Autodesk Inventor

[#1]

I got a STEP file from a client that contains about 260 individual bodies.  The file imported okay as a single IPT, then I used Make Components to create an assembly of individual parts.  Now, I've got 260 parts that all are linked to the original file, and I can't find a way other than part-by-part editing to break the links.

Is there another import process I should use to avoid this, or is there some way I'm not aware of to Break Links without doing it part-by-part?

[#2]

I'm guessing that you had "Import as single part" checked. Unchecked, an assembly step will import as an assembly. 

[#3]

Nope, I did not have that option checked.  Here is my options screen at import time - this results in a multi-body part with lots of bodies.

[#4]

Weird.

Anyway, looks like the damage is already done as you now have 260 files linked to the same parent.

A relatively easy way of breaking the derived link in multiple files is to use the CodeInjector tool that I have posted on the Inventor support blog. 

And "inject" below piece of iLogic code. The tool allows you to delete the rule after it has been run, and that is probably what you want to do to not "pollute" the ipt files..

Cheers

Bob

Dim rcomp As Inventor.ReferenceComponent
Dim refcomp As Inventor.Document
refcomp = ThisApplication.ActiveDocument
If refcomp.ComponentDefinition.ReferenceComponents.DerivedPartComponents.Count > 0 _
And refcomp.ComponentDefinition.IsiPartMember = False Then
For Each rcomp In refcomp.ComponentDefinition.ReferenceComponents.DerivedPartComponents
If rcomp.Type = Inventor.ObjectTypeEnum.kDerivedPartComponentObject And rcomp.LinkedToFile Then
rcomp.BreakLinkToFile
refcomp.Save
End If
Next rcomp
End If
If refcomp.ComponentDefinition.ReferenceComponents.DerivedAssemblyComponents.Count > 0 _
And refcomp.ComponentDefinition.IsiPartMember = False Then
For Each rcomp In refcomp.ComponentDefinition.ReferenceComponents.DerivedAssemblyComponents
If rcomp.Type = Inventor.ObjectTypeEnum.kDerivedAssemblyComponentObject And rcomp.LinkedToFile Then
rcomp.BreakLinkToFile
refcomp.Save
End If
Next rcomp
End If

[#5]

Thanks, Bob - that does seem like a workable solution.  I have just been unlinkning manually as I use individual parts.  Still a pain in the butt, but at least it's less pain spread out over several days!

I will try your solution in the next couple weeks on a smaller import and see if I can make it go!