Is this an unavoidable nightmare?
I have a project that was done with sub-par best practices. It is made up of multiple projects' model data accumulated from native Inventor files and Solidworks imported files. I need to Vault this project. It contains 5,769 unique components and 18,317 instances thereof. Autoloader reports that there are 877 duplicate filenames.
My first attempt to resolve the duplicated filename issue was to remove all but one of the duplicate named files from within the folder structure of the workspace, then to reopen the master level assembly and resolve the missing files to the location where the one I chose to keep resides. However, after doing this for 2 pages of the 11 page list of files and filepaths I chose to reopen the master level assembly and resolve the missing files, at which point I realized that it is not that easy because the duplicate named files are not actually identical in their content, therefore they won't resolve.
My VAR said the way to fix this wasn't as easy as doing a replace all components from the top level assembly through to the bottom, since replacing components only sees subassemblies of the assembly you are in as single part files, but instead "you have to edit each sub assembly and replace all inside of them to make the changes there." In a top level assembly, how do I search through to the bottom to look for a specific instance of a part to identify what subassembly it is in so that I can then go to that subassembly and do a replace component?
So... I have to compare each group of duplicates to ensure they are identical. If they are not identical, then I should go through Design Assistant and rename the duplicates that are unique. Well... To bypass the burden of comparing 877 files, could I open the Master level assembly and add suffixes to differentiate the duplicates? While this seems possible, will this create a bigger problem down the road?
Solved! Go to Solution.
There is no easy way to do this. I know you are prpbably looking for a good clean method. What your VAR said is correct.
I would start with the smallest sub-assemblies and start checking those into the vault. Then rename them within the vault so as to eliminate the duplication. Do this working between the vault and your local one sub-assembly at a time renaming in the vault always to something different then what is on your local. Then if you do have duplicate files on your local that you want the parts that are in the vault do a replace from vault. I know this is a daunting task, but eventually you will make it through it.
If this solved your issue please mark this posting "Accept as Solution".
Or if you like something that was said and it was helpful, Kudos are appreciated. Thanks!!!!
Autoloader gave me the report of duplicate filenames and their location. What that report lacks is what assemblies these components reside in. I can obtain a Hierarchy Report from Design Assistant. So, between the Hierarchy Report and Autoloader Duplicate Filename Report, it will just be a matter of opening each assembly inside of Design Assistant and making the problem filenames unique. (o.O) Oh joy.
Thanks all who offered suggestions.
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