Drawings of new versions

[patrjck]

If I have a part, and I make version 1.1, how can I create a drawing that references 1.1 while retaining part 1.0 and the original drawing of part 1.0?  My hope was that Design Assistant would have an elegant solution for this common scenario, but I am befuddled by the help file which says:

"When you use the Design Assistant Manager to replace files, it automatically replaces all occurrences of the part or assembly file within the assembly. Files cannot be directly replaced within a drawing or presentation. Use the update additional referencing files method to replace files within a drawing or presentation. Files can only be replaced with files of the same file type."

How the heck do I use the update additional referencing files method?  I am looking at the DA and replace is grayed out.

Here is what I normally do: I copy both 1.0.ipt and 1.0.idw to a backup directory which will allow me to surgically restore the old state if needed, but this is not ideal, nor is it practical when two versions must coexist.  You see what I'm actually trying to do at the moment is create drawings of two very similar parts, A and B.  In fact I saved a copy of A, made some small changes, and called it B.  How can I save a copy of A.idw, call it B.idw, and actually reference B.ipt?  The only solution I know is to "hide" every known copy of A, forcing the the resolve link command to pop up, but in this case I've already created numerous backups of A which are all in subfolders that Inventor is automatically digging in. 

[CadUser46 · Accepted solution]

If i understand you right there are a few options. Doing this from memory so you may need to fill in some blanks if i use the wrong names for things.

1. Using Design Assistant.  Load the drawing with its structure underneath.  Set the drawing and part to 'Copy' under the actions column.  Change the filename to append you revision to the back end of them.  Press save.  It should create a drawing and part with the new filenames and re-link the new part to the new drawing.

    I recommend using the manage view in design assistant.  Dont know why jsut like it.

2. I think you need to be a subscription customer for this.  Save As as copy of the drawing and a separate Save As a copy of the part.  Open the drawing and find the button called 'Replace Model Reference'.  Browse to the new part file and with any luck it should link to the new part.  Sometimes needs multiple tries.

3. If you are wanting to revise both instead of create similar copies you need to be using some sort of revision management tool.  This is where vault comes in.  You could simply revise both documents or even simpler Vault will create versions as you commit them back to Vault.  This would keep a record of your deisgn history.

4. In Vault there is then the Copy Design tool which works much like Design Assistant only a lot better.  Makes me wish they would update Design Assistant.

[PaulMunford]

I think that the trick here is to reverse the order.

You part is allways current. Your drawing allways references the current version of the part. Therefore the drawing is allways current too.

Before you make any changes, archive a copy of the part - adding a version number (1.0, 1.1 e.t.c).

It's alot easier to do it this way round than to try and change the name of your 'Current' data everytime.

For some ideas of how to copy and re-use Assemblys, read this post:

http://cadsetterout.com/inventor-tutorials/the-secrets-of-copying-assembly-files/

[patrjck]

Thanks CADuser46, that's exactly what I needed to learn!  You rock!

For the benefit of other users:  it took me a few tries to get this right, it is key to copy/rename BOTH the part and the drawing.  If you are learning this as I am, I recommend backing up your files before trying this.  It is easy to create a mumbo jumbo mess and you will save yourself some heartache if you can just restore what you started with.

P.S.:  I only do single user projects, so I don't use Vault.