Replace Model Reference (.iam with .ipt ?)

[j_madison]

Hi All.

We have a nicely detailed drawing (.idw) that is based on a .iam.  The problem is that there's really only one part in the assembly, and I'd like to "Replace Model Reference" or something in order to use just the one part in that drawing instead of the assembly.

I've tried:

Manage | Replace Model Reference  -- This only allows me to select another .iam, not an .ipt.

Design Assistant -- In the Action column, try to change None to "replace", but it's greyed out.

Rename the .iam in Windows explorer -- upon opening the .idw, I try to resolve the reference but it won't let me select an .ipt.

Any other ideas short of re-doing the drawing from scratch?

Thanks -

[coreyparks]

My suggestion, leave it as is.  I have had to do this in the past and the extra file creates a lot less problems than redetailing the part again.  Leaving it alone or detailing it again are your only options, you can not currently change a link in an IDW to a different file type, sorry.

[j_madison]

Thanks Cory for your time, replying to my question.  I have to admit, though, it's kind of unfulfilling to just "leave it as is".  For now, I guess that is what I'll do.  Until, of course, someone can offer a different solution.

[Rich.O.3d]

Another thing unfixed ...

I need to change a drawing ref from a iam to a ipt (same part but now its not a weldment)

have already restructured assemblies around new part ... would like to not have to recreate the drawings

[mdavis22569]

put the part in an assembly named the same.... and make it phantom for the BOM ..  

It's a work around not the right way ... 

[Rich.O.3d]

Thanks Michael,

Ive already used one of the workarounds, just not happy that i have to "WORKAROUND" basic functionality.

I was working a weekend to keep ahead of fabrication and when time is tight its a pain to come across these stupid hurdles that should have been addressed years ago.

Rich.O

[AndyWallace]

Similar situation - I have a drawing I just created showing an .ipt and I want to replace model reference and change to .iam. There does NOT seem a way to do it. Inventor only browses for part files. The "FILES OF TYPE pulldown only shows .ipt as a choice. Even clicking the "select model to replace" button and then surfing to the directory (which now ONLY SHOWS .ipt FILES), then selecting the FIND... button and re-surfing to the same folder in the LOOK IN" dialog, clicking FIND NOW for the .iam won't allow me to swap that into my drawing.

In my case, I've got an electrical RF housing which I've placed views for, but then I realized I wanted to show the RF feedthru installation as well on the same views, and now cannot. I'm left to BLOW AWAY ALL MY VIEWS and start fresh.

If anyone knows a true way to swap an .ipt for an .iam in a drawing already done, PLEASE inform me.

Andy

[geargirl2951]

I have the same problem.  I need to point my .idw to a .iam instead of the .ipt.  My machining drawing and assy drawing are the same except for 2 small threaded inserts.  We plan to use the assy drawing as both assy & machining drawing. We can't be the first people to try this.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@geargirl2951

Replace Model Ref only works if you are replacing the same file type.

If I understand your requirements.. You have an assembly drawing that could look like a detail machining drawing except that the assembly drawing is showing a couple of parts, is that correct?   Why don't you just make a view rep with those extra components turned off and make a copy of you drawing and edit the view to use the view rep not containing the part.

[geargirl2951]

I started with a part, .ipt, then detailed it,.idw.

Now, we need to add two inserts.  We plan to use the assembly drawing as both machining drawing and assy drawing.

So I need to change the reference of the .idw to look at the .iam instead of the .ipt.  Otherwise, I have to detail the .iam and the drawing will be the same except for the addition of the threaded inserts.

Hope this is more clear.

[geargirl2951]

I am sorry you mistook a comment/support for a kudos, but since I already posted the question, I had no intention of solving my problem on someone else's thread.  I would have been happy to explain if I had been asked.  Please be careful of scolding someone without having all the information.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Andy,

Replace Model Reference command is to enable users to swap out part or assembly reference with a new reference part or assembly. If the part or assembly is a copy of the source part or assembly with newly added geometry, the annotation on the drawing views have high survival rate because the link between the annotation and the document will remain after the swap.

If the new part or assembly is totally unrelated to the original part or assembly, the existing annotations will not survive. For swapping out a part with an assembly or vice versa, it is not yet doable. It is because part drawing view and assembly drawing view are quite different in terms of how they are managed internally. Let's say assuming a part was successfully replaced by an assembly in a given view, more than likely the view needed to be recreated. It is not much different than recreate the views from scratch.

If you don't care about PartsList, you could create a derive assembly part based on the assembly. And, then you can swap it.

You mentioned that you worked on Solidworks before. How does Solidworks handle this situation?

Many thanks!

[Mark.Lancaster]

@geargirl2951

I fully understand where you are coming from..  But that's not how this forum works..

Unless you are providing a solution/work around to a given posting, we all assume you are seeking an answer when you reply or post.   Nowhere in your posting did it ever state this was just a comment or I don't need support.   We are here to assist you and I was responding to your posting trying to give you an answer in how I read your requirements.

Then a few minutes later I see you posted again about the same description.  In the end you don't reply to a given posting just to make a comment and then turn around post again looking for an answer about the same thing that you didn't want a reply in the other posting..    As you can see this leads to multiple conversations and confusion..

[geargirl2951]

If you have personal issues, please contact me outside of this forum.  It is unprofessional to continue airing dirty laundry.

[mcgyvr]

---

@geargirl2951 wrote:

If you have personal issues, please contact me outside of this forum.  It is unprofessional to continue airing dirty laundry.

---

This would be so much better if my popcorn had butter..

Is that offer open to anyone?.. I've got personal issues too. 

[AndyWallace]

Hi - I do not know if it is good etiquette to post a link to a competitor's software help - but yes, in this case, Solidworks (2014 at least) can handle replacing a part in a drawing which had been detailed with an assembly that is similar enough:

http://help.solidworks.com/2014/English/WhatsNew/t_replace_part_with_assembly.htm

The example shows a bracket with and without a PEM nut installed. This is similar to my RF housing example.

Just because Solidworks can do it doesn't mean Autodesk Inventor can be updated to do so (with ease) but it would be a helpful feature.

Andy

[mcgyvr]

---

@AndyWallace wrote:

Hi - I do not know if it is good etiquette to post a link to a competitor's software help - but yes, in this case, Solidworks (2014 at least) can handle replacing a part in a drawing which had been detailed with an assembly that is similar enough:

http://help.solidworks.com/2014/English/WhatsNew/t_replace_part_with_assembly.htm

The example shows a bracket with and without a PEM nut installed. This is similar to my RF housing example.

Just because Solidworks can do it doesn't mean Autodesk Inventor can be updated to do so (with ease) but it would be a helpful feature.

Andy

---

I would use that functionality ALL the time.. And yes 100% related to placing PEM hardware thus making that ipt an iam..

Not related to drawings this time but I can't tell you how many thousands of constraints I've needed to redo in an actual assembly file when I find out after the model is just about done that I need to add a pem nut to the part file and thus making it an assembly file and needing to replace the ipt with the iam in the assembly..

That one gets me all the darn time and I spend A LOT of time redoing all those broken constraints.. Not to mention the stupid amount of time needing to keep telling the design doctor or whatever to go kick sand and stop asking me if I need to edit or ok that constraint modification.. 

That right there is the #1 thing I HATE about Inventor.. 

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Andy,

Many thanks for the information! It is very helpful to understand the request. Posting any information publicly accessible should be fine. There is no confidentiality here. I will work with the project team to understand this request better and see how feasible it is.

Thanks again!

[swalton]

My Idea, would make it a little easier to fix the broken constraints.

See: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/assembly-component-replacement-and-fixing-broken-const...

Vote Early and Often.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Andy,

I check with the project team. The behavior, component type specific swap reference in drawing is a technical limitation unfortunately. Like I mentioned earlier, assembly-based view and part-based view are significantly different. Swapping from one to the other is more like recreating the view.

Many thanks!