-July-1997
; one tip per line
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; FIRST TIP - LOOK AT THE TUTORIAL
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There is a basic tutorial that only takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Choose Help Topics from the Help menu and look inside the Tutorials chapter.
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; USER INTERFACE
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Double clicking on an object gives you quick access to the Properties dialog.
You can drag any toolbar and dock it at a different edge of the window. You can also drag it away from the edge to leave it floating. Double clicking on a toolbar background changes it from docked to floating, or back again.
The popup menu on the right mouse button gives you quick access to common commands. In the browser, the popup menu offers commands that depends on the type of object selected in the tree.
When you are in a creation mode, hitting the escape key puts you into the appropriate selection mode for the type of object you were creating. You can also just click anywhere (without dragging) to enter the selection mode.
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; SKETCHING
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Holding the shift key down when creating a straight line, constrains the line to be parallel to the nearest of the two work axes directions. So, by using the Reposition Axes or Transform Axes command to orient the work axes appropriately, you can create straight lines at any orientation you want, such as parallel to another line.
Holding the shift key down while modifying the end point of a line, allows you to extend or trim the line, without changing its underlying path.
Dragging the middle of a straight line turns it into a circular arc, effectively constructing an arc through 3 points. Dragging the middle of an arc onto one of its ends turns it back into a straight line.
Shift-dragging the end point of an arc onto its other end turns the arc into a complete circle.
Dragging the end point of an arc maintains the angle of the arc, effectively scaling and rotating the arc about its other end.
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; WORKPLANES
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Whenever you are invited to enter a (X,Y) workplane position in a dialog, you can also enter scaled values as (X,Y)*S or (X,Y)/S. You can also enter scaled values like X*S and X/S when simple values are required.
You can use the clipboard to Cut, Copy and Paste lines between sketches. The sketches do not have to be in the same workplane, or even in the same part. So you can copy a profile that you used in another part, and reuse it.
When lines are pasted into a sketch, they appear in the same position relative to the target work axes as they had relative to the source work axes at the time they were cut or copied.
If you select a workplane before using the New Sketch command, that workplane will automatically be selected in the list of workplanes presented in the dialog.
In the Sketches dialog, double clicking on a sketch in the list activates it and hides other sketches, all in one go.
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; ASSEMBLIES
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When you use Add Component, the component is positioned by mapping its "base" workplane to the active workplane. The work axes are used to map the orientation within the workplane.
You can open a component of an assembly by choosing the Product Structure command, selecting the component, then pressing the Open button. To open a component in the context of the assembly, select the part then choose the Open Part in Context command.
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; FEATURES
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When naming workplanes and sketches, it is a good idea to name workplanes according to their location (eg "top face of pad"), and sketches according to their intended use (eg "profile of rib"). That way, the names will make sense when seen in the browser.
Choosing the Properties command for an edge or face gives you the properties for the feature that produced that edge or face.
Double-clicking on an edge or face with the control key held down, is the same as selecting the edge or face, and choosing the Synchronise Browser command.
Blending a side edge of an extruded profile, and filleting the corner of the two lines in the profile that produce that edge, amount to the same thing. The advantage of filleting the lines is that the single extrusion is faster than applying a blend afterwards. The advantage of the blend, is that you can suppress the blend at any time to simplify the model.
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; DRAWINGS
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When moving a projected or sectioned view in a drawing, if you hold the shift key down, the view will be constrained to align with its defining view.
You can change the default drawing scale for a drawing at any time. You can even change the drawing size at any time. Use the Sheet Setup command.
You can place views from different parts on the same drawing. This allows you to create in-process views. It also allows you to add a reference view of a mating part of an assembly context.
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; DIMENSIONING
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You can use the clipboard to cut, copy and paste callouts between groups. This allows you to create leader-directed dimensions for holes or slots. It also allows you to create tabular dimensions. And you can create running dimensions by pasting the dimension callout into a leader-directed note. You can delete the note afterwards.
If you hold the shift key down when creating a note, tolerance, or datum, the callout is attached to the dimension line or feature, rather than directed with a leader. For notes, the shift key gives you a free-standing note if you are over the background.
To create a leader-directed diametric dimension, create a radial dimension, then use the Measurement page in the Properties dialog to change to diametric. You can also create a radial dimension using a dimension line by converting a diametric dimension to radial.
To create a linear dimension to the outsides of circular features, instead of the centers, use the Measurement page in the Properties dialog afterwards and change to Outside.
To add a second branch to a leader, apply a note to the second feature, but drop the note down over a callout in the existing group. Then delete the note if you don't want it.
If you need to change the properties of several objects, you can change one of them, then use Pick Up Properties to copy those properties that you are interested in, then select the other objects and use Apply Properties to make them the same.
To dimension to a phantom vertical at a corner, first create a dimension between the corner and a feature that is vertical. Now you can dimension to the extension line that was produced. You can delete the first dimension now if you don't want it.
To dimension the taper angle of a conical face, first add a tolerance or datum to the face. Then use the Angle of Cone command on the Insert Callout submenu. You can delete the tolerance or datum now if you don't want it.
