When editing a feature, you might want to create relationships between dimensions in several different profiles. You can use the Variables command on the Tools menu to set up these relationships. If you do this, then editing certain dimensions actually changes, or drives, other dimensions in the model.
Open a file that contains a part.
Choose Tools tab→Variables group→Variables. The Variable table displays.
On the shortcut menu, click Filter and define which variables you want to display in the Variable Table. For example, on the Filter dialog box, if you select Dimensions in Type and then select Window, this displays all the dimensional values that appear in the active window.
Select a feature. Then select a profile.
Select a dimension of the feature to be driven. The selected dimension shows as selected in the Variable Table as well as the active drawing. The dimension has a default name that you can change.
Click the cell that contains the dimension that you selected. Type an arithmetic expression to define the dimensional value of the dimension. When you type an entry in the cell, the entry also appears in the Formula Bar. For example, you can type the following entries:
|
Type |
Name |
Value |
Formula |
|
Dimension |
a |
10.5 mm |
|
|
Dimension |
b |
a/2 |
On the Formula Bar, click the Check button or press ENTER to complete the entry in the cell and calculate the result of the expression. The following table shows what the Variable Table for the example would look like.
|
Type |
Name |
Value |
Formula |
|
Dimension |
a |
10.5 mm |
|
|
Dimension |
b |
5.25 |
a/2 |
Dimension b appears as driven in the active drawing. In the Variable Table, you cannot edit the value of dimension b.