INTELLIGENT CONSTRAINT DEFINITIONS FOR ASSEMBLY PART MATING

One or more embodiments of the invention provide a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for defining mating properties of a graphical component in a computer-implemented drawing program. An option to create a first constraint interface for a first geometric characteristic of a first component is initiated. In response to the initiation, a dialog window for specifying settings for the first constraint interface regardless of whether a second constraint interface is currently displayed is displayed. The settings define mating properties for how the first geometric characteristic of the first component mates with the second constraint interface. Once specified, the first constraint interface of the first geometric characteristic is persisted with the first component.