Show/Hide within a part, using that part's Reference Sets?

[potrero]

NX8.0.3.4 MP13
Windows 7 x64 Pro

Is it possible to Show/Hide within a part, using that part's Reference Sets?
Let's say you've got a complex model, perhaps serving as a design master for a complex assembly, with several Reference Sets containing different subsets of data. It'd be very useful to be able to hit Ctrl+W to access the Show/Hide menu, and pick between the reference sets present in that model. This would allow straightforward display of groups of data which can include the full range of data types (solids, sheets, sketches, datums, etc).

 

[cowski]

I don't know of a way to do what you want with the standard NX commands. But, I wrote a journal a while ago that does some of what you ask. When run it will show all the objects in the MODEL ref set (or whatever ref set you specify). If the object is hidden or on a hidden layer, the object will be made visible and/or the layer will be turned on. Perhaps the journal could be used as a starting point to get what you need.

http://nxjournaling.com/content/show-reference-set-objects

www.nxjournaling.com

 

[JohnRBaker]

Unfortunately Reference Sets are not 'selectable' objects nor are they a 'collector' like a Group. They act more like a 'filter' controlling what gets loaded into the Assembly when adding a Component part, where the Reference Set resides. You must alwasy define a Reference Set when adding a Component to an Assembly even if it's the 'Entire Part' (note that the default is generally the 'Model' Reference Set if one exists in the Component part). Once loaded, the Component part behaves as a single object, AT the Assembly level, and while you can 'Hide/Show' it, including individual objects that makes-up the Component (with the Selection Scope is set properly), if you want to see the contents of a different Reference Set, you will have to replace the current one with an alternate Reference Set.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

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

 

[jpetach]

A "cheap and cheerful / quick and dirty" approach to consider is "create new parent" and use that temporary parent as the context to select the reference set to "visualize". This approach doesn't set the modified flag on the existing part during the preliminary investigation of the ref set contents.

HTH,
Joe

 

[potrero]

cowski, thanks for the code; I'll try to find time to try it out.
johnrbaker, what you say is indeed my understanding of Ref Sets in the context of assembly modeling.
jpetach: you're right, but the functionality I'm describing, and what it sounds like cowski has at least in part implemented in his custom code, would be so much more handy, without this workaround. Imagine being able to simply hit Ctrl+W and show and hide entire groups of data simply corresponding to the Ref Sets in the part... would be a very useful enhancement when working with complex design masters.