Breaking Constraints

The Sketcher enables you to break a constraint in order to edit an entity. For example, a circle that you want to edit may be tangent to a line that is also constrained to be vertical. You can edit the circle by breaking the circle's constraints with all the entities in the graphics display area.

Note: Alternatively, you can also break constraints by pressing the ALT key and then dragging the entity, as shown in the example below.

To break an entity's constraints with other entities:

1. Click the Select button from the Sketcher toolbar, or press exit until you are in Select mode.

2. Double-click on the entity that you want to make independent of other entities.

3. You can now edit the entity as you wish.

Notes:

• Editing lines or circumferences will not break the coincidental constraint.

• Editing points will break the coincidental constraint.

• To break the tangent constraint, you must edit the entity from the point near the entity (marking the tangent constraint).

Example: Breaking  Constraints Using the ALT Button

1. Add constraints for a circle residing inside a triangle, so the lines are tangent to the circle, as follows:

2. Click the Select button to enter selection mode.

3. Press the ALT button and then click and drag the entities that you want make independent of other entities, as follows:

In this example, all the constraints have been broken.