2D Drawing getting stuck in 3D during Symbol Creation

[MeTheMachine]

I'm having a problem creating a basic 2D/3D symbol.  Sometimes, I'll have no 2D representation of my symbol and my 2D drawing is merged into my 3D drawing.  I've read through the guides and have made sure that I'm drawing all my 3D word in the correct views and the 2D work in Top/Plan.  I then, will select both drawings from Top/Plan view and align them together. While still selected, I then I will create symbol.  Sometimes it works, but most of the time it doesn't.

 

Does the stacking order matter? Does the object position in 3D matter?  I've tried the following:

- Aligned both bottom axes to each other in 3D, then in Top/Plan aligned there centers.
- Aligned both top axes to each other in 3D, then in Top/Plan aligned there centers.

- Stacked the 2D object over the 3D object (Send to Front)
- Stacked the 3D object over the 2D.

 

Basically my 2D is carrying over to my 3D object and I can not figure out why...

 

Thanks for any help!

[Andy Broomell]

Stacking order and position don't matter. Essentially, if you want something to be on the 2D side, it has to be set to "Screen Plane". Anything else (Such as Layer Plane or Symbol Definition) will cause planar objects to go to the 3D side of the Symbol.

 

This can be fixed even after the Symbol has been created. Just go to the 3D part of your Symbol, select the object(s) you want to be 2D and change the plane to Screen Plane.

 

Does this fix the issue?

[michaelk]

If you draw a 2D object that is not in the screen plane and then create a symbol, that object will be in the 3D part of the symbol.  It's a common mistake to draw a 2D object in top/plan in the layer plane.  That object then ends up in the 3D part.

 

You can go to the 3D part, Top/Plan View, select the 2D objects, in the OIP change the plane to Screen, align to taste.  Exit.  You will probably get a warning about changing a 3D symbol to a hybrid symbol.

 

One workflow I find helpful is to create the 3D part and then create the symbol.

 

Edit the 3D part.  Top/Plan View.  Select All > Modify > Convert > Convert Copy to Lines > Hidden Line Rendering.  Exit.  

This will create a quick 2D part of the object.  If you need the 2D to have a fill you will still need to dress it up.

 

[MeTheMachine]

Thank you.  Changing 2D object to Screen worked.  However, it shows up when I go into 3D also.  So I'm still doing something wrong...

 

Also, Just to confirm....

 

It doesn't matter where my 3D object lies in space when I create my symbol?  

 

- It can be located in negative Z....

 

Sorry for the questions, I'm new to 3D drawing. 

[michaelk]

It doesn't matter.   The Z value doesn't matter and the stacking order doesn't matter.  All 2D screen plane objects will automatically move to the 2D part.  Everything else will be in the 3D part.

 

[Andy Broomell]

@MeTheMachineIf you're still seeing issues, you're welcome to attach a VW file to a post so we can take a closer look to see what might be happening.

[MeTheMachine]

8 hours ago, Andy Broomell said:

@MeTheMachineIf you're still seeing issues, you're welcome to attach a VW file to a post so we can take a closer look to see what might be happening.

Due to some NDA's, I'm unable to submit the file.  However, I'll try some of the steps outlined above in a new file.  Perhaps I screwed something up messing around with all the objects before I asked the forums...

 

Regardless, thanks for the help.

[MeTheMachine]

I just figured out that I had the option to make group enabled and that was causing my 2D/3D issue.  I was under the impression that grouping the objects made it so I could alter the symbol, once inserted in the drawing, without affecting the source symbol? Or am I misunderstanding the whole group vs symbol?

 

Thanks again.