Organizing Assemblies & Components within Browser List

[Anonymous]

As my design develops, how do I simple move assemblies or components up and down within the browser list??

Should be simple but can't figure this one out!

Uughh!

[TannerReid]

Hi, rsteele,

Clicking and dragging bodies and sketches should allow you to rearrange them in their folders.  Dragging into another folder (like a different component) should move that entity into that component (for instance, if you clicked-and-dragged a body from a body folder and moved it over the component you want to place it into, it should automatically show up in the bodies folder of that component).  Sometimes it won't allow you to do this if other things are dependent on that entity staying where it is.

Dragging component A onto component B will nest Component A into Component B, making component B a component group (you'll see the icon change).

Is this what you were looking for?  If it doesn't work, would you mind sharing in a little more detail?  I'm happy to work it out with you.

Thanks for reaching out!
Tanner

[Anonymous]

Hi Tanner,

Thx for your response!

You did clear some items up, but I still have one more question.

Say I have a master assembly with three sub-assemblies and 3 components within it. I simply want to change one or two of there positions in the list within the browser. I'm not trying to put any data into one of the other componetns or sub-assemblies. I just simply want to move the order of everything either alphabetically or relating to how the assembly might go together or for what ever the varying reasons might be. Make sense?

Thx!

[TannerReid]

Glad it helped a bit! I would have thought that click-and-dragging would work for re-ordering components as well, but it doesn't seem to be. I'm checking with the product team now to see if we can find you an answer - sit tight!

Thanks,
Tanner

[O.Tan]

Hmm, I'm guessing you're using history based?

[TannerReid]

So it looks like you should be able to click-and-drag components in the browser to re-order them.  However, the browser is generated based on the timeline, meaning you might be limited in what you can move and where.  If it's not letting drag them into another order, it's because the timeline requires them stay put in order to honor some dependencies.

Does that make sense?  Let me know if you have further questions!

Thanks,
Tanenr

[Anonymous]

Hello, I am wondering if this missing functionality of adding a history element of "browser display element moved for organization purposes" that allows the browser to simply be updated is on the list of things to do?

Even if there is no plan on adding this functionality any time soon, I believe it would be extremely helpful for a message to be displayed with the following message: "Components cannot be rearranged while Timeline is active." 

I can't imagine a single user who hasn't ran into this issue while learning the software. 

[LogicSpeaks]

Hi,

So I'm puzzled as to why dragging and dropping the components doesn't move them around.  I understand there are things that are tied to the time-line but why would the "name" of the component be tied to the exact order within the browser list.  It is just a list which shows you the names of the components, and if the components are within the component group, it shouldn't matter where the component is in the order.

For example:

I have components within a group:

A:

B:

😧

C:

Why can't I move "C:" component above "D:" ?  

Lastly, how do you organize these components if you find that in the middle of the project you "mis-ordered" them?  In past updates it seemed like dragging and dropping worked - something must have changed?

Thanks in advance for anyone's, and everyone's help!

[TrippyLighting]

Components are shown in the browser in the order they were created in the timeline. Reordering them is a current limitation.

If you want to restructure an assembly, e.g. Move a component into another one, make sure your timeline marker is rolled all the way to the end/right of the timeline.

[LogicSpeaks]

TrippyLighting, 

Thanks for the response:  I have the timeline all the way to the right (end of the timeline or most current) and I can't drag any component from one group to another within the browser list.  Am I missing something? The only thing I've found that I can move around is bodies within components in any order I want.

[tyler.henderson]

Are all of your components local?  Meaning, they are not external reference components?

[larryreader]

Surprising that even with the timeline turned off (so I could move some sketches into different components that had timeline dependencies) still with the timeline off I can not put my components into a logical order

[tyler.henderson]

I have noticed this also in a design with the timeline turned Off.  I was not able to drag components within the browser.  So I closed the design and re-opened it, then all of a sudden I could drag the components in the browser.  So there is something a little quirky there.  Try closing and re-opening or even restarting Fusion.

[larryreader]

.

[larryreader]

Yes, thanks! That worked. Much more organized now. So to re-order 1) Turn off History 2) Restart Fusion.

[rathomas.mobile]

The internal stack of changes/history objects need to be decoupled from order of the components in the browser view.  I understand from an implementation standpoint, why it is like this, but it doesn't make sense for users that they cannot adjust the order.  

This is a basic usability function that causes a lot of confusion, especially as designs get more complex.  

Adding insult to injury, Currently the browser shows visual queues that the order WILL be changed by a drag+drop action.  

I am kinda surprised that QA testers have not picked up on this one yet...

Example:

You create a component called,... "BoxOfNothing"

Then you create another component called, "WoodenNickel"

Finally you realize that you need to carry the BoxOfNothing so you create  a"BoxOfNothingHandle" 

...and you're screwed because the handle will be misplaced, away from you box forever.   End of story.

[docara]

O.Tan

I have noticed you make a lot of unhelpful comments in reply to peoples posts across the forum. Please stop it!

A comment like "Hmm I'm guessing you are using history based?" does nothing to help the OP problem does it. 

[TrippyLighting]

You could create another component called BoxAssembly and drag BoxOfNothing and BoxOfNothingHandle into that assembly to "collect" both of these components in one place.

However, that is only possible with the timeline marker rolled all the way to the end.

[O.Tan]

Docara,

Erm, the thing is the OP didn’t mention if he’s using timeline or direct so what’s wrong with asking him to clarify. Cause reorganising assembly with TL isn’t that straightforward cause of dependencies whereas in DM, there’s a certain way of doing it.

[TrippyLighting]

Agreed! Reorganizing assemblies in DM is a breeze. Dead simple!