Four Views of Equations

The Equations dialog box offers four views. Each view shows a different combination and sequence of equations, global variables and dimensions to help you perform tasks such as finding a specific equation, viewing all dimensions used in a part or assembly, and changing the order in which equations are solved.

To select a view:
  • Click the Equation View equations_view_icon to see all global variables and equations for dimensions and features.
  • Click the Sketch Equation View Sketch_Equation_View to see global variables and equations used in sketches.
  • Click the Dimension View to see all global variables, equations, and dimensions used in the active part or assembly, whether they are associated with an equation or not.
  • Click the Ordered View Ordered View icon to see global variables and equations in the order they are solved.

Equation View

The Equation View equations_view_icon displays all global variables and equations for a part or assembly.

In this view, you can add global variables and equations, edit and delete existing ones, and add comments.

You can also suppress features to help you troubleshoot equations.

Sketch Equation View

The Sketch Equation View Sketch_Equation_View displays global variables and equations used only in sketches.

Sketch equations differ from equations used in parts and assemblies. When you add or edit an equation to an active sketch, geometric relations between sketch entities are automatically applied, related equations are solved, and the sketch automatically updates. With equations used in parts and assemblies, the model does not update until you rebuild.

Dimension View

The Dimension View displays all the dimensions used in the active sketch, part or assembly, including those with a set value and those determined by equations. This view makes it easy to rename or change the values of several dimensions.

Dimensions with a set value are visible only in this view, not in the Equation View, the Ordered View or the Sketch Equation View.
In the Name column, names of global variables, features, and equations are enclosed in quotation marks, while the names of dimensions are not. In the Value/Equation column, dimensions determined by equations start with = (equal sign), while dimensions with a set value do not start with =.

There are two versions of the Dimension View, one for parts, and one for assemblies.

In the Dimension View for a part, you can:
  • Add global variables, and rename, edit and delete existing ones.
  • Suppress features.
  • Rename and change dimension values or add equations to dimensions.
  • Add comments to global variables and features, and to dimensions that have equations.
In addition, in the Dimension View for an assembly, you can:
  • Add equations for components, and rename, edit and delete existing ones.
  • Rename and edit top-level dimensions of the assembly.
The Dimension View lists dimensions used in sketch equations with an Sketch_Equation icon. The icon helps you to identify sketch dimensions from other dimensions used for parts and assemblies.

Ordered View

The Ordered View Ordered View icon displays equations and global variables in the order they are solved.

In this view you can change the order of the equations and global variables, if the Automatic solve order option is clear. You can also add new equations and global variables, and rename, edit, and delete existing ones.