Managing Geometrical Sets

You can add a geometrical set in the specification tree.

1. In the specification tree, select an element as the location of the new geometrical set. This element will be considered as a child of the new geometrical set and can be a geometrical set or a feature.

2. Select Insert > Geometrical Set... from the menu bar.

   The Features list displays the elements to be contained in the new geometrical set.

3. Enter the name of the new geometrical set.

4. Use the Father drop-down list to choose the body where the new geometrical set is to be inserted. All destinations present in the document are listed allowing you to select one to be the father without scanning the specification tree. They can be:

   
   

   • geometrical sets

   • 3D shape representations

   • bodies

5. Select additional entities that are to be included in the new geometrical set.

   
   
   

   Tip: If all selected entities belong to the same geometrical set, the father of the new geometrical set is automatically set to the father of these entities.

6. Click OK to create the geometrical set at the desired location.

   The result is immediate. CATIA displays this new Geometrical Set.x, incrementing its name in relation to the pre-existing bodies, in the specification tree. It is created after the last current geometrical set and is underlined, indicating that it is the active geometrical set. The next created element is created within this geometrical set.

   Important: Use the Create a Geometrical Set option in Tools > Options > Infrastructure > 3D Shape Infrastructure > 3D Shape tab if you wish to create a geometrical set as soon as you create a new 3D shape representation. For more information about this option, refer to the Customizing section of the Part Design User's Guide. The state of a geometrical set is kept in your data model. For instance, if the geometrical set was expanded when closing the model, it is still expanded when re-opening it; except if it has more than 40 children: in this case, it is automatically collapsed.

   Warning: You cannot create a geometrical set within an ordered geometrical set and vice versa.

You can remove ta geometrical set from specification tree.

Warning: You cannot delete a feature within a geometrical set created on the fly. Indeed this geometrical set is considered as private and can only be deleted globally.

You can move a whole branch, i.e. a whole body and its contents, at a time.

1. From the specification tree, select the geometrical set then choose the Geometrical Set.object > Change Geometrical Set... item from the contextual menu.

   
   
   

   The Change geometrical set dialog box is displayed, listing all the possible destinations.

   
   
   

2. Select the Destination body where the geometrical set is to be located.

   You can do so by selecting the body in the specification tree, or using the drop-down list from the dialog box.

   By default, if you select a body, the geometrical set is positioned last within the new body. However, you can select any element in the new body, before which the moved geometrical set will be located.

3. Click OK to move the geometrical set to the new body.

   The geometrical set is moved to its new location in the specification tree, but geometry remains unchanged.

   
   
   

   Important: When elements are imported using external references or through a Copy-Paste As result with link, the Change geometrical set command is not available through the contextual menu. Use the Edit > Links and Relations menu bar item instead. For more information, refer to Editing Links and Relations in the Infrastructure User's Guide.

You can move elements of a geometrical set to a new body.

1. From the specification tree, select the element(s) then choose the Extrude.2 object > Change Geometrical Set... item from the contextual menu.

   
   
   

   Important: Multi-selection of elements of different types is supported. However, note that the contextual menu is not available, and that you can access this capability using the Edit menu item.

   The Change geometrical set dialog box is displayed, listing all the possible destinations.

   
   
   

2. Select the Destination body where the geometrical set is to be located.

   You can do so by selecting the body in the specification tree, or using the drop-down list from the dialog box.

   By default, if you select a body, the geometrical set is positioned last within the new body. However, you can select any element in the new body, before which the moved elements will be located.

3. Select the element above which the one you already selected is to be inserted.

   
   
   You can directly select this positioning element. In this case the Destination box is automatically updated with the body to which this second element belongs.

4. Click OK to move the elements to the new body.

   The element selected first is moved to its new location in the specification tree, but geometry remains unchanged.
   
   
   

   • Select the Move unshared parents check box to move all parents of the first selected element to its new location, provided these parents are not shared by any other element of the initial body. In this case, all the unshared parents are highlighted prior to the move.
   • Select the Move all parents check box to move all parents of the first selected element to its new location, regardless of whether these parents are used (shared) by any other element of the initial body. In this case, all the parent elements are highlighted prior to the move.
   
   
   

   Warning: Contextual parents cannot be moved. You cannot move some elements of a multi-output alone to another body: only the whole multi-output can be moved. Multi-selection of elements of different types is supported. However, note that in this case, the contextual menu is not available, and that you can access this capability using the Edit menu item. You cannot move external references to another body.

You may need to sort the contents of a geometrical set, when the geometric elements no longer appear in the logical creation order. In that case, use the Auto-sort capability to reorder the geometrical set contents in the specification tree (geometry itself is not affected).

In our example, Geometrical Set.1 contains two extruded surfaces based on point-point lines. The specification tree looks like this:

You can reorder elements inside the same geometrical set.

1. Right-click the geometrical set from the specification tree and choose the Geometrical Set.x object > Reorder Children command. The Reorder Children dialog box is displayed.

2. Select an element.

3. Use the arrows to move an element up or down.

   
   
   

Important: Note that the feature defined as the In Work Object after the Reorder operation is not affected by this operation from an update point of view: when reordering upward, the feature located just before the new position of the reordered feature becomes the In Work object. when reordering downward, the feature just before the original position of the reordered feature becomes the In Work object.

Tips: You can use the Scan command after the Reorder operation to see what moved step by step. When the first element of the list is reordered upward, it becomes the last element. Similarly, when the last element of the list is reordered downward, it becomes the first element.

You can drag one element (feature or parent's node) from one location, drop it to another location and keep its original name and location.

You can replace the elements in the geometrical set.

This capability is only available on shape elements.

1. Right-click the geometrical set from the specification tree and choose the Geometrical Set.x object > Replace... command. The Replace dialog box is displayed.

2. Select the replacing element.

3. Click OK.

   For more information, refer to the Replacing Elements chapter in the Part Design User's Guide.

   To manage this capability, the Do replace only for elements situated after the In Work Object option is available in Tools > Options > Infrastructure > 3D Shape Infrastructure > General tab. It allows you to make the Replace option possible only for features located below the feature in Work Object and in the same branch.