Rules for valid profiles

Profiles may be Open or Closed

Each sketch may contain:

• many valid closed profiles
• only one open profile

Sketches may not contain

• a combination of closed and open profiles
• more than one open profile

Closed Profiles

Valid closed profiles

• must close

Valid closed profiles

• may contain other closed objects

Closed profiles must not

• contain overhanging lines

Closed profiles must not

• have any gaps

Closed profiles must not

• overlap other valid profiles

Closed profiles must not

• contain profiles nested inside profiles

Open Profiles

can contain continuously linked lines, arcs, splines and ellipses

Note

Only one open profile may be used on a sketch

Troubleshooting profiles

To test for gaps in a profile

• select one line
• right mouse click
• select Add Connected Lines

All lines forming the profile should now be selected and red.

To test to see if profiles on a sketch are valid

• in the browser pane select Workplanes
• open the workplane of interest (base in the case shown)
• right mouse click on the sketch of interest (initial in the case shown)
• select Fill from the dropdown menu

Valid sketches will fill with colour

Invalid sketches will remain unfilled

Help when extruding

When extruding a profile which is not valid, a yellow and black danger tape is strung around the offending part. Move the extrude dialog box to see the tape.

The offending item may be:

• a line which is out of view and forgotten
• a very small line (or other component) which you accidentally created and did not see
• a very small gap in the profile
• a very small overhang
• a very small overlap of another valid profile (creating an invalid profile)

It may be necessary to zoom onto the corners to check for gaps and overlap.