Categories introduce into the application a concept similar to that of layers.

Layers are used as the foundation for the parts structure, so they cannot be used for certain specific operations, such as:

  • Grouping graphical entities across different parts
  • Achieving a clearer separation between the mechanical structure and the drawing organization

In summary, categories provide a tool for organizing the graphical aspects of the drawing without being tied to the parts structure.

Requirements they were designed for

Let’s imagine we have an assembly structured into parts: how can we group geometries representing pneumatic, electronic, mechanical, or hydraulic elements?

One solution could be to create many sub-parts for each component in the assembly. However, creating a large number of parts purely for graphical purposes not only slows down the management of the parts structure but also interferes with item management (balloons and bill of materials generation).

Another typical case is managing different views of a part. Again, sub-parts could be created, but as before, this leads to mixing parts that represent the actual object with parts that are only used to select certain geometries.

Additionally, selecting balloons, axes, and dimensions is not always easy to manage. In some cases, filters can be used, but this is not always possible.

Solution

The solution to the issues described above is the introduction of a new concept: categories.

This structure is in every way similar to that of layers and is completely independent from the QS parts structure. Within the same drawing, both parts and categories can be used together.