Reveal constraints to see how an element in the model may be constrained to other elements.
This video demonstrates the following:
When working in a complex model, it can be difficult to understand which elements are constrained, and how these constraints may be controlling element behavior. The Reveal Constraints view mode allows you to quickly see all dimension and alignment constraints in the view.
In this example, we'll perform 2 alignment tasks in different areas of the model. First, working closely in the right wing of the model, we align the wall to the grid line. Next, while working on the area of the model near the stair well, we see that the stair is not aligned to the shaft. We align the edge of the stair as required.
When we zoom out, you can see that the walls that we originally aligned have moved. It's not clear why the walls are no longer aligned with the grid line. When we select the wall or the stair, you do not see any constraints.
On the View Control Bar, click Reveal Constraints. In Reveal Constraints mode, the drawing area has a color border and the constraints display in color. Model elements display in gray. You can now see a constraint between the stair and the wall, and you can see that the walls are aligned with one another. Because of these constraints, when we aligned the stair, the walls also moved, and were no longer aligned with the grid line.
If you select the constraint, then the elements that it constrains also highlight. You can remove the constraint by simply deleting it, or by unlocking it. Now, we can align the walls as required without affecting the position of the stair. Notice the lighter colored constraint between the 2 sets of stairs. Constraints that were created in sketch mode display in color, in half-tone. To edit these constraints, select the sketched element, and click Edit Sketch.
When you enter sketch mode, the constraint displays in full color and can be modified or deleted. Reveal Constraints view mode is useful when troubleshooting or modifying model elements that have dependencies created by constraints.