Chain Similar
Chain Similar allows you to automatically add chains to the chain manager. The chains are selected based on the initial chain and the settings in the Chain Similar Options dialog box. Chain Similar is most useful when you have a large number of chains in a part with groups of similar shapes and window chaining is not an option. You chain similar shapes with a single button, saving time and eliminating undesired chains. Chain Similar applies to lines, arcs, and splines.
Chain Similar is both powerful and flexible in its application. For instance, by selecting the large slot labeled 1 in the image above, Chain Similar can select the two large slots, or all of the slots, depending on the settings selected. Set the chaining similar options to Identical for the large slots or to Shape match to allow for all slots to be selected. Shape match can be further refined by the Shape perimeter filter or Scaled shapes. Identical looks for exact geometric matches. Any differences will cause those chains to be ignored. Shape Match looks for similar chains and adds them to the chain manager. The Shape perimeter filter selects chains based on perimeter length. Scaled shapes selects chains that match the original and differ only by scale.
Attribute matching adds the ability to filter the results based on attributes of the chain. Select which attributes to evaluate, set the attribute value to match, and the function will select those chains for you. When active, View will filter the arcs based on the first arc encountered in the chain. Same as will automatically apply all attributes of the selected entity while overriding the checkboxes selected.
