assembly navigator component names 1

[cowski]

When working with an assembly, I'll often open the file with no components then use the 'component name' column to pick and choose which components I need to open. In some files, names in subassemblies show up just fine; in other files you have to open the subassembly (structure only, not loading components) before the names will show up. In some assembly files some subassembly component names show up while others do not. I would like all the names to show up without having to open subassemblies.

What is the difference? Why do some names show up before you load the subassembly and others do not? Is there some setting I missed or difference in technique? Is there a way to change those that don't show up so that they will?

This is one of those minor annoyances that has bugged me on every version of UG/NX I have worked on.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Check to see if the Sub-Assembly has it's Reference Set defined as something other than 'Entire Part'. If so, change it to Entire Part and see if this 'fixes' the problem. If it does, you've just learned of one more reason why we do NOT recommend that you ever create any sort of Reference Set inside of an Assembly file. It's best to create all Assemblies with no other Reference Sets than the defaults, 'Empty' and 'Entire Part'.

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

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

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

 

[cowski]

If the subassembly isn't loaded, I do not get the option of changing reference sets - unless I am misunderstanding something?

I did a little more tinkering and found a partial answer to one of my questions. I created a new file and added 2 components; the first I added then changed the name through the assembly navigator (right click component, properties, change name on the general tab), the other I named at the time of adding the component. When I brought this assembly file into another file as a component (it is now a subassembly), the name of the first component (the one I changed later) defaulted back to the name of the file, but the 2nd (the one I named at the time I added the file) showed the name I gave it. But neither name showed up until I loaded the assembly file.

There appears to be some difference between components that get named at the time they get added vs those that get named later. Is there a trick to name a component later and have the name show up? That would at least be a step in the right direction.

 

[SiW979]

Is this not something to with update structure?

Best regards

Simon NX4.0.4.2 MP10 - TCEng 9.1.3.6.c - (NX6.0.3.6 MP2 native)

http://www.jcb.com

Life shouldn't be measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the number of times when it's taken away...

 

[cowski]

Here is a couple of screenshots to clarify what I am seeing. These actually come from 2 different assembly files, on the left none of the subassembly component names show; on the right you can see what the names are even though the subassembly is not open. I should also mention that the assembly file shown on the right has several subassemblies, but only 1 or 2 subassemblies show up as in the screenshot the others are blank. There must be some difference in how these subassemblies are created or named, I would like to know what that difference is.

 

[cowski]

I think I have stumbled on what has been happening. If you open an assembly file with no components you can change the name of any component (component of the assembly or one of its subassemblies) and it will be persistent in the assembly (whether the subassembly is loaded or not).

Is there a better way to do this? Can I assign an attribute to a part and have the value of that attribute automatically show up in the 'component name' column in the assembly (eg "name" = "widget" and 'widget' would show up as the component name whenever the part was added to an assembly)?

 

[JohnRBaker]

Remember, when you change the name of the 'component' in the Assembly' you are ONLY changing the name of the OBJECT which is POINTING to the master Part file. This is not all that different then when you changed the color of a Component without effecting the color of the original bodies in the master Part file.

Note that you have the option to display, in the Assembly Navigator, additional columns of the Component Names and/or the Part file name.

Now as far as the so-called 'Descriptive Part Name' goes, which is GENERALLY the first column seen in the Assembly Navigator (this can be changed however), YES, you have complete control over what it says, based on the options as set in the...

Preferences -> Assemblies...

...dialog.

If you open the above dialog, note about 2/3 of the way down the dialog a section titled 'Descriptive Part Name Style'. Note that there are three options available, Part Name (which is the out-of-the-box default), Description and Specified Attribute.

Now in your case, while you could use an Attribute, I suspect that the 'Description' option would meet your needs better. Now this 'Description' is not an attribute, but rather a user-defined 'text string' which you can assign to any NX Part File. By default this is unassigned and so if you were set the above Assembly preference to 'Description' you will instead see in the Assembly Navigator the part file name shown as '<part file name>'. However, if there is a Description assigned to the Part file, it will be displayed instead. To assign a Description to a Part file, go to...

File -> Utilities -> Edit Work Part Header...

...where you can assign a textual 'Description' as well as a numerical 'Status' (note that both of these fields can be read, and written, by NX Open programs). So in your case if you're looking for something more descriptive, like 'Widget', here would be the place to put it.

Anyway, give it try and see what you think.

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

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

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

 

[cowski]

Thanks John, that sounds very useful.