Footprints not Syncing to Schematic Updates

[wcrosby0404]

My team is using a schematic symbol 'preload attributes from DB' approach where all multiple CAT/MFG/WDBLKNAM/etc. are preloaded from the DB directly provided that the symbol has the additional attributes.

I have seen 2 issues:

1.) 5% of the time you have to do a Lookup twice to get the additional attributes to actually get loaded

2.) A good majority of the time the Footrpints will not sync the multiple catalog changes when changing the schematic symbol.

Any thoughts/concerns?

[wcrosby0404]

Has anybody else seen this issue?  Assuming you use the same technique for preloading symbols from the data base

[sonny3g]

Do your panel footprints include the wdblknam attribute?  That is where I would start.

[wcrosby0404]

Yes all of the schematic symbols and Footprints have the "Required" attributes

[crosby.109]

Nobody else have this issue?  Try preloading multiple MFG and CAT from inside the TEXT value in the database upon lookup while you have a Footprint is laid down.  Go back and forth and see if the Footprints multiple CAT and MFG reflect the same changes.

[dougmcalexander]

I have reported this issue before to Autodesk. The most reliable way I have found to load MFG01, CAT01, MFG01, CAT02, etc. from the TEXTVALUE field is on the schematic symbol, not the footprint. You still have to click OK once from Lookup and once from the Edit dialog to get the data to write to the attributes. But it will work with this work flow. It's a mouse click too many but it works.

[crosby.109]

Doug,

Do they plan on fixing this anytime soon?  It seems to be a big issue when an engineer selects an item and then forgets that he/she actaully has to do it twice sometimes.

Plus, and I dont know if you have seen this, but if doing this from the schematic symbol which I always do, the mutliple CAT and MFG and the Footprint almost never gets updated correctly.  This requires either relinking or relaying the Footprint to the symbol which can be even more frustrating if you update multiple schematic components to find out you have to relay down all of the Footprints.

Thanks!

[dougmcalexander]

I have no idea what Autodesk may or may not do about this.  Technically it isn't a bug.  It was never intended for us to load the multiple catalog attributes using the TEXTVALUE method, especially not on footprints.  With footprints the idea was to add the MFG01, CAT01, etc. attributes to the block with preloaded values.  

I just happened to notice one day that it takes two times to get it to update, if I try to use the TEXTVALUE field to assign ir change the values.

The original concept of Multiple Catalog was to Lookup a subassembly part number on the schematic symbol and it gets added as xdata.  You only need to add the MFG01. CAT01, etc. attributes if you need to preload the subassembly parts, as you might do to a footprint to take care of hardware items..

But there may be times when the subassembly parts must change.  I have found that I can accommodate this scenario by using the TEXTVALUE method and assigning the part number to the schematic symbol.  Drive everything from the schematic.  Doing it this way works, without the need to edit twice.  You can edit again to verify that the multiple catalog entry was assigned if you wish.  But it works for me.  Just always assign part numbers from the schematic side.

[crosby.109]

I see.  It's frustrating to me because if feels like this is the BEST way to use ACADE otherwise you need endless permutations of assembycode combinations without having unique item numbers to automate combinations of parts.

If this worked i think my entire team would actually enjoy using it instead of fighting it.  Hopefully one of the software engineers sees this because it doesn't seem like it would be hard to fix if we know the manual processes to make it work.

-crosby

[dougmcalexander · Accepted solution]

I completely agree.  Right now the sure way is too Lookup using the Multiple Catalog dialog, no shortcuts.

Of course this is only an issue for those who have to use Multiple Catalog to create subassemblies because they need to assign a separate item number to subassembly parts.  If that isn't a requirement then I recommend using the Assembly Code method. 

[crosby.109]

Thanks Doug, Ill mark answer on Monday with my other userName.

crosby