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Dimensioning suppressed parts

16 REPLIES 16
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Message 1 of 17
mrattray
1192 Views, 16 Replies

Dimensioning suppressed parts

I have created some "programs" to automate drawing creation of some of our most common products. The problem I hav eis with my assembly drawing. When parts are suppressed and unsuppressed, they don't seem to behave the same way that features do. When you dimension a part feature in an idw and suppress that feature, if a week later you unsuppress that feature the dimenensions come back.  Parts don't seem to follow this behaviour. If you dimension a part, suppress it, open and save the drawing, then later unsuppress it and open the drawing back up the dimesnions do not come back.  Why is this? Is there anyway for me to get these dimensions to "stick"?

 

Thanks,

Mike

Mike (not Matt) Rattray

16 REPLIES 16
Message 2 of 17
t_pcoll
in reply to: mrattray

Hi Mike,

 

this is as designed. LOD is meant to be capacity saving tool and the suppress changes are viewed more permanent then dessign views. To control visibility of components in drawing view I recommend to use design views.

 

Thanks

Ladislav

Message 3 of 17
SBix26
in reply to: t_pcoll

Just to clarify, the term Inventor uses now (in English) is View Representations.  Design views is an older term (that makes those of us who understand it feel old!).

Message 4 of 17
mrattray
in reply to: SBix26

My understanding is that if I use view representations to change visibility of parts, they will still show on my parts list as if they were normal active parts.  I need them to come and go in the parts list as well as in the drawing view.

Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 5 of 17
SBix26
in reply to: mrattray

You are correct, they will still show in the parts list.  Have you looked into iAssemblies?  I haven't used them, but I believe that they could be useful in this application.

Message 6 of 17
mrattray
in reply to: SBix26

My assemblies are way too complicated (stuff changing) for iAssemblies. I tried it once and gave up when I broke 3k rows. The one I'm having problems with now uses over 1300 lines of iLogic code in the main assembly plus around 100 lines in each of about 40 components. I have one assembly with over 5k lines of code in just the top level assembly. 

 

Am I really the only person that uses component suppression for something other than simplifying large assemblies?

Mike (not Matt) Rattray

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Message 7 of 17
SBix26
in reply to: mrattray

OK, how about using Visibility combined with BOM attribute?  Since you're doing it with iLogic, turn the unwanted parts to Reference and invisible.  Then they are in neither the view nor the parts list.

Message 8 of 17
swalton
in reply to: mrattray

Most people who try to use LOD (or suppression) run into some problem that prevents them from using it for anything other than memory managment.

 

The most annoying problem that I have seen is the inability to save files when you have the iam at one LOD and the ipn or idw with another LOD all open at the same time.  IV gets confused when trying to save and you have to close all but one of the documents before you can save the remaining document.

 

In your case, why not filter the parts list by assembly design rep?  This might be too complex if you have lots of configurations to track.

Steve Walton
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Message 9 of 17
mrattray
in reply to: swalton

I know all about the save problem swalton, it makes my eye twitch at least a couple times a day.

 

If I use visibility and BOM structure then I have the opposite problem with my dimensions. They show up regardless of wether the part is there or not.

 

Swalton, are you suggesting I make a View Rep for every possible configuration?

Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 10 of 17
swalton
in reply to: mrattray

3k design views may be a bit much, but you might be able to use ilogic to move components to and from a "display" design view.  Then set your parts list to filter the "display" design view.

 

Is there some ilogic you can run in the idw to hide/delete dims based on the components that they reference?  If that doesn't work, I think you might be better off setting some sort of iprop flag in the components and using that as your filter reference in the idw parts list. 

Steve Walton
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Message 11 of 17
cwhetten
in reply to: mrattray

I tried to use LOD's in just this way.  It doesn't work.  I sent the case to Autodesk Support, and after they tested my files to see exactly what was going on, they gave this response:

 

Hi Cameron,

I’ve heard back from the development group and it is normal for what you are seeing. When a view is changed it automatically deletes annotations no longer connected.

There is one exception. That is when View representation is used. It will remove the annotation like the dimension and balloons when there components are suppressed in a view representation. They will return when a different or original view representation is restored.

I hope that explains what you’re seeing and happening.

Regards,

Charlie Mercer
Product Support Specialist
Manchester, NH, USA
www.autodesk.com

 I know that LOD's were originally intended to be used for system resource management, but what about this:

 

Manually suppressing a part does not affect the quantities in the BOM (unless you suppress all occurrences of a part, then the line disappears).  However, using iLogic to suppress parts DOES affect the BOM quantites.

 

Why introduce this functionality if it isn't intended to develop assembly configurations?

Message 12 of 17
mrattray
in reply to: cwhetten

What the hell AutoDesk? What's the point of including a tool as powerful and robust as iLogic and then not give us a means to actual do anything with it? I mean, what's the point of an infinately configurable form driven model that can't be drawn and detailed properly?

Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 13 of 17
axa-61
in reply to: mrattray

"Am I really the only person that uses component suppression for something other than simplifying large assemblies?"

 

Hi Mike, looks like you are not the only one struggling with this issue!  I also build up my assebly using iLogic and LOD to control different assembly configurations very much as you describe it . And now seems like I have exactly the same problem. Suppressing parts not only distroing corresponding dimensions on drawing but  also wiping out attached ballons. What a point to build sophisticated iLogic driven assembly if the is no simple way  to retract correct BOM and make drawing view reflecting desired assembly configuration?

 

Kind regards,

Alexei

Inventor 2013 SP2
Windows 7, 64 bits
RAM 18GB
Core TM2 Duo CPU 2,99 Gz
Message 14 of 17
axa-61
in reply to: mrattray

Hi Mike,

 If you find solution or work around this issue could please let me know.

 

Kind regards,

Alexei

Inventor 2013 SP2
Windows 7, 64 bits
RAM 18GB
Core TM2 Duo CPU 2,99 Gz
Message 15 of 17
mrattray
in reply to: axa-61

I've never found an appropriate solution. I just try to set up my drawings to best accomadate the most common scenarios and am forced listen to my users complain about having to clean up layout drawings.

Mike (not Matt) Rattray

Message 16 of 17
rwollenhaupt
in reply to: mrattray

Mike,

We are currently going through the same issue. Did you ever come up with a good solution or work around?

 

Thanks,

Bob W

Message 17 of 17
mrattray
in reply to: rwollenhaupt

No but it helps (in my opinion) if you make sure this option is checked:

 

Capture.JPG

 

Also, I avoid using suppression now for new automation projects.

Mike (not Matt) Rattray

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