While drawing a route make an angle. Specify that the relationship between the two lines is perpendicular. Double check that both lines are indeed tangent to the bend that the progam automatically draws, leave edit route mode and get a bended pipe instead of an inserted elbow.
Do an edit route again and delete only the route elements that specify the "elbow", you'll get a "how to fix this" error and you apply the fillet with the correct radius.
Still no elbow, although the radius is correct and in all other places the elbow always got inserted automatically
Force the lines to be according to x, y or z (whatever is appropriate) and double check that the lines are merged on one point and perpendicular to each other
No luck
You erase the bend and the pipe route elements and redraw them and specify that the angle has to be 90.0 ° (afterall, if the programmers have a MS background it could be that they didn't know that perpendicular and 90° should be the same)
Still no elbow
You do a split route before and after the curved route elements , delete everything in between, merge the two points, force both lines to be in certain directions (x,y or z) and ..... pay dirt !
It's these kinds of fustrations that make people pull out hair, cuss, and wish that the programmers armpits may be infected by the fleas of a thousand camels.
Afterall what difference does it make if one delete's the curve and reconnect the ends of the two lines or if one puts a split in each of the 2 lines , removes the curve and the little piece on either side of the curve and then merges the leftovers ?
The difference being either doing something within seconds or having to spend 20 minutes to place an elbow.
As long as one have a route that is perfectly along the x,y,z axis then there's hardly any problem but if one has to deviate from that then one is pretty much on his(her) own.
Do other people have the same experience or suggestions ?
SolidworksRouting