can't resolve external reference

[nickmartin2011]

Hello,

I'm using factory design 2020 to create a manufacturing layout. I create 3D assets in Inventor, then open my layout in AutoCAD Architecture to place the 2D asset in my layout. And when I need to look at the 3D model I open the layout in Navisworks. When opening my layout in Navisworks, some of my assets get an error message that says " Can't resolve external reference:". Picture below. I believe this has something to do with creating the asset in Inventor. How do I solve this issue at the root cause so I do not need to browse to a file location every time or hit ignore. Also, I don't know what asset it is trying to resolve. It would be nice if it told you what file it was trying to open. To find this out I need to keep an eye on the load bar and see what file it is trying to open. Anyways, how do I fix this at the asset level?  

[yizhou.cao]

You asset doesn't seem right. Can you attach a copy of the asset that has the problem? You can zip up the entire folder and attach here.

[nickmartin2011]

Should be attached. 

[liqinomickey · Accepted solution]

Hi @nickmartin2011 ,

Thank you for providing the data set. By looking into the data, It seems you have used some of the Factory generated asset instance ipt in (Hose Reel.iam). The name of some ipt, have "##F_5F7D88406A4D77F30F3C096C3C2CB53F" in it. This is a sign of Factory generated instance.

I assume this "Utility Pole Dress" asset is using an assembly of "Hose Reel.iam", when creating this asset, a "Hose Reel.iam" was placed into the "Utility Pole Dress" assembly. But this "Hose Reel.iam" is a factory generated iam assembly asset. 

We don't recommend customer to use any item in "Project/Workplace/Factory Assets" folder to publish as asset. Not a best practice.

So my suggestion here is to edit the "Utility Pole Dress" asset and replace the "Hose Reel.iam" with the original one, not from another asset in library or an placed asset in Factory Assets folder.

Hope it helps.

Mickey