Can't Edit Sketch Block

[karthur1]

I have several sketch blocks in a part that I am using in a master part.  Now I need to edit the blocks.  When I right-click on them in the browser, the "Edit Sketch" is greyed out.

http://screencast.com/t/N2RmZTFkZD

What can I do to edit this?  The part is checked out.

[Mark_Wigan]

is the block coming from a derived part that is instanced in this part?

you may need to work on the block in the master part, or copy & rename it and make a local version if you need a new one in the current part.

-mark.

[karthur1]

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@Mark_Wigan wrote:

is the block coming from a derived part that is instanced in this part?

you may need to work on the block in the master part, or copy & rename it and make a local version if you need a new one in the current part.

-mark.

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No, the sketch block is native to this part.  I tried to copy the block and paste it in a new, totally empty part.  When I right click on the block there, I can't edit it there either.

[msonderegger]

Has there been a solution to this?

Suddenly in one of my parts, I am unable to edit sketch blocks?

Copies of sketch blocks won't allow editing...

Brand new sketch blocks won't allow editing...

BUT in other parts, they are editable...and work just fine.

Please help!

Thanks

Mark

[karthur1]

Mark,

I have not ran into that lately (now using Inventor 2020).  What Inventor version are you using? 

Kirk

[JDMather]

@msonderegger 

Can you Attach a file that exhibits this behavior?

[msonderegger]

ver 2020

[msonderegger]

Our company would likely frown upon me sharing out a file, so it got me thinking...what if I delete a bunch of the features so its just a CAD blob...  From there I started experimenting and contrary to what I thought, I had actually transferred some of the blocks from the skeleton directly (using DERIVE).  Scary thing being that even after I broke the link with the skeleton, and later deleted the skeleton completely from this file, one of the sketch blocks is still not editable?

I realized there were a few things I was doing.

1) EXPORTING FROM SKELETON

2) COPY AND PASTE FROM A SKELETON TO THIS CHILD PART

3) COPY AND PASTE FROM THE CHILD PART TO THE CHILD PART (BLOCK BEING COPIED WAS SKELETON EXPORTED)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think:

1) a sketch block which is EXPORTED from a parent (using derive) will not be editable or have dimensions; until the link to the skeleton is broken, once broken, these child entities (BLOCKS) inherit and take control of the dimensions that were being controlled by the skeleton.  

2) doing a copy and paste from a skeleton to a related child part essentially creates a block in the child part which is just as editable in the child as if it originated in the child part.

3) When inside a child part that has a BLOCK that was exported from a skeleton, and that block is copied and pasted back into itself (back into the child part), that block is still NOT editable and has no dimensions.  Even after the related skeleton is UNLINKED and even DELETED from this child part, this copied BLOCK seems to NEVER BECOME EDITABLE?  The BLOCK it was copied from does however inherit edit-ability, and dimensions upon breaking the link with the skeleton (as described in #1).  I find this scenario # 3 rather unfortunate.

Would you agree with this?

Mark

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Mark,

Yes, when you derive a sketch block, the sketch block will be driven by the source. It is not editable. It will become editable when you break the Derive link.

Also, Copy a sketch block from one part & Paste it to another should allow edit. It is because there is not link between  the two.

Many thanks!

[msonderegger]

Hi Johnson,

thanks.

Where I see a problem is this (what I was calling #3 above).

You have a skeleton part which will be used for deriving other parts.

Skeleton.ipt contains a block called: skel-block-X

In DERIVED-A.ipt, you import (using DERIVE) skel-block-x.

As you wrote, skel-block-x is not editable within DERIVE-A, but is editable within its parent: Skeleton.ipt.

Within DERIVED-A.ipt, you can copy and paste skel-block-x to become skel-block-x-COPY.  When you paste this copy of the un-editable block into DERIVE-A, I think the block needs to inherit its own copy of the block controlling dimensions at that point.  Reason being because skel-block-x-COPY is no longer controlled by the skeleton when skel-block-x changes, AND also, when you BREAK the link with the skeleton, the original exported skel-block-x inherits the dimension scheme from SKELETON, but the skel-block-x-COPY doesn't inherit anything.  It becomes completely stranded based on my testing.  Is this your expectation as well?

Thanks again!

Mark

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Mark,

Yes, the behaviors you describe do sound consistent to my understanding. Personally I would avoid copy and paste , when there is already a derive link. Either you derive the blocks or you copy and paste. Don't do both in the same part. The issue is that you could run into name collision and it could be confusing to which is which.

Many thanks!