Reorder parameters alphabetically

[jonathandebord]

Hello,

I have just been using Fusion 360 for the last weeks on a new project. I didn't know this software before, I am gradually getting used to it, it looks fine for my project. I am considering buying the premium version for a year to extend possibilities.

I just have one doubt about something. On my project, I am using a lot of user parameters (hundreds) in order to easily adjust some distances, spacing, etc, and to ease the "readability" of the design. So gradually, looking through "user parameters" window has become more and more difficult, because they are sorted in the order they were created. I looked for a way to list alphabetically these user parameters, because they are all voluntarily named as "componentXX_distanceYY" (actually, I created them with this naming rule precisely because I guessed, obviously, that I would be able to sort them alphabetically, as in other softwares). I looked through forum messages and I found user complaints dated from 2016 with the same request, so I am troubled. I imagine that adding an "alphabetical display" in the parameters list window doesn't require a tremendous amount of work, so I am starting to have doubts why this simple feature has not been implemented.
Is there an obvious reason why being able to sort alphabetically user parameters doesn't make sense? Is it the wrong way to use parameters?

Or is there a way to do it that I didn't find? (If this is the case, I am sorry for this message.)

Thanks in advance for your insights

[g-andresen]

Hi,

Just so: there is currently no intention* to implement a sorting function for user parameters.

* Statement of AD employees

günther

[jeff_strater]

that is not quite fair.  There is certainly an intention to allow sorting and/or filtering of user parameters (it does not make sense to allow sorting of model parameters, as those are grouped by owning feature and component).  But, there are currently no plans to do that.  It's just a question of priority, and right now, this particular request is just not very high on the priority list.

[jonathandebord]

Thank you very much for your answer. Actually, my question is more: what am I doing wrong?

I am using Fusion 360 to work on assemblies of tens of components, with each using at least 2 or 3 user parameters, so I have now a rather big list of parameters. Looking through the list to find one in order to adjust it becomes gradually tedious and time-consuming. I guess I am not the only user of Fusion to work on projects having this number of components. So I am starting to think that if Fusion 360 developers didn't implement such a simple "sort" feature for decades, it's because it makes no sense and I am using the software in a wrong way. I guess user parameters have been invented to manage no more than 10 parameters, so they can be visually found quite easily. So, what am I doing incorrectly?

How do users, normally, manage variables in Fusion 360 parametric projects having a few tens of components?

[billbedford]

Parameters for each component are listed in separate 'folders', with features, and sketches in their own subfolders. So if you have used sensible names for your components and features it should be relatively easy to find the parameters that are applicable. 

[etfrench]

The Parameter I/O add-in may help.  You can sort the output in Excel, edit formulas, and change values then import back into Fusion 360.

[jhackney1972]

Parameter I/O is a wonderful utility add-in and it will do everything you say except re-order parameters IN THE SAME MODEL.  It will reorder from one file to another but not in the same file.  I use it all the time and I wish it would overwrite the order, if you know a trick, please let me know.  Screencast will show this.

[etfrench]

Correct, it won't sort the list in Fusion 360, but the sorted list in Excel should make it easier to find and modify a particular parameter.

[jonathandebord]

Thank you for your answers. I tried Parameter I/O but it doesn't solve the problem.

I still don't understand what I am doing wrong. There MUST be something wrong in the way I use the software. I can't believe professional engineers use Fusion 360 on a daily basis with the same problem I face, it makes no sense. I am losing most of my time looking through the long list of user parameters (each entitled partXX_height, partYY_width, partZZ_diameter2, ...) to make small modifications (like adjusting distances), since they are not sorted alphabetically.

So far, I was considering buying a professional license because I liked the software, but if this is truly the way people use Fusion 360, I won't. I am just at the beginning of my project, I guess I will have - in the coming weeks - to manage at least hundreds of user parameters, so it will be a nightmare if I need to find them individually with my eyes in the unsorted list each time I need to make a modification.

I still expect someone tells me I am not using Fusion 360 correctly, because otherwise I have real doubts about the reality of a professional use of Fusion 360 by real engineers.

Thanks in advance

[laughingcreek]

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@jonathandebord wrote:

... I can't believe professional engineers use Fusion 360 on a daily basis with the same problem I face, ...I am losing most of my time looking through the long list of user parameters (each entitled partXX_height, partYY_width, partZZ_diameter2, ...) to make small modifications ...

I do agree with you that the parameters table should be sortable and searchable,

but-

The vast majority of the parameters I use for things like heights, widths, etc. are represented by dimensions in sketches.  I find it more time consuming to have to go to the parameters table (even if it were sorted) to make changes than to visually find the driving sketch dimension and make the change there.

[TrippyLighting]

I agree 100% with @laughingcreek's statements.

If you work with a well thought out component structure and name your sketches appropriately, that makes finding dimensions in Sketches much easier, than sorting and filtering through a list of user defined parameters that is hundreds of items long.