What Do These Mean; Why So Many Loop Errors? (Alibre Atom)

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What Do These Mean; Why So Many Loop Errors? (Alibre Atom)

This topic has 4 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 6 February 2025 at 16:37 by David Jupp.

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6 February 2025 at 10:55 #782042
Nigel Graham 2
Participant
@nigelgraham2
Two oddities:

When opening this growing (with many growing pains) assmebly, firstly a small window appears with a list of files comp[lete with their directory paths. Accept it, then this opens:

.

It does not seem to affect anything, so is it referring to earlier files or editions of them I have replaced but Alibre is still trying to find them? I have made a lot of changes to the assembly not only for design purposes but to simplify some sub-assemblies to single parts easier to control.

Then, this peculiarly tilted plane started to appear. The plane was intended and it is in the correct position and orientation, by why tipped over? It does not seem to matter. It was originally for placing a bearing as a bolted-on part, but I subsequently simplifed the Parts to a more diagrammatic base-plate with three integral, solid journals as one Part. This was because I kept having parts wandering about despite supposedly constrained. I just make the tilted plane invisible, but could such antics create real problems?

The loop errors are in creating polygonal features (usually rectangular). It seems every time I try to move to creating an extrusion the starting shape is full of unexpected “open loop”, “intersection” or “degenerate” faults. This seems to happen with library rectangles as well as figures built from lines.

Though the fault-finding tool shows the locations the faults are usually invisible; and then the only cure is much experimental trimming and redrawing. Sometimes I need extend the lines past their junction to temporary external ones, them trim them back; but that risks overlain line fragments. If you draw a line from one black node dot to another, shouldn’t they snap together? (I don’t know if Alibre uses the term “snap”, but it should give the same result.)

I even found rectangles quietly re-sizing themselves until I loked everything in sight.

I noticed in that video cited in another thread a while back, all the outlines are neatly defined and located, showing as all black lines. I don’t see that effect very often..
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6 February 2025 at 11:12 #782045
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
First one is probable files that have been deleted but are still listed down the left side, renamed or copied but not using “save as”

The plane will only be tilted if you inadvertantly picked geometry that was at an angle when you created it. Right click the plane towards the top of teh left hand list and you can edit it.

It won’t snap if you have turned snap off or set it at a very short distance. I have no roblem. Orange-Red to Black are all related to how constrained a sketch is. the more you tie it down by giving lines a length or radius or set their position the closer you will be to a completely black sketch though I often work with quite a bit of a sketch still red.
6 February 2025 at 11:35 #782053
David Jupp
Participant
@davidjupp51506
Nigel,

As Jason said – if you get a list of files/paths when you try to open an assembly or a drawing – this is an indication of missing files. There will be some files in the list which have a red spot next to them. You should select one of these, then use the ‘replace’ button at the bottom of the dialogue to re-link the file (assuming you have it somewhere). Repeat until all missing items have been re-linked.

This happens if you have moved or deleted files that the assembly requires.

As for ‘open loop’ errors – after using the analyse tool, click on one of the problems in the list – it should now be highlighted on screen with small red squares. Depending on the nature of the open loop, there might be a ‘Heal’ option available to automatically fix it.

I’m sure we’ve covered ‘snaps’ before – you can enable a grid and snaps in sketch mode (if you really want to), perhaps more usefully there is ‘snapping threshold’ setting which controls how close you have to get the cursor to an existing item for the new figure to ‘snap’ to it. The allowed setting varies from 0 thru 5mm. At zero, it is almost impossible to snap to existing figures, at 5mm it may be difficult to select the correct item to snap too in congested sketch. The ideal figure for you will depend upon display settings and what you are modelling. My system is set to 3mm.

The setting can be found in System Options -> Parts/Assemblies -> Sketching : Snapping (it’s right at the bottom of the dialogue). There is an equivalent setting in the Drawings-> Sketching area.
6 February 2025 at 16:26 #782089
Nigel Graham 2
Participant
@nigelgraham2
Thankyou. The “Heal” function in Atom seems to work on only one type of error, ‘Open Loop’ I think. It does offer a tolerance band with an extremely fine diameter, but as it doesn’t always work for me there must be something else wrong at those points.

Fortunately the wonky plane had tilted on its own plane so it didn’t actually do any harm there, but I was worried about similar happening somewhere else and causing damage.
6 February 2025 at 16:37 #782091
David Jupp
Participant
@davidjupp51506
The tolerance value for Heal can be increased – then it will sometimes become active and available.

Heal can only fix small gaps in a loop – it can’t fix a short isolated line, or a line that extends beyond the boundary of a shape outline, because it isn’t clear what to do – usually these need trimming or deleting.

As we keep saying – if you have something you don’t understand just send the file.

Overlaps are typically harder to deal with, and degenerate figures can be be a bit of a mystery.
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