FEATURE REQUEST - Drawings should be in the BROWSER TREE next to the component it is derived from.

[ImDaveM]

The way drawings are managed in F360 is a pain.

When you view a component in the browser tree, you can create a drawing from there, but you cannot "Open" an existing drawing for that component. 

I don't see why we cannot have the drawing for a component listed in the browser tree next to the individual component? 

This would mean that if we copy a component to another assembly then the drawing will move with it.

What do you think?

Can we have this done by xmas?

This year?

thanks

[ImDaveM]

Hi,

I propose a new feature where drawings for a component or assembly are stored/kept in the BROWSER tree, just like the other items such as bodies, sketches etc.

This way we can always find the correct drawings and open it up directly from the component.

If we move the component to another project the drawing moves with it!

There is no need to store the drawing in the data panel or as a separate file.

What do you think?

Dave M

[helfenj]

Hi Dave,

I'm interested, but would like to hear more. 

How would this help your specific workflow? 

Could you tell me more about the process you are trying to follow?

How big are your assemblies? How many drawings do you have per project?

Did you know you can see all the drawings for a part or assembly from the data panel by expanding the version list?

Are you moving data or copying data?

It seems like you are struggling with moving/copying data, more than needing the drawings in the design document. 

I look forward to hearing back.

Thanks,

John

[ImDaveM]

How would this help your specific workflow? 

A) I can easily check if i have a drawing for a component by looking in the tree.

I can make sure i am working on the right drawing.

If i copy and paste the component to another assembly the drawing moves with it.

I want to move all my commonly used components into one place.

I want to make some components that are created with and assembly as a separate item as it may be used in other assemblies.

Could you tell me more about the process you are trying to follow?

A) I want to rearrange some of my projects as they are getting untidy and cluttered and confusing.

How big are your assemblies?

A) Some only a few documents, Others i have many components, sub assemblies multiple PCB's and drawings.

How many drawings do you have per project?

A) 1 to 30?

Did you know you can see all the drawings for a part or assembly from the data panel by expanding the version list?

A) Yes, But I don't know if that helps me?

Are you moving data or copying data?

A) YES - trying to but its too messy, and confusing, I don't want to break things ( i have already broken things, I have drawings that are lost, I have new duplicated assemblies that have links to other assemblies that shouldn't!

[ClintBrown3D]

Hi @ImDaveM 

You have very similar functionality to what you are looking for in the data panel.

 

[ImDaveM]

Hi Clint,

Thanks for replying,

I know what the data panel does and i know about the drawings display per assembly, but i'm not after that.

I have a current project with many components, and about 50 drawings, for each of the components and various jigs associated.

When you have a lot of items in the data panel it becomes a pain to use.

I cannot see which drawing is associated with a particular COMPONENT, I also have organised my drawings into a separate folder as I have too many items, and I also have several PCB's in this design which is even more confusion as F360 wants up to 5 separate files for just a single pcb,

Having the drawing attached to the component in the browser tree will quickly let me know if I have a drawing, will allow me to quickly find and open that drawing.

Also the data panel is NOT resizable, so some of my descriptions get cut off, and I have REVISION numbers in my descriptions and it's hard to see that. we need simple REVISION CONTROL in fusion?? 

but the main issue is, if i want to export or copy and paste the component elsewhere, i want the associated drawing to go with it! 

Currently on large or complex designs, the data panel fails to be helpful, the navigation fails, and it become a giant mess!

AUTODESK need to work on this much more. It not user friendly.

[TrippyLighting]

@ClintBrown3D Yep, but as so many things with data and complexity management, Fusion 360 is very clunky and everything takes many more mouse clicks than should be necessary. 

IMHO, the data panel and the browser cold use a substantial overhaul to make the increasing functionality in Fusion 360 more accessible and complexity more manageable. 

[ClintBrown3D]

Hi @ImDaveM & @TrippyLighting 

Thank you both for sharing. We are listening, every customer request that comes in (from meetings, emails, forum posts etc.) gets collected and categorised in our feature request database. This information is used by the team to prioritise the features that we build next. I've added your requests to our database, (there is an existing request from @ImDaveM in the system).

Thanks again for your feedback.

[TrippyLighting]

Thanks for sharing that. I've been an EE for a good bit now and was not aware of that!

[helfenj]

Hi @TrippyLighting & @ImDaveM,

I was the one who added the request for @ImDaveM. Just to get a bit more granular, I see multiple requests in this page, but two specific independent requests. 

Making a drawing accessible in the browser is an improved experience around navigating and locating related data. It's really an improvement to what @ClintBrown3D  was showing above. (I include PCB's in this as well, both from a browser and improved data panel experience standpoint)

The copying of drawings is a different problem, which we are aware of and working toward resolving. Making the drawings available in the browser isn't really a solution to the drawing copy concern.

I am tracking these as independent requests.

Thanks,

John Helfen

Product Manager - Fusion 360

[helfenj]

Hi @ImDaveM,

Sorry for not responding, I see you have reported this request: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-support/feature-request-drawings-should-be-in-the-browser-...

I have added this request to our system for prioritization. I followed up in the new post. 

Thanks again for your input.

John Helfen

Product Manager - Fusion 360

[ImDaveM]

Hi John,

"Making the drawings available in the browser isn't really a solution to the drawing copy concern."

I'm not sure what you mean by this, I am wanting the drawing to be in the BROWSER tree, under the component, that way we know there is a drawing for that component, we should be able to click on that and open up a drawing tab. 

By knowing there is a drawing item in the component tree, then when we MOVE or COPY that component , that drawing will move with it! We have to assume that the associated drawing ONLY has the referenced component and not other components from the main assembly ( which is an option sometimes used) , So if you are using a drawing that has more than one reference component, then that drawing should be listed at the TOP LEVEL of the browser tree.

And just thinking, 

1) If you create a drawing from a component in the browser tree, then that drawing CAN ONLY REFERENCE that component, so no other components should display in the browser tree displayed for the drawing?

2) If you want to reference more than one component in a drawing, then you need to create a drawing from the TOP LEVEL of the browser tree?

this part need some thinking, BUT the whole point of this is to be able to move components to  other assemblies or folders and have the drawing move with them.

thanks