How do i multiply a component many times at once?

[rhetths]

I have a component and i need to make 28 of them.  Previously i copied an object once, then copied the two objects to become four, and so on.  But that isn't very sophisticated.  Also, the program isn't letting me do it that way anymore, it's only allowing me to select one object?  I also started having this selection issue recently when trying to move multiply objects at once, recently it only lets me move one at a time.

So i figured i would create a rectangular pattern in order to create multiples of my component, but then i discovered that it won't let me arrange those bodies.  If i create 27 more components i can then shift those bodies into components and probably then arrange them, but thats no better than copying 27 times.

Surely i don't have to copy and paste 28 times?

[hamid.sh. · Accepted solution]

In Pattern if you select the Type as Components you can arrange them:

[rhetths]

[hamid.sh. · Accepted solution]

You don't have Type because you are working without Design History, which anyway is not a good practice most of the time.

[g-andresen]

Hi,

After create a pattern from component, you can then move them individually or in groups and, if necessary, connect them with joints.

günther

[rhetths]

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@hamid.sh. wrote:

You don't have Type because you are working without Design History, which anyway is not a good practice most of the time.

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Aha.

I did have design history on at one point but turned it off because there were some worthless bodies i wanted to clean out and it wouldn't let me.  Although after that i might have had to turn it on again to create a flat pattern, can't remember.

Its so weird how much manouvering i have to do.  Such as, if i want to manufacture a flat pattern, i have to export it as a DXF then upload it to a file and extrude the sketch.  Its difficult to remember all the workarounds required sometimes.

[rhetths]

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@hamid.sh. wrote:

You don't have Type because you are working without Design History, which anyway is not a good practice most of the time.

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Both of your answers check out.  Thanks.

As to why it doesn't work without design history, um, yeah?  A quirk?

[laughingcreek]

you can pattern a component with time line off. you have to either select the component from the brwoser tree (the way usually do it) or from a long left mouse click.

I don't understand the flat pattern work around you mentioned. does sound janky if that is what's necessary.  can you explain more about that?

[hamid.sh.]

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@rhetths wrote:

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@hamid.sh. wrote:

You don't have Type because you are working without Design History, which anyway is not a good practice most of the time.

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Both of your answers check out.  Thanks.

As to why it doesn't work without design history, um, yeah?  A quirk?

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I am sorry for making confusion, should have elaborated instead of a single sentence. It's not that it doesn't work, just the dialogue misses Type option with design history off, but as @laughingcreek showed you can still select the object as component to pattern it, and afterwards you CAN arrange the result. Just it's that I don't like working without history, because e.g. you can edit arrange should you want and have to arrange again. But still I should have clarified this.

[rhetths]

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@laughingcreek wrote:

you can pattern a component with time line off. you have to either select the component from the brwoser tree (the way usually do it) or from a long left mouse click.

I don't understand the flat pattern work around you mentioned. does sound janky if that is what's necessary.  can you explain more about that?

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I originally patterned the component but the patterns appeared as bodies subordinated to the component, and i could not arrange them until i placed every single body into it's own component.  Sigh.

After doing that i then realised i wanted to edit the component, and of course by then they were no longer linked.  Sigh.

Fusion does not allow users to even look at a flat pattern in 'Manufacture' mode, from my experience.  It begs belief i know, but see how you go.

[laughingcreek]

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@rhetths wrote:

....Fusion does not allow users to even look at a flat pattern in 'Manufacture' mode, from my experience.  It begs belief i know, but see how you go.

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i don't know, may be something about your workflow.  in general you can access flat patterns in the manufacture workspace-

[rhetths]

I learnt some things yesterday.

Regardless of whether i am in design history on or off mode if i pattern a component the new bodies are linked to the original component and various things are denied; arrange, move, split_and_delete.

If however i copy the body of a component by selecting the body in the tree there are no such links.

If design history is on sketches tend to stay linked to the bodies/components you extrude from them, which can be a big time and hassle saver.  A challenge with design history being on is that you can't split bodies and delete bits, but it seems the solution to that is to 'remove' them.  If you want to move a component that is linked to other components you may need to 'ground' those components so you can just move the one you want to move without moving the others, and then unground them, this still seems bloody arse about to me, if i want to move a number of components i will just select them all.

It may be that i can now achieve things with design history on, not sure.

The critical issue is the lack of explanation and indication within Fusion of these links and what they mean and what the hell is going on when you get an error.

[rhetths]

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@laughingcreek wrote:

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@rhetths wrote:

....Fusion does not allow users to even look at a flat pattern in 'Manufacture' mode, from my experience.  It begs belief i know, but see how you go.

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i don't know, may be something about your workflow.  in general you can access flat patterns in the manufacture workspace-

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Jeeez.

When you are in design mode and looking at the flat pattern, and switch to manufacture mode, it switches out of flat pattern mode.  The logical conclusion from this is that flat pattern mode is not available in manufacture mode.

But if you go to manufacture mode and then select the flat pattern, it comes up.

So the structure of the coding is highly misleading, and even once you work out or find out what the real deal is, it is nevertheless tedious because switching both ways between design and manufacture mode switches it out of flat pattern mode.

It's like rather than get Fusion right then release it, they got it 80% right then released it.

[rhetths]

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@hamid.sh. wrote:

In Pattern if you select the Type as Components you can arrange them:

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With design history on, and in flat pattern mode, i selected to create a pattern, and selected component mode within that, but then it is not letting me select the component.  Could that be because design history was turned off for a long time and was only turned on recently?  If so why doesn't it tell me what the issue is?

[rhetths]

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@hamid.sh. wrote:

In Pattern if you select the Type as Components you can arrange them:

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Houston we have a problem?

When i select 'component' it won't actually allow me to select the component.

When i select 'body' it won't actually allow me to select the body/component, and it says "you can not select a flat pattern body for pattern".

So is the former issue that the design history was previously off?

And the latter issue, it just likes to disallow things?

[rhetths]

"you cannot select a flat pattern body for move or copy"

Huh?

[hamid.sh.]

One way to achieve what you want is do the pattern in a new file in which you have inserted the flat pattern as Derive (when using Insert Derive select Flat Pattern from Browser).

Example file is attached.

[rhetths]

I did try starting again with the DXF, making sure design history was on, turned the DXF into a component, patterned that component, and i was able to arrange that.  Plus the components are still linked so if i want to make a design change i only have to do it to one and the rest follow.

[rhetths]

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@hamid.sh. wrote:

One way to achieve what you want is do the pattern in a new file in which you have inserted the flat pattern as Derive (when using Insert Derive select Flat Pattern from Browser).

Example file is attached.

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I think that is what Fusion expects you to do.  I don't know why Fusion creates that extra complexity.

I actually did that once.  Its complex enough to have components within one file linked, never mind links between files.  As soon as fusion gives me complexities moving, copying, modifying, deleting, arranging things, i just get the ****s.  If somebody wants extra complexity then fine, but please don't ram it down my throat Mr Fusion.  I mean why would fusion ever deny me being able to move, copy, modify, delete or arrange things, even if the body is linked to other bodies/components both within the file and with other files?  Of course if Fusion gave adequate prompts and info when i have a problem that would be a great help.  

Then there is potentially the issue that i prefer to save my files to my computer, not to the fusion cloud.  With three Autodesk offices in China its not an exciting prospect to save files to the fusion cloud.  So if my files are saved to my computer, and if files are linked, so making a change in one file means another file also wants to change, how can that happen?