When you are working in your assembly, if you need to open a specific componenet you need to (1) Right Click; (2) Click Find in Browser; and then find the dotted component (not even underlined or highlited) and THEN right click and open...
My idea is to just right click the component and just click open.
-Maybe there is a better way to open individual components from assembly that i dont know off...if so, please delete this idea.
we already support this, but there are two condiions:
hope this helps.
@safiredesignengineers wrote:
ideally when designing stuff we need to be able to open each component individually so it can be worked on without all the clutter from an assembly. is this possible in fusion?
Yes!
When you are in an assembly and want to edit an external (linked) component you can select it in the browser, right-click and select open. That opens it in a separate Fusion 360 tab.
You can also open it directly from the data panel.
You could do that, but it would not make sense if you just want to be able to edit it without visual clutter of other components.
You can right-click on a component in the browser and then select "Isolate" from the menu.
That will hide all other components than the selected one(s). When done editing the component you can "Unisolate" the component.
Why isn't the "open" option available when I right click a component from the assembly in the browser? I want to be able to open component files from the assembly to edit their designs. Any advice? Thanks!
The process to make any or all the components External files you would use the Save Copy As command. In your previous screen capture you can see this command. The problem is you will have to build the complete assembly over again by using the Insert onto Current Design, you will find in the Data Panel when you right click on any External Component, into the assembly. This is a lot of work, and a real waste of time, where the Isolate/Unisolate command, mentioned earlier, will do what you need with your present assembly. Now if you want to build a different unique assembly using your current components from this assembly, it may make more sense to externalize the components.
John Hackney, Retired
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@jhackney1972 wrote:
This is a lot of work...
Yes, in the current implementation of the "Import/Upload" functionality it certainly is. Unfortunately the Import functionality has not kept up with developments in Fusion 360, so a Pack-&-Go pulls every subassembly into a single file.
It would be very helpful if Fusion 360 would ask on import which sub assemblies to keep external and instead of pulling everything into one file make selected files external subassemblies.
@jhackney1972 wrote:
..., and a real waste of time,
I disagree with that bit. I often work in assemblies with lots of imported geometry (from Solid Works BTW) with several thousand components and come frequently across performance limitations in those projects.
Being able to externalize on import would definitely be helpful!
After 30 years of professional engineering work in CAD, 20 of those in SolidWorks and about 8 of them in Fusion 360 I am thoroughly am confused by your statements.
Your observations are incorrect.
A pack-&-go includes the assembly file, which only includes references, or "links" to the part files. If you move one of the part files to another folder SolidWorks will not find it and will ask you to pint to the new location so it can re-link the file. Assembly files and part files are distinctly different files in SolidWorks.
A pack-&-go automates that process. It creates a duplicate assembly file and duplicate part fiels and makes sure the part files are properly linked to the assembly file.
Fusion 360 paradigm is different. Fusion 360 does not separate between part and assembly file.
You can build a complete assembly in a single design file. This was how Fusion 360 was initially designed.
Later linked components were added.
When you import a SolidWorks pack-&-go all part files will be incorporated into a single Fusion 360 assembly file.
If you want to edit a part file, just find it in the browser, activate and isolate.
I've worked with SolidWorks since 1998 (and still do) and Fusion 360 since late 2014 😉
