Design mode/Visual mode - desk command issue 2

[maddogmiked]

Can anyone tell me how to fix a desk command issue that has already been resolved? This also goes with my other post on "Renaming files w/o losing the link?" question/issue. The scenario as it is:

Used save mgmnt to copy a 20 part assy to another folder for another job. Renamed the new files in windows explorer, then opened the new assy, used the desk command to find the new named files of that assy. This seemed to work fine (even though not preferred, I know), but only when in design mode (edit > representation > design mode). When I switch to vis mode, the file is still trying to look for the original file names, even though the link was fixed? I switch to design mode, and all is fine (no ref to old files). Is there some kind of purge somewhere to get rid of the old reference to the old file name, even though they have already been fixed?

Another example would be hardware. I have an assy of a shoulder bolt, nut and washer. I have it off line in a "common used components" folder. There it is called Shoulder Assy (generic naming for my use) for the product, and the parts are nut, bolt and washer (again, generic naming). When I copy that assy for another job, the naming has to be unique to that job, so instead of Shoulder Assy, through save mgmnt, I save as 123-Assy, with the parts changing to 123-1-Part (nut),123-2-Part (bolt),123-3-Part (washer). Say the next job would be 128-Assy,128-1-Part,128-2-Part,128-3-Part, and so on...

To rename each file and point to the new location is ok with a small assy like the hardware example, but we have assy's with 30 - 50 parts, and having to pick the new folder for each and every file when "save as" through mgmnt is tedious and time consuming as well as renaming.

I can't believe there isn't a more efficient way of copying/renaming files, other than "save as" through mgmnt. I guess I was spoiled with SolidWorks Explorer. I hate having to switch to a less capable tool.

 

[ferdo]

Hi,

You will have always problems if you don't care about UUID (see

http://www.eng-tips.com/faqs.cfm?fid=1318

)

Regards
Fernando

 

[Azrael]

Sounds like you haven't turned your mind set to catia yet. Why do you want to have two different names on the same part?

You have many ways for copy/rename:
Save management
Dmu data flow-> Save as frozen
Use the product knowledge template approach
Macro/vba

 

[maddogmiked]

Fernando - Is there a way to clear/purge that out to register the UUID that it is using in design mode, and clear out the old vis mode?

Azrael - Mind set is fast capable designs, no matter what software (V4,V5, I-Deas, SolidWorks). I just hate using a less capable software than what I came from.
As for the naming, that is the customer requirement for uploading purposes. Every file to job X has to have part #'s derived from X (X-1, X-2, ...) even if it the same generic part (nut or bolt) as job Y or Z. The more I find out the customer needs/requirement's, the more issues/roadblocks I have.

Save mgmnt is time consuming on an assy of 30 files or more. Save mgmnt > Pick file > save > new folder > new name > pick nextfile (same 4 steps for each and every file - 30 min on large assy's).

Don't know anything about DMU features. How does template approach get me around the naming of each and every file unique to that job when there is already a generic name to the file(s)?

Macro would probably be the best thing, I guess.

This UUID thing, is that why the tree name will display an original file name (X) even after you "replace component" that part/assy with a different one (Z)?

 

[ferdo]

Obviously you need more informations about UUID and links management. Search on Google for CATIA UUID and you will find on top a thread in this forum about this subject and on next two places two nice presentations from Vought.

And no, no way to "purge" the UUID. In fact, its the same UUID even your part is in design or visual mode.

Regards
Fernando

 

[CATPart]

Fernando,

The link for two presentations from Vought is not working, If you have saved this presentations would you be so kind and send them to me at:

grga_ri@yahoo.com

Regards,
Damir

 

[Azrael]

With mind set I meant that thing are done differently between the systems. Less capable then SolidWorks?? you are in for a suprise, give it some time to adapt .

The DMU features I told you about, DMU data flow-->save as frozen, will dump the data on local disk with the option to set a prefix.

Using template parts you can set it up so you can change certain parameters when instanciating it, if wanted, and also to set a prefix to the part.

If you are considering creating a macro, start a new thread

 

[maddogmiked]

Azrael - The two years I have been on V5 have not impressed me, coming from SW anyway. In my business we use alot of the same designs, with minor diff's in design. "Stealing" of whole jobs, or main Assy's is a cost saver that has been baked into our cost as a supplier. Now with those capabilities severely diminished using V5, it is becoming more of an issue to mgmnt as the time is growing per job.

The file mgmnt in SW (SW Explorer) is much more friendly/managable. When having diff assy's coming from diff folder's, the copy/rename/file structure is a lot better/stable in SW, especailly when renaming assy's w/many files.

Thanks to all for your help.

 

[catiajim]

If you are doing lots of derivative or similar designs, you might want to look into the PKT workbench. With it you can create a template assembly that will let you automatically assign new part numbers to parts that change, and re-use existing part numbers for parts that do not. You can even have new drawings automatically generated based on the template drawings that exist already in the part.

While this workbench is pricey, it is SIGNIFICANTLY more powerful than simply copying files from one directory to another and re-naming them.

Another solution might be to investigate LCA. In LCA you simply Revise as New Part Number, and your assembly is copied along for the ride. You then do another Revise as New Part Number for the change components and replace them in your assembly.

 

[catiajim]

Shameless Plug time:

Julia Waterbury from Cessna will be giving a presentation on this very topic at the COE Aerospace Workshop in Wichita on October 8th and 9th. Go to

http://www.coe.org

for more information.

 

[Azrael]

Based on your job description I would say you need to use tamplate parts, the PKT workbench as catiajim pointed out. PKT together with KWA that allows you to set rules and checks are very powerful together. Depending on the situation the parts can even change form and shape with these tools. Note that you need the PKT to create/use the template part but I think that KT1 is enough to just use it.

Links from 3ds site:

PKT-Product Knowledge Template

http://www.3ds.com/products-solutio...esis/product/PKT/?no_cache=1&cHash=e48012f3f4

KWA-Knowledge Advisor

http://www.3ds.com/products-solutio...esis/product/KWA/?no_cache=1&cHash=a51dcb8285

 

[vellu]

If and when you have so lot of parts and assemblies and you trying to live with them using just directories and naming methods - why not to thing about some proper datamanagemet system? Eg. in SmarTeam there is a standard function named "Design copy" which means that you can easily copy an assembly with parts into an other assy. Also your files will be more easily to find by SmarTeams classifications, projects etc. and finding features than from directories.

Implementing KWA is a hard job and it's certainly not any datamanagemet system ( at least comparing to SmarTeam ).

 

[ndtdh]

Hello Mike (I guess that's your name)

There is one alternate way out to this problem which you can try Go to Tools>Product Management

here give the new Product name and click on apply similarly select the part and give new part names to it and click apply
finally save your assembly and reopen in either design mode or viso mode , hope this suffices your requirement

Regards
Nitin

 

[ndtdh]

however if you want to create different part number too in Windows explorer than u have to try File>Save Management>Save as and rename the parts according to your choice and finally propogate directory

Regards