NX6 parts list component name 1

OK, it is a result of the 'highlight manual text' option. I guess linking to the assigned component name is considered 'manual text'.

On a different note, I'm using the auto numbering option but I'd like to change the number assigned to one of the components (technically 2 of the components since they can't have the same number, but I don't care what number the other component gets assigned). Can I manually control certain parts and let auto numbering do the rest?

First go to the Assembly Navigator and select the Component of interest, press MB3, Properties and add a new Attribute, something like 'NEW_CALLOUT' and set it's value to the letter you desire, say 'Z' (you will see an attribute already there titled 'CALLOUT' set equal to the current callout letter, but don't try editing it as it will always revert back to what it's supposed to be).

Now go to your drawing and select just the Callout 'cell' of the Parts List of the Component of interest, press MB3, select 'Edit Text...' and when the Text Editor dialog comes up, on the Relationships tab select the 'Object Attributes' item (top row, middle icon), when the Target Object selection dialog comes up, select the what looks like another Object Attribute icon (this will show you only the attributes associated with the selected callout), select the Attribute 'NEW_CALLOUT', hit OK, hit OK again and the Parts List will update. The old callout letter will be reused, moving up by one letter, all remaining callouts (if you don't want that to happen, you'll have to lock them first).

Now if later you wish to 'undo' this, just reselect just the callout cell, press MB3 and select the 'Automatic Text' item. This will set that cell back what the system originally had assigned it.

Anyway, I hope this gives you what you're looking for.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Let me back up a step and explain what I'm after, perhaps there is an easier way. For our assembly drawings it is a bit of an unwritten rule that when you create the callout balloons you start at the upper left of the view and work your way around clockwise (1, 2, 3, 4,...). For larger drawings this makes it easy to find an item of interest on the drawing. When I place the parts list and use autoballoon, there is a lot of hunting for the component on the drawing (there is no specific order).

Let's say I have a 4 item assembly and the autoballoon 'item 3' I want to be 'item 1'; when I use the 'new_callout' attribute I end up with items 1, 1, 2, and 4. Is it a choice between managing them manually or hunting for the auto callout?

Have you tried to 'Cut & Paste' the Parts List 'rows' until you have your desired result? Once you do something like that, unless you perform a future explicit 'sort' operation, it will honor the order of the items that you end up with.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Excellent, thanks John.