Sketcher ConstrainCoincident

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Sketcher ConstrainCoincident

Menu location
Sketch → Sketcher constraints → Constrain coincident
Workbenches
Sketcher
Default shortcut
C
Introduced in version
-
See also
Sketcher ConstrainCoincidentUnified, Sketcher ConstrainPointOnObject

Description

The Sketcher ConstrainCoincident tool creates a coincident constraint between points, or (introduced in version 0.21) a concentric constraint between circles, arcs and/or ellipses (by making their centers coincident).

introduced in version 0.22: This tool is replaced by the Sketcher ConstrainCoincidentUnified tool if the Unify Coincident and PointOnObject option is selected in the Sketcher Preferences.

Usage

See also: Drawing aids.

Continue mode

  1. Make sure there is no selection.
  2. There are several ways to invoke the tool:
    • Press the Constrain coincident button.
    • Select the Sketch → Sketcher constraints → Constrain coincident option from the menu.
    • Use the keyboard shortcut: C.
  3. The cursor changes to a white cross with the tool icon.
  4. Do one of the following:
    • Select two points.
    • Select two edges of circles, arcs, ellipses or arcs of ellipses.
  5. A constraint is added.
  6. Optionally keep creating constraints.
  7. To finish, right-click or press Esc, or start another geometry or constraint creation tool.

Run-once mode

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Select two or more points.
    • Select two or more edges of circles, arcs, ellipses or arcs of ellipses.
  2. Invoke the tool as explained above.
  3. Depending on the selection one or more constraints are added.

Alternatives to Coincident constraint

Some combinations which are not possible with a coincident constraint can be emulated using other constraints:

  • The Symmetric constraint can be used to place a point on the midpoint of a straight line.
  • A midpoint-to-midpoint placement of two straight lines can be achieved by creating a new Point and using two Symmetric constraints so that it lies on the midpoint of both lines.
  • A vertex can be constrained to lie along an edge using a PointOnObject constraint. Note that with this constraint, the point can lie anywhere on the full extension of a segment or curve (i.e. also before the start point or beyond the end point).
  • A collinear placement of two straight lines can be obtained by applying a Tangent constraint to them, or by combining a PointOnObject constraint and a Parallel constraint.

Scripting

The constraint can be created from macros and from the Python console by using the following command:

Sketch.addConstraint(Sketcher.Constraint('Coincident',LineFixed,PointOfLineFixed,LineMoving,PointOfLineMoving))

where :

  • Sketch is a sketch object
  • LineFixed is the number of the line, that will not move by applying the constraint
  • PointOfLineFixed indicates which vertex of LineFixed has to fulfill the constraint
  • LineMoving is the number of the line, that will move by applying the constraint
  • PointOfLineMoving indicates which vertex of LineMoving has to fulfill the constraint

As the names LineFixed and LineMoving indicate, if both constrained vertices are free to move in any direction, the first one (first to be selected in the Gui) will remain fixed and the other one will move. In the presence of existing constraints, however, both edges may move.

The Sketcher scripting page explains the values which can be used for LineFixed, PointOfLineFixed, LineMoving and PointOfLineMoving, and contains further examples on how to create constraints from Python scripts.