Creating and linking a new PCB document in existing Electronics Project

[pascal0312]

Hello,

I've got an existing Electronics project with a schematics file and it used to have a pcb layout file as well. After working on it and creating multiple versions because of saving in between I'm on v25 of the project, v4 of the schematics and I was on v16 of the PCB layout.

Because of a different approach to designing the PCB layout from a mechanical design I ended up remaking my original F360 sketch which is now on v57 on which to base my PCB layout on. I unlinked the existing old PCB layout I made from the project, then tried to create an associative PCB file from the F360 sketch and link it to the Electronics project. That gives me a 'The file has linked to other files already. Please choose another file.'.

That project only has a linked schematics file. Not a layout file. Trying to delete the old files from the Data Panel gives me a 'A version of this design has been referenced by drawings, other designs, or manufacturing-related files and cannot be deleted.' message. I really feel like I can't delete file A because it has been referenced by file B, while I also cannot delete file B because it has been used as a reference for file A.

When searching for an solution I came upon the following Autodesk support link in which they suggest going through every version and see if a version is or has been linked to a version of whatever you want to unlink. Is the Autodesk way seriously to manually go through every version and see if you can unlink/delete that version? That cannot be right and is a horrible way of dealing with this. I 100% expect to be able to unlink a PCB document and be able to link a new one. I also expect to be able to delete unused files, even though somewhere in the past they have been referenced by a design or be able to unreference them.

[panpan_fan]

Hi @pascal0312 

I hope you are doing well!

Would you mind try choosing Copy PCB when you create new electronics design?

In this way, it will create copied PCB. 

You can have a try to see if it can solve your problem.

Regards,

Panpan Fan

[jorge_garcia · Accepted solution]

Hi @pascal0312,

If I'm understanding correctly you have a 2D PCB layout that you want to now link to a new 3D PCB so you can get a different board outline?

If that's the case then you should be able to do this. See the image, 

This will break the link between the 2D PCB and the existing 3D PCB. Then you go into the associative 3D PCB you now want to link to and select the link to 2D PCB option. See the image below

Let me know if you continue to run into problems or if I have misunderstood something.

Best Regards,

[pascal0312]

After fiddling around a bit hat seems to have solved my 'problem'?
My understanding of the steps required was I could create a 3D PCB from a sketch, which then could be used to create a PCB layout.
The missing link was it changes the PCB layout according to the 3D PCB. So I had to base it off a blank/used/filled/whatever pcb layout in the project first, then use the 3D PCB to 'update' the outline of that PCB.

I removed the PCB layout part from my project and then I tried to create a layout file from the 3D PCB, which didn't work. But it clicked when I saw your screenshots and got a linked and working outline now!