About element references

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About Element References

It is helpful to consider some convenient terminology:

Elements are objects we add to the model.

When we add elements, we may need to select other elements that are already in the model - we call the other elements: Reference Elements.

Reference-elements are those elements that may need to be in the model before we can add a new element.

If you want to delete a Reference-element you may also delete those elements that can only exist with the Reference-element.

A pop-up warning will list those elements that you will also delete in addition to the Reference-Element.

Thus, it may be useful to review the relationships between elements before you delete an element.

It is possible that you cannot delete an element before you delete a Reference-element.

SW-Reference-Elements

To open the Reference Elements dialog-box

1.	Click an element in the graphic-area or the Assembly-Tree so that it shows in Selection-Window

2.	Right-click the element

3.	Click Show Element references in the contextual-menu.

Dialog-ReferenceElements

Example 1: Reference-Elements of a CAD-Line:

Its reference-elements are simple - there is a Point at each end of the CAD-Line

•	Point22 and Point25.

Note:

The derived-name of the Point with the lower-number (Point22) is the start-Point of the CAD-Line

The derived-name of the Point with the higher-number (Point25) is the end-Point of the CAD-Line

SW-ReferenceElements-Complex

Example 2: Reference-Elements of a 2D-Cam

Its reference-elements are:

•	those elements that in the model before you can add the 2D-Cam (a Profile and a Part ( which is also defined by its start-Point and end-Point at the end of its CAD-Line).

AND Reference-Elements are:

•	those elements that you may add to the model, and need the 2D-Cam to exist in the model ( e.g.: we may add a Polyline to the 2D-Cam)

Tutorials and Reference Help Files for MechDesigner and MotionDesigner 14.2 + © Machine, Cam, Mechanism, and Motion Design Software by PSMotion Ltd