Linked Components Sketch Visibility Question

[marks3U6W9]

I have been making up some components in one file, saving them as individual components, and then importing them into another file. When I do the sketches associated with the individual components comes through with their visibility permanently on. I can fix this by opening the individual components in a separate file, toggle the visibility to off and then reserving them, but this means that their sketch visibility is permanently off in the linked file. The error message I get when I try to toggle from off to on being:

"Visibility cannot be changed because its read-only in reference document".

Am I missing something or is there no way to view sketches associated with a linked component in a new file without breaking the link? Thanks

[TrippyLighting · Accepted solution]

You'll have to:

1. open the linked component
2. unhide the sketch
3. save the component
4. go back to the assembly
5. update the assembly

Now you can see the sketch.

Not particularly efficient 😉

[marks3U6W9]

Thanks Peter. Thats what I thought. Just wondered whether there was a way to toggle visibility on / off inside the assembly. Seems like this could be improved.

[mavigogun]

Within Fusion's present capacity, Peter's is the solution- Accepting it as such will let folks know there is no unaddressed need here.

[KennethOfLeesburg]

But there really is a huge unaddressed need.

The issue is rather modular design is supported.  Can I design a fastener, nipple, flange, joint, or handle that can be used across (on the order of) a 100 design.  If I can do this effectively then a small design shop can achieve (on the order of) a 10-fold improvement in productivity by investing in a domain specific parts library.

From '75 to '85 the software community transitioned to modular methodologies.  The unaddressed need is analogous; in fact the analogy is quite strong.  Copy and paste is not a substitute for subroutines, functions, or objects.

The proposed solution is a good workaround for a hobbiest with 2 or 3 designs, but it has the problem that it makes all the other designs that also linked to the same sub-part out of date.  In this case what should I ask/require the human designer to do?  Update the link in the other 99 designs?  What if some designs don't want visibility turned on?

In other threads I've seen proposed solutions to similar problems, that amount to just don't use links, (e.g., breaking the links so that every part captures a historical snapshot of a widely used  sub-part).  This is a step backwards.  If I discover subtle flaws in a widely used sub-part, the fix is unlikely to be widely propagated.  If you have zero life-cycle obligations you may not care (all designs are historical snapshots, none of them are reused).  But this is like being in the design documentation business, rather than in the design business ... sorry, shouldn't preach ...

Don't know if these links are stable, but no less than jeff.strater stated that AutoDesk would change all viability attributes to be "overrides" instead of design/part attributes.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-design-validate/toggle-visibility-of-parts-of-linked-compo...

This would be a huge step in the right direction.  But the real unmet need is larger than that.  We need linked sub-parts that support overriding a broad set of sub-part features, especially the parameters in the "change parameter" spreadsheet.

[Anonymous]

I agree, this is a huge unaddressed need! Fusion 360 Team, please fix this.

I, as well, work with 100+ part library, with our assemblies often composed of shared parts. The inability to toggle bodies/sketches/construction/origin is one of my biggest frustrations when working in F360.

Example: A sketch is required on a linked part for a joint. I must then go open the part, make the sketch, save the part, update the assembly, make the joint. THEN, when I make a drawing of assembly, the sketch is still turned on and not acceptable for mechanical drawing. I must then go into the linked part, turn off the sketch, save, update assembly, THEN update the drawing.

It seems very inefficient and should be improved. Please make this a priority.