DesignSpark Mechanical Online Help

Locking and unlocking objects

You can lock solids and surfaces so they cannot be changed. When an object is locked, you can only change that object's visibility by clicking its check mark in the Structure treeDisplay in the Structure panel that shows you each of the objects in your design. You can expand or collapse the nodes of the tree to view the objects. You can rename objects, create, modify, replace, and delete objects, as well as work with components.. You cannot change the object's geometry, location, name, color, or properties. Locked objects display a lock icon in the Structure treeDisplay in the Structure panel that shows you each of the objects in your design. You can expand or collapse the nodes of the tree to view the objects. You can rename objects, create, modify, replace, and delete objects, as well as work with components., as shown in the image below.

• You can't modify locked bodies directly or by group modification, and the API cannot modify them via group values.
• Locked bodies cannot be pulled or moved, so the PullTool used to distort or deform geometry. Use the Pull tool to offset, extrude, revolve, sweep, draft, and blend faces; or to round, chamfer, or extrude edges. When converting a sketch to 3D, pulling a line creates a surface and pulling a surface creates a solid. arrow or MoveA tool used to translate or rotate geometry. handle appears gray. They can be copied by holding Ctrl with the PullTool used to distort or deform geometry. Use the Pull tool to offset, extrude, revolve, sweep, draft, and blend faces; or to round, chamfer, or extrude edges. When converting a sketch to 3D, pulling a line creates a surface and pulling a surface creates a solid. or MoveA tool used to translate or rotate geometry. tool. The PullTool used to distort or deform geometry. Use the Pull tool to offset, extrude, revolve, sweep, draft, and blend faces; or to round, chamfer, or extrude edges. When converting a sketch to 3D, pulling a line creates a surface and pulling a surface creates a solid. arrow or MoveA tool used to translate or rotate geometry. handle changes to color when you hold Ctrl.
• You can use a locked body as a cutter with the CombineA tool used to cut or glue geometry together. tool, but you cannot use it as target.
• You can use a locked body as a location or selection reference, but it cannot be changed as a result. For example, you can sketch on a locked body but the sketch lines will not imprint on the body.

To lock a solid or surface

1. Right-click the solid or surface in the Structure tree.

   You can lock all solids and surface parts in a component by right-clicking the component.

2. Select Lock.

   The object's icon changes to a locked icon.

To unlock a solid or surface

1. Right-click the solid or surface in the Structure treeDisplay in the Structure panel that shows you each of the objects in your design. You can expand or collapse the nodes of the tree to view the objects. You can rename objects, create, modify, replace, and delete objects, as well as work with components..

2. Select Unlock.