Include profiles and parameters when pasting new component

[pludikar]

So, I've created a nice drawer in fusion - it has 4 sides and a bottom, I'm happy with the joinery details (rabbets, tongues, grooves, dove tails etc) and I now want to use the same drawer design in different places in the cabinet; different front height, different side height, and different depth - the fundamental joinery design will not change.  The way to do this is, of course, to change the parameters, but, d'oh,  F360 doesn't make the cloned profiles or associated design history available  - If I want different sized drawers, I currently have to redesign the drawer, but with very little benefit of the work that I've already done.

My suggestion:

When you copy a component and "paste new", include all the dependent profiles and parameters along with the new component, not just the component.  Probably not a bad idea to automatically put all the timeline features into a timeline group too.

You would now have a cloned component that you can, not only, change via parameters but you can modify/add features without affecting the original component.  For example, supposed I need to modify the profile of the drawer sides to accommodate a different style of drawer slide (because the drawer is now too big, or too small for the original drawer slide), with a parameterized clone, I should now be able to make whatever adjustments I need without going back to the drawing board.

The changes to F360 ought to be relatively straightforward, because it should be just a question of finding the dependant profiles and including them in the copy, history for the new component starts from fresh when you paste new anyway..

Regards

Peter

[HughesTooling]

It sounds like you are not using Rule#1 in your designs. If you create a component first then create all your features with the component active when you make a copy using paste new you will get a copy of all features. If you're using create components from bodies your assemblies will end up a mess and be difficult to manage.

If you follow Rule#1 user parameters will be shared with the original, a workaround if you want them independent is to paste into a new design the copy paste back to your original design.

Mark

[pludikar]

Hi Mark,

I’m creating a new assembly from an assembly that is made up of components. I create an empty drawer component, then make it active, then build each part of the drawer starting as a component. IMHO, rule #1 should be unnecessary - it makes F360 unwieldy.

Peter

[pludikar]

Hi @HughesTooling

Ok, I managed to create a parameterized drawer from paste new.  So, in principle, I agree with you, but... only if you are very diligent in creating the components in the right order.  If you have make a slight mistake, for example not creating a profile in the right active component, it does fall apart - and you can't fix it, if you discover it too late.  As far as I can see, you can't drag a sketch profile from one component and associate it with the right component it was actually used to create.  The problem is you may not know which is the right order when you are creating a design from scratch.

I love F360, but it's clear to me that it has quirks, one of which is that users have to work around how F360 has been designed, as opposed to designing the software for the users.  The more rules you have to follow, the harder it is to make it user friendly.  So, I still stand by my original idea request.

Peter

[HughesTooling]

It is a way of thinking and it does become a lot easier. If you create a sketch in the wrong component you can drag it to another component as long as it is not used by any features, even in the component it should be in. So if you create an extrude then notice the sketch is in the wrong component delete the extrude, move the sketch then recreate the extrude. One tip, do you have colour cycling enabled on the inspect menu? With it enabled the colour of the extrude should indicate you have the wrong component active.

Mark

[lichtzeichenanlage]

If I understand your idea right it consists of two parts:

1. Global parameters
2. Make a linked component editable

The 1st point is something I really would like to see. Parameters should be extended by a namespace to avoid problems with duplicate names and than they should be editable. 

The 2nd point sound pretty one directional. So updates in the original component should not be populated into the clone. Otherwise this could lead to major complications. If this is true, "break the link" should do the trick for you right now.