Cant delete File

[Anonymous]

I want to delete a file but I can't. The program (Fusion 360) tells me, that the projekt is in usage (in another project or drawing) but it isn't. 
I also looked at A360 online. There is no reference or drawing shown. And I can't delete it from A360 too.

How can I delete this now?

[3th3r]

This isn't "tricky", this is just convoluted !

To be sure to be able to delete a file, close Fusion, launch it again, and you will be able to delete your file ! It seems that the software dont really understand whenn a files is closed...

Or you can switch to SolidWork or Rhino ....

This is a good idea to launch a new CAD software, but this isn't a good idea to crippled it with overthink menue, options, folder / preject management ... Just use a simple local save file system ...

[ChaosBlades]

Years later still a problem. I just ended up just creating a "Trash" folder and sticking it all in there. If AutoDesk can't find a better solution I guess the data can just keep piling up on their servers taking up space. Plus side I guess I am being forced to keep an archive of old data.

[lichtzeichenanlage]

Are you sure, that the design you want to delete is not linked to other designs? If yes, that's the reason why you cant delete it. And this is for data consistency and not a bug. 

[Anonymous]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAx6tOHFRfo

[Anonymous]

Tricky isn't a synonymous of convoluted ?
So, this is "tricky" ? Right ?

[momiccioli]

Saving every version is not necessary or viable.  After a certain point going too far back is worse than restarting from scratch.  There needs to be an option that lets us "Reset / Truncate / Baseline" A project.  In most cases regardless of the number of versions, and there tends to be many I don't go back very far.

As an IT Professional we have backups but we don't keep anything forever.  This is no different.

I have files that I will never touch again but I can't delete it but go knows whats holding.  Very wasteful and inefficient.

[jwholzworth]

So what is the magic trick to delete the file once you find the version in which it was saved because it's not incredibly silly that a CAD package won't let you delete a part because it was, at one time, in an assembly. Nope, that's totally normal.

[momiccioli]

This is a cheap version of data protection.  Thou shall not delete EVER!  Because its way too hard to write the fix to allow deletion of files that will never be used again!  I have files dating back to 2014 - 2015 that I can't delete.

[lichtzeichenanlage]

It's not because of CAD it's because of the way they implemented the versioning system. It's like a versioning file system that keeps track of versions of a single file. They added a bit of logic to protect structural integrity between main files and the linked files. This logic prevents you to delete files if they have a relation to other files.

This is not the best way to implement it, but it allows you to go back in history and still have all associated files.

Edit:

My solution to avoid this problem is to break links for all linked files which most likely will not receive any changes over time.

[momiccioli]

The versioning is understandable and acceptable.  But I have removed or eliminated those other files.  In fact Fusion confirms the file is not included in any other design.  Yet it will not let me delete because it says the file is in use else where.   So this means there is a bug.  Either fusion is misleading me about included in other files.  Or it has a bug / flaw that thinks its still included.  I believe its the latter, it which case a software package that I have been using for over 10 years has this issue is a total shame and Fusion should be embarrassed of this flaw.

As a result of this issue I have stocked piled files in a project called trash so they do not clutter my workspace.  Mind you I will NEVER look use or refer to these files again.  This issue has been around for a long time just google the issue and see. This is not versioning and can not be used because even a versioning system has provisions for deleting old files.  So I avoid this feature at all cost just so I can delete a file down the road.  Wonderful solution!

[lichtzeichenanlage]

In this case I would contact support.

[momiccioli]

I have tried no luck.

[lichtzeichenanlage]

Have you tried it here? How have you checkt it? Within Fusion 360 or via the web client? In some situations the cache might be out of sync. You could check this by clear cache data. 

[momiccioli]

Yes been there and there are posts from February with the same issue over and over.  

[lichtzeichenanlage]

Post your issue. IIRC they might look at your data on the server and try to fix the issue. Have you tried to clean your cache?

[lichtzeichenanlage]

Post your issue. IIRC they might look at your data on the server and try to fix the issue. Have you tried to clean your cache? 

[jwholzworth]

I did finally solve my problem and delete the file. I had to go back to every saved version of the file, open that saved version, delete the part from that version, and then deal with all of the BS that follows because the current version is no longer up to date.

It's not a bug. It is 100% an intentional "feature." I'm guessing that the genius that came up with this method of "protecting" us from ourselves has found his/her way into management. This person now refuses to change the asinine concept they put into place because that would mean they would have to admit that they were wrong and that their new "revolutionary" versioning system is, and always has been, complete trash that anyone with any professional CAD experience with call out immediately. I would be surprised that this issue has lasted as long as it has, but Autodesk has decided that customer service is not the least bit important to them. You can not get help from Autodesk for any of their free software packages. If you pay thousands of dollars a year for Inventor or Fusion360 (The price goes waaaay up once you start adding in all of the Add-ins that you will most likely need) you will need to go through your reseller if you want any sort of timely service. If you try to chat on-line you will, of course, have to get past their AI Chatbot that will not be able to answer your question and most likely won't even understand what your even asking to point you to the correct community forum. That all leads us to here where other users are our only hope. Take a look at this thread. there's one person that seems to really be trying to help. But, his advise is wholly worthless because he is most likey a bot sent by Autodesk.

[jwholzworth]

You definitely don't recall correctly. Autodesk will in no way, shape, or form help me with any issues regarding my "Free For Personal Use" version of Fusion 360, as a policy. I also can not contact support as you, who think is most likely a bot putting misleading information out to the public because creating lying robots is Autodesk's solution to eliminating their customer service department. It apparently never crossed their minds that a number of their users are actually professionals. If I were to use my company computer and software to design a product of my own, that product would belong to my company. This requires me to have my own software. In my case, that software WAS fusion360. That will not be the case moving forward. All of my new designs will be done in another CAD package. In fact, the package I found is far superior to F360 because their free version is not nearly as watered down as the free version of F360 when compared to the paid version.

[momiccioli]

I agree whole 100%.  If the Genius is in management, he should be fired!  While he may have come up with a design to prevent us from hurting ourselves.  He left out the ability to accurately reflect where designs are used.  Like all other well-developed systems there is the ability to deprecate older versions.  

When I query where designs are used it does not give me the data I need so I can back track.  I don't have the time to manually hunt down files just to delete files I will never use again.  Of course, I could start exporting or deriving all my designs.  This is a workaround to void the feature of versions.  Maybe I should take a more serious look at SolidWorks or Sketch.

[DirtWolf]

😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻