Creating a Datum Target

This task will show you how to create a datum target on a right projection view. You can set text properties either before or after you create the datum target.
This task deals with:
  • Creating a Datum Target
  • Positioning a Datum Target on an Existing Annotation
Open a drawing of a 3D shape representation.
Make sure the view in which you are going to create geometry using folding lines is active. 
  Creating a Datum Target

  1. Click Datum Target in the Annotations toolbar (Text sub-toolbar).

  2. Select the attachment point of the datum target leader.

  1. Select a point to be used to position the datum target (anchor point).
    Tips:
     
    • You can move the pointer so that the anchor point is snapped on the privileged direction.
    • You can press Alt key to orient the datum target in vertical direction.

    The Datum Target Creation dialog box is  displayed.

  1. Enter the required values in the fields. For example, 1 and A.
    The character string that is edited in the Datum Target Creation dialog box is simultaneously previewed on the drawing.

  2. Click ... to specify that the datum target provides information on the diameter or the square reference area of the selected element.

  3. Click OK.
     The datum target is created.

  4. Click the red arrow next to the datum target.
    The datum target is now movable. The leader can be placed on the left or right of the datum target.
  Positioning the Datum Target on an Existing Annotation
You can position a datum target on an existing annotation on a specific point at its anchor position. You can also snap datum target position to any predefined place.

  1. Click Datum Target in the Annotations toolbar (Text sub-toolbar).

  2. Click to define the leader anchor point.
    The datum target leader is placed at the indicated location.

  3. Move the pointer over the reference annotation (in this case, the reference datum target).
    The attachment points are displayed. The nearest attachment point is highlighted to show that the annotation will be positioned on it if that point is selected.

  4. Click on a desired attachment point to position the datum target.
    The leader is removed and the datum target is positioned on the selected attachment point. A dialog box appears with the pre-entered values and at the same time previewed on the drawing.

  5. Enter the required values in the boxes.

  6. Click OK in the dialog box or click in the empty space to validate the inputs provided in the dialog box.
    The datum target is created. If required, you can change the position of the datum target.

  7. If required, click the datum target and drag to change the position.
    The datum target is snapped to the selected position and the attachment point is modified.
  About Datum Targets
 

Datum Target Creation Dialog Box
  This sub-topic provides more information about the datum target creation dialog box.

During datum target creation, if the Use style values to create new objects check box is selected in Tools > Options > Mechanical Design > Drafting > Administration tab, under Style, then the boxes in this dialog box are initialized as follows:

Area Size: Initially this box is empty.

Area Shape icon box: It initializes depending upon the values specified in the Tools > Standards > Drafting > [StandardName] > Styles > Datum Target > Size Specifier parameter.

If the Use style values to create new objects check box is not selected, then the Area Shape icon box and the Area Size Editor box are initialized with the values of the last datum target created.

Associated Datum: It initializes to A1.
All the existing datum features of a drawing are parsed to retrieve the highest letter of all the letters used. For example, if a drawing contains datum features such as, A, B, D, then the letter D is selected.

Then all the datum targets are parsed to check if there are datum targets which already use this letter. If it is not the case, then the Associated Datum is initialized with the selected letter and the number 1. Otherwise, it is initialized with the selected letter and the maximum number is incremented by 1.

So in this case, if the drawing contains datum targets with associated datum text A1 and B1, the associated datum is initialized to D1.

If it contains A1, B1, D1 and D3, the associated datum is initialized to D4.

You can click Reset to reset the Area Size box to an empty string, the Associated Datum box to A1, and the Area Size diameter symbol to the datum target style value.