Inventor 5, I hate you.

[Alan]

alright, so I just installed inventor 5 for the first time, i got a free disk from my cousin, and I just can't figure it out. Autocad is eleventy times easier for me to understand. What i'm doing is attempting to draw plans and cut list for a speaker box to go in my new car. So, I draw the bottom panel of the box in 2d, then I extrude it to the thickness I need it which is 1/2" (the thickness of the board) So then I try to draw one of the side panels, which when vertical would be 1/2" x 14 , and then i'd have to extrude it to 11" high. Why won't it let me extrude again?
I suck at drawing.

[Alan]

nevermind i figured it out
a sketch = a layer. <_<
but never fear, I have yet another question
so, i've got all six (actually 7) panels of my box, but two of the panels (the bottom and top) are on the same plane, and they need to be separated by 11 inches. How do I fix that?

[Alan]

I've always said the best teacher... is me. Figured that one out, only now, extrusion 1 I want to get rid of, and I can't without getting rid of EVERYTHING. What gives?
edit: OMG WTF BBQ
also how do I cut a hole in an extruded sketch? Its got to be 9 inches and some change... looks like the biggest i can make a hole is 4

[Mr T]

Edit the sketch or edit the extrude. If a sketch is used to create other features all dependant features are deleted. Although you may get a n option to keep them as in IV7.

Nick

[Alan]

Edit the sketch or edit the extrude. If a sketch is used to create other features all dependant features are deleted. Although you may get a n option to keep them as in IV7.

Nick

I tried editing the sketch, but it still won't let me do that without deleting everything. I used the separate command, and it made the parts that I wanted disappear in 3d, but they still show up in sketch mode. I want to figure out how to do this the right way. What exactly determines another feature having used a sketch in its creation ?
Here's what I did.
Bottom panel drawn out.. rectangular, but irregularly shaped. 3 sides are 14,9, and 11, and the 4th side interconnects the 14 and 11
I extruded that to 1/2" which is the thickness of the wood.
finished sketch 1
new sketch : Drew the panels that would be standing upright on top of the bottom panel using the rectangle tool. I then drew a construction line off the angled edge of the bottom panel, moved it, and used it to cut the ends of the rectangles at the same angle the bottom panel is. Extruded these to 11" and finished sketch.
I then realized I had the box upside down, and wished i had made the panel on the other end.
this is where I can't figure out how to either A : Move the panel from its original plane to a new plane, or B: delete it and draw a new one on the plane i need.
hopefully thats not all too confusing
on a side note : MR T. Inventor is indeed pretty simple to learn, even for someone new to the whole 3d drawing world.
also, what about cutting a hole out of one of these panels?

[Mr T]

I think you seem to be doing the right thing but it's difficult for me to help since I have never used 5 and I use 7.

Although I'm sure the fundamentals are the same -

Sketch a drawing, dimension it

Use the sketch to create a 3d feature

Edit the feature

Share the sketch to adapt the feature

Sketch on the feature to add more bits.

Post up what you have done and i'll look at it.

I will record an onscreen video showing you the above if
required.

Nick

[Alan]

Share the sketch to adapt the feature

maybe this is what i'm missing, because I don't think I did that.

[Mr T]

Yip. If you draw a sketch but only use a bit of it to create a feature then you must share it to use it again.

Nick