How to make a midpoint horizontal to another point?

[bnemec]

Why is selecting the midpoint of a line so difficult in SW? I used to be able to center hole patterns quite simply by making two midpoints horizontal or vertical. The only way I know to do that in SW is to add a construction line between the midpoints and make that construction line horizontal. Is there a way to apply sketch relations to midpoints?

Thank you.

[SPerman]

It's funny you should ask. For years I've made midpoints of my geometry coincident to the primary axis. After my upgrade to windows 11, selecting the midpoints has become almost impossible. Then I found this trick: Right click on the line, and there should be an option for "select midpoint." You might have to expand the menu to show all items.

[Glenn Schroeder]

For the last several years you have been able to hover your cursor near the midpoint of a line for a few seconds and the midpoint will show up to select. If that doesn't work you can right-click on a line and choose "Select Midpoint."

[SPerman]

This is the only reference in the help that I can find to the rightclick solution:

https://help.solidworks.com/2022/englis ... points.htm

[AlexLachance]

Why is selecting the midpoint of a line so difficult in SW? I used to be able to center hole patterns quite simply by making two midpoints horizontal or vertical. The only way I know to do that in SW is to add a construction line between the midpoints and make that construction line horizontal. Is there a way to apply sketch relations to midpoints?

Thank you.

I have the filter selection bar shown on my interface to be able to quickly toggle the middlepoint filter to facilitate this process. You can always use the right click as some have pointed but I find it less efficient, but that's a personal opinion.

[SPerman]

Whatever is wrong with my setup, neither the filter or dynamic highlighting work.

[AlexLachance]

Whatever is wrong with my setup, neither the filter or dynamic highlighting work.

Could you go into detail about what/how you're doing it, perhaps we could figure out what is the cause.

[Glenn Schroeder]

Whatever is wrong with my setup, neither the filter or dynamic highlighting work.

Is this option turned on? Mine turned itself off one day this week. It doesn't happen nearly as often as it did years ago, but it still happens.

[SPerman]

That was not checked. I will have to test if it fixed it later. I've had a few things change in the UI recently that I don't remember changing.

[bnemec]

Thank you all. The right click, select midpoint is a good one I forgot about. The filter bar is ok but equally clunky to go up and turn it on IMO. The dynamic highlight was off on my settings and turning that on helped too. Now I can select two midpoints and apply horizontal or vertical relations. I think my dynamic highlight setting used to be on and got turned off at some point. I've tried it with dynamic highlight on and off and when it's on it feels like how SW was a year ago.

[zwei]

one thing that i never figure out about (right-click) select midpoint is that it seems like it could not select multiple midpoint in sketch? (or rather it always clear all selection except the midpoint)

Eg: [Right click, Select midpoint] on sketch line 1 → midpoint of line 1 selected → [Right click, Select midpoint] on line 1 → midpoint of line 1 got cleared, midpoint of sketch line 2 is selected

Interestingly... it behave differently in model edge
Eg: [Right click, Select midpoint] on model edge 1 → midpoint of model edge 1 selected → [Right click, Select midpoint] on line 1 → midpoint of model edge 1 AND 2 selected

[jcapriotti]

Thank you all. The right click, select midpoint is a good one I forgot about. The filter bar is ok but equally clunky to go up and turn it on IMO. The dynamic highlight was off on my settings and turning that on helped too. Now I can select two midpoints and apply horizontal or vertical relations. I think my dynamic highlight setting used to be on and got turned off at some point. I've tried it with dynamic highlight on and off and when it's on it feels like how SW was a year ago.

Do you have a 3d mouse? I've found in the past they temporarily toggle that setting while rotating / panning / zooming then toggle it back on. Sometimes it failed to turn it back on it. Been a few years since I've used one though.

[AlexLachance]

That was not checked. I will have to test if it fixed it later. I've had a few things change in the UI recently that I don't remember changing.

Here is a macro to turn it on in a click, courtesy of @gupta9665

[Glenn Schroeder]

. . . I've tried it with dynamic highlight on and off and when it's on it feels like how SW was a year ago.

I don't know why anyone would ever want it off. I assume there's a reason, but I can't imagine what it might be.

[AlexLachance]

I don't know why anyone would ever want it off. I assume there's a reason, but I can't imagine what it might be.

There's an intermitent bug that turns it off. I don't really know what causes it but I've had to deal with it ever since I've been on SolidWorks. I have to turn it on every now and then.

[XHawkeye]

one thing that i never figure out about (right-click) select midpoint is that it seems like it could not select multiple midpoint in sketch? (or rather it always clear all selection except the midpoint)

Eg: [Right click, Select midpoint] on sketch line 1 → midpoint of line 1 selected → [Right click, Select midpoint] on line 1 → midpoint of line 1 got cleared, midpoint of sketch line 2 is selected

Interestingly... it behave differently in model edge
Eg: [Right click, Select midpoint] on model edge 1 → midpoint of model edge 1 selected → [Right click, Select midpoint] on line 1 → midpoint of model edge 1 AND 2 selected

This should work but doesn't: [Right click, Select midpoint] on sketch line 1 → [hold ctrl] → [Right click, Select midpoint] on sketch line 2

With dynamic highlighting option checked this works: [Right click, Select midpoint] on sketch line 1 → [hold ctrl] → Move cursor over sketch line 2 → Wait for midpoint to appear → click midpoint

or

Move cursor over sketch line 1 → Wait for midpoint to appear → click midpoint → [hold ctrl] → Move cursor over sketch line 2 → Wait for midpoint to appear → click midpoint

[Glenn Schroeder]

There's an intermitent bug that turns it off. I don't really know what causes it but I've had to deal with it ever since I've been on SolidWorks. I have to turn it on every now and then.

It's my understanding that it's mostly linked to using a 3d mouse. When you're using the 3d mouse to manipulate the model it's turned off to keep the software from trying to highlight every edge and surface that passes under your cursor. It's supposed to come back on when you stop moving the model, but it doesn't always.

At one time the 3dConnexion and SW folks were pointing fingers at each other when asked why. I don't know how that got resolved, but it's much better now than it was 5 or so years ago.

[AlexLachance]

It's my understanding that it's mostly linked to using a 3d mouse. When you're using the 3d mouse to manipulate the model it's turned off to keep the software from trying to highlight every edge and surface that passes under your cursor. It's supposed to come back on when you stop moving the model, but it doesn't always.

At one time the 3dConnexion and SW folks were pointing fingers at each other when asked why. I don't know how that got resolved, but it's much better now than it was 5 or so years ago.

It's more then that, I do not use a 3D mouse.