Pack and Go with Drawings

[linqur]

To copy a assembly structure to another location
I use Find References. Problem is that this does not
copy drawings. How to copy the "real" assy structure
with drawings?

BR
Linqur

 

[SBaugh]

Have you tried SW Explorer?

Are the parts and or assemblies in-contexted in any way? Scott Baugh, CSWP
credence69@REMOVEhotmail.com

http://www.3dmca.com

http://home.insightbb.com/~scott.baugh/

*When in doubt always check the help first*

 

[linqur]

I haven't been able to copy assy structure
with drawings in SW Explorer either.

Lets assume there is no in-ccontexting.

My VAR has told me that SW does not allow
Pack and Go of assembly including drawings
and offered to sell his custom program.
I wonder if there are any free ways?

BR,
Linqur

 

[DetroitPickles]

Linqur,

Inside of SW Explorer, have you done this...?

Click the browse button, and open the ASSEMBLY of what you want to copy.

Click on the Edit pulldown, then on Copy Document.

Click on the "Copy Children" checkbox.

Click the "Find Where Used" Checkbox, which opens a seperate "window" below.

Click on the "Find Now" button, and you should see the drawing and it should already have a checkmark to copy it also.

Let us know if this gets what you need...

Mr. Pickles

 

[linqur]

Thanks Mr. Pickles,
this takes a lot of time (depending on structure of course)
because it searches through all files in given path to find drawing references. BUT it is not able to find drawings of
parts and subassys. It finds only drawing of assy to be copied.
BR,
Linqur

 

[Niallc]

That is correct. I had a similar query back a year ago and my vendor said that it couldn't be done. SW Explorer can only find drawing of the assembly and not that parts that make up the assembly.

 

[SnowCrash]

Well this is one of the big suckies of SWorks for me. I have an assembly that we do over and over with dimension variations and parts that may be very different from one job to the next. It is sort of like a mold frame. Well, actually it IS a mold frame.

The only way I have any luck with this is to open every assembly and part and drawing that I want to transfer and then start "saving as . . ." from the bottom up. In other words, open the assembly and all drawings. Edit each part in turn as do a "save as" to the new number and in the new directory. Refs in the assembly and drawings will be changed. Do a save as for each of the drawings. Finally do a save as for the assembly. This is a huge PITA! %-(
Any better ideas?

Crashj 'all the world wonders' Johnson

 

[DetroitPickles]

If you do not have any complicated in-context craziness going on, you can just copy the whole freakin directory (directories) to another location by using the regular M$ Explorer.

Or at least I do on a 900 part assembly. The parts find the ones that they need to find first, so I don't have mis-represented parts/mates/in-contexts going on. Course, you may want all their names changed to, but I don't change them. Heck, they are in a different directory anyway.


Mr. Pickles

 

[SnowCrash]

We have to change the names since PNs are assigned for each assembly. If you don't change the refs then Strange Things Happen when you make changes to parts. It realy gets messed up if you open two assemblies at the same time!

Crashj 'nuts I say NUTS' Johnson

 

[DetroitPickles]

Well, that would create some "issues", so my solution would be null and void in your case. Several others too, but it works for me. Wish it didn't have to be that way though.

I think I'll call my old Inventor VAR and tell him Solidworks can't copy drawings. I'm sure they will be all ears, and have a marketing campaign within a week...

Hey, I'm just kidding folks. Mr. Pickles

 

[alexsasdad]

Gentlemen,

FYI. In Pro/E when you do a save as on a part or assembly it automatically copies the drawing to the new filename. So this is just something that SolidWorks hasn't figured out how to make it happen yet. I'm sure they will get it done sooner or later. This sounds like a good enhancement request.

Mike

 

[linqur]

I would present my view of core of problem.
SW does not put refering information to
"master" file. Meaning that drawing knows
where is the model it is made for but model
does not know where is its drawing.
Though you have possibility to RMB open
drawing from models window but this works only
when drawing is situated in same folder or
any predefined folder for drawings.

So if I have got it right then solution for
full pack and go would be searching for drawings
in predefined folders by predefined rules for
naming.

BR,
Linqur