Turning an SLDASM into a SLDPRT ?

[NOV8TR]

Noobie here,,
I'm about 2 months into Solidworks 2011,, coming from 15+ years of Cadkey.
I'm trying to retain as much of that 15 years of accumulated CAD data as possible (all of my staff was recently eliminated due to "downsizing"). Right now, I am mainly interested in capturing all the detailing done on PC boards. I don't mind that it does not behave like native SolidWorks files, as the PC boards I'm using only need to be geometrically correct for "fit purposes" (no thermal or stress analysis is required). I found this file on our network that one of my guys created before he left, but I can't figure out how to reproduce what he did. It was exported from Cadkey (ver 19), but unlike everything I have tried, he figured out how to get it into a SLDPRT file (might not have been intentional, as none of us were given any training on SolidWorks). Every thing I have tried so far takes me to a SLDASM format that requires external reference files (totally unacceptable in our document control system for purchased parts with a single part number). This is what the file looks like,

http://files.engineering.com/getfil...b331-faea7887a7eb&file=Capture-Solidworks.jpg

Anybody have any ideas how he did it?
Is there some way to turn a multi part assembly into a single part file (parasolids that import from Cadkey create SLDASM files which look fine, but I can't figure out how to get around the externally referenced files issue).
Because I know the question will be asked, no,, we do not have any PDM assets (I'm sure that would more than likely solve my document control problem). Someday maybe, but for now the PTB at corporate are making the rules (like eliminating my staff!)
Help?

 

[handleman]

To save an assembly as a part, go to File->Save As and choose "Part" from the dropdown.

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)

 

[Gupta65]

And depending on the requirements, you can choose:

1 All Parts

2 Exterior Parts

3 Exterior surfaces/faces

Deepak Gupta
SW 2010 SP4.0 & 2011 SP1.0
DriveWorks Pro 7 SP5
Boxer's SolidWorks™ Blog

 

[SnowCrash]

Actually, that appears to be a multi body part, not an assembly. 26-133 has the icon of a part. They are all imported bodies.
I take it you are trying to get the PCB; click on it to find out which body it is. You can then save the body as a separate file. (Delete everything else and save as PCB part number)
Always do things like this on a backup copy, not the original file.

--
Hardie "Crashj" Johnson
SW 2011 SP 2.0
HP Pavillion Elite HPE
W7 Pro, Nvidia Quaddro FX580

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The OP's posted image shows an assy which has been saved as a part using the All components option. If it were a true multi-body part, the bodies would have editable features.

 

[NOV8TR]

Thanks all for your replies!
It turns out that the files were originally converted from parasolid exports using SolidWorks 2008. It seemed to work fine (plus at the time we did not know the difference!) Unfortunately, I have been using SolidWorks 2011 SP0 (all I can get at work currently), which files imported parasolids as SLDASM files by default. If I select to save as SLDPRT file, it saves the converted entities as “surfaces” rather than “bodies”. When I do the same conversion from a machine using 2011 SP3 the problem goes away!

I purchased a dedicated laptop (just to run SolidWorks), and a SolidWorks Professional seat with a maintenance agreement for my own personal use (don’t know how much longer this job will last). That gives me access to SP3 and allows me not to be “boxed in” by the IT guys and their phobias about giving Engineers more local or network rights than the receptionist. It is a pretty expensive solution to a problem that many of us should not have to worry about (trying to do our jobs with fewer resources and penny pinching accountants dictating policy). At least I can get my job done now, and 12 hour days are a bit more palatable if 4 of those hours are in the comfort of my own home. Way better than unemployment!

There is a big difference between SP0 and SP3 ! So if you haven’t bothered to “rev up” and you have the opportunity,, do it!

 

[handleman]

Please read Deepak's (Gupta65) post again. You need to choose "All components".

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)