Make one model to be the genesis for others of different sizes

[JohnSays]

I have a number of cabinets to design and fit together. I designed the first one and used parameters for all its measurements thinking I would be able to copy or derive to make a new cabinet of the same shape but different dimensions. So far I have only gone down a rabbit hole I cannot get out of withoutsimply creating each seperate cabinet. There must be a post on this but I have not found it. Could someone please point me there?

[JohnSays]

I've found posts that tell me to use Copy New. I did several copies of components and Paste New under the activate top level. However, none are independant of the originals. I foun dposts where the author is refering to Make Independant - which I cannot find anywhere. Also, references to turning off the time line but leaving on history. I don't see how to do either. Help please.

[JohnSays]

Looks like I've got an answer. What I was not doing is activating the component I want to copy. The very first time I tried that and then activated the top level, the new component could be changed without affecting the component it came from.

SCREECH!!!!

Nope, that does not work either. Five hours of this nonsense and I still cannot use Paste New to create a component that can be independantly editted. 😞

[etfrench]

Make Independent is only available in Direct Modeling mode.  Attach your file to the thread (File/Export/Archive file *.f3d) for more help.

[davebYYPCU]

See if this is what you need, 

When file is open, there are 2 identical components, 2nd one was Copy Pasted as New 

hide the first one called Mount.

step the time line up to the right to the end, then unhide the Mount component.

To make changes to the original, roll timeline back to before the pasted copy.  Edit as desired, and then these will update in the 2nd.  Changes to the 2nd one will not revert backwards.

Might help....

[JohnSays]

Thanks you for your posts. I am attaching the drawing file. Also a screencast of a new problem of not being able to Paste New at all.  None of the components I am trying to "Paste New" have any dependencies outside of the component that encapsulates them. I have found that when I Paste New, one of three things happens (1) Nothing gets pasted at all, (2) the pasted component is still linked to the original and I cannot change the dimensions in the child without changing the parent, or (3) the pasted component is fully capable of be treated independantly.

To resolve this issue, I have been deleting the offending parent component and recreating it and then copy with Paste New. This is working, but it took me a full nine hours of frustration. There is definitely a bug or work habit that needs swatting here. Not sure which.

Would forgetting to activate the componet when changing dimensions be an issue? That's a bad work habit I am trying to break. "No try, just do Young Skywalker!"

The upshot is that I have solved the problem, but am not sure exactly how. Recreating the components is working so I forge on.

Note: In an earlier post I wrote "Copy New" when I should have written "Paste New."

[JohnSays]

I have found that when I turn off the timeline and then copy and  Paste New, I get an object that is then uneditable. So I'm not sure how turning off the history helps. It is my understanding that turning off history ("Do not capture design history" option) puts the model into Direct Modeling mode. What do I not understand please?

[JohnSays]

For some reasn I cannot upload a screencast. I attached one to each of my last response using "Insert." I then got the following message:

"Correct the highlighted errors and try again.

• Your post has been changed because invalid HTML was found in the message body. The invalid HTML has been removed. Please review the message and submit the message when you are satisfied."

There was nothing highlighted and no more "Insert" button, but there was a message that my screencast would be attached. I don;t see the attachments.

[TrippyLighting]

This assembly should not contain a single position capture feature but a number of joints.

Te (body)move feature also is to be avoided in single body components.

Before investigating how to create dimensional variants,  I would suggest you make yourself familiar with how to create proper assemblies in Fusion 360.

In it's current state it is very unlikely that you can create a stable parametric model.

[picadilly]

F360 is weak to do similiar things. I have not looked at your file, but for Copy / paste New:

Right-click a component in the left hand browser.

Left-Click anywhere in the main window, so that nothing is selected.

Right-click at the same. Choose "Paste New". Move created copy and click ok.

Now you should have a independant copy of component.

[JohnSays]

Interesting to be sure. I will take your advice and learn how to do that.

[JohnSays]

Yes, thank you. I was doing just that and it was not working... at all. Fully expalined above. I have it working now but need to follow TrippyLighting's know how to continue I'm sure.

[TrippyLighting]

The feature set that can be used in other CAD tools to create dimensional, feature, and assembly variants is often called "Configurations".

We don't have those yet in Fusion 360 (and it'll be a while).

One tool that might help is and Plugin Sheeter.

[JohnSays]

I will look into it. But, I will make a new drawing without using any Capture Position and use only joints to see how that works. Also, you are right about not being able to do what I want with my current drawing. I finagled it so that I could at least show the client the design, but it is not fully parameter driven -- yet. 

Okay, I just now looked at Sheeter. Wow! It will work wonderfully for what I want to do. Very cool. Thanks for the tip!