Maintaining associativity with custom wcs?

[Sticky]

When you make a custom WCS is the only way of maintaining associativity to a model via "create by geometry"?

 

The problem I have with this is if you need to make a small shift to that wcs you lose associativity, unless I am missing some sort of trick?

 

Is there a better method of setting up new WCS's for multiple planes?

[Guest]

If you have a WCS and it's origin is associated to geometry (I ALWAYS use a point for the origin), I've been able to move it around and maintain associativity with no issues that I can recall.

[Sticky]

It works fine for me if that created wcs stays stuck to the geometry, the issue for me is if I create a wcs from geometry, but then need to shift the wcs to better suite where it resides on the model, the associativity is broken. I am just wondering if there is a way around that, or if I always need to create new geometry and a new wcs if I need it moved on the model.

[guitar]

It works fine for me if that created wcs stays stuck to the geometry, the issue for me is if I create a wcs from geometry, but then need to shift the wcs to better suite where it resides on the model, the associativity is broken. I am just wondering if there is a way around that, or if I always need to create new geometry and a new wcs if I need it moved on the model.

 

 

The same type of problem exists for creating drafting entities (note) and attaching them to the origin point. Even when saving the views to worksheets and layers, the entities still move to other WCS origin points for operations.

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I always create from geometry; two intersecting lines forming an "L". An advantage of this is I can display them on my setup sheets and the operators know where the origin is.

[Brian Pallas]

I use the geometry method, and sometimes when I move the geometry for the WCS the associativity is lost. Then I go the the view manager - then in the bottom right and there is a white cursor button that is for "select new origin for the selected view", click that and reselect the intersection of the WCS that I moved. And that combination has worked for me.

[Brando]

i agree with foghorn, you have to create and use a point geometry to have reliable wcs association, using the other methods such as solid face, wire frame, etc will not always maintain the wcs location if you move it

 

i create two lines then create a point at the intersection, use the wcs by geometry to set the axis, and go back and pick the point created as the associative geometry using the hotkey "p" so it will only pick the point and not autocursor an endpoint of the line

[Sticky]

I've been using wcs by geometry only for the last few weeks now. It works ok, it still breaks sometimes, I haven't nailed down the cause yet but it certainly has been a better method.

[crazy^millman]

If I want the most bullet proof method I go with point anything else by nature is not meant to be bullet proof in my humble opinion. Okay I am just being a fanboi, but I say no looking at this from both points of view being on the development side of software(Not Mastercam) and on the user side I am looking at I say the most openly I can. What is happening to the geometry and what kind of geometry is it by nature? If it were a surface then anywhere on that surface can reside the point to me unpredictable due to the nature of surfaces or solid faces. Good in a pinch and get the job done use this all the time for getting stuff done, but not my WCS for the whole group of operations, just used to get operation done that all go back to one point for a WCS if I have any thought things may need to move down the road. Lines are great since they help to establish a plane with the 2 lines. A point does not have a plane defined to it and if you need that kind of control then having a point with 2 lines then gives you the best of both world. I said point is the best where I still say it is because less to move and worry about. Simple and easy, but again going back to others things that can introduce variables and things ask a lot and keeps opening up the risk of putting a WCS on something easily changes or modified. By going with the idea of a point and even going as far as making it a level by itself life is good. By awesome if we could lock a level to prevent it from be accidentally deleted. We we have 100's of warning popup to make it as idiot proof as possible, but after getting a 100 of them in a day you get numb to them and might be allowing something you need to be altered deleted which might be or can be adding to the issues you are seeing.

[Sticky]

i agree with foghorn, you have to create and use a point geometry to have reliable wcs association, using the other methods such as solid face, wire frame, etc will not always maintain the wcs location if you move it

 

i create two lines then create a point at the intersection, use the wcs by geometry to set the axis, and go back and pick the point created as the associative geometry using the hotkey "p" so it will only pick the point and not autocursor an endpoint of the line

 

I missed the part about picking the point after the two lines, I will start doing it that way and see if it increases the reliability for me. Thanks guys

[Thee Rickster ™]

Good tip, i use two line as Matt stated, gonna try the point after selecting the two ;lines

[gcode]

By awesome if we could lock a level to prevent it from be accidentally deleted.

put it on a level by itself, then blank it,

It will still maintain it's associativity, but you won't be able to edit it or delete it without unblanking it.

Be sure to label the level as blanked.. because you can delete blanked enitiies in the Level Manager

with the right click menu

[Newbeeee™]

If mastercam could freeze/lock levels as per autocad, i don't thnk you could beat that