Spline Import doesn't import into Component

[Anonymous]

I'm trying to create two components, one is a hub, and the other is a spoke (more spokes later, but one for testing).

The first component I created was Dish&Hub and I was able to drag the bodies for the dish and hub from the root folder into the Dish&Hub component. 

When I try to perform the same type of drag operation for the spoke into the Spokes component the operation does not perform anything. I can drag neither the spoke sketch or the spoke body from the root folder into the component folder. 

After watching some videos about this I decided to try recreating the spoke directly into the spoke component.

So as an experiment I created a line sketch in the Spokes component and that works. 

I then attempted to create a spoke sketch. I activated the Spokes component and then used the import Spline tool. It creates a sketch in the component sketch, but the spline is not visible.

Attached is the file from this process.

[Phil.E]

Hi,

Looking at your model, if I drag the root Spokes sketch to the child component Spokes, there is an error message describing that a problem will occur and thus the operation is blocked.

After that, I don't know what you mean by "Import Spline tool". Can you show me a picture of this command?

[Anonymous]

 The "importSplineCSV" tool I am using (apologies if that's the wrong term) is an addin under the tools menu. (see pic below)

 

I just tried it again just now (see pic below). I activated the Spokes1 child and then ran the tool, but it created Sketch11 in the root component instead. I then tried to drag Sketch11 into one of the child components, but it didn't go anywhere, and I didn't see an error.

I was trying this a few days ago, and after I posted this question I was able to somehow to use a combination of a drag and using cut and paste to get sketches and bodies into the child components, but I'm not sure what it was that made that work.

If you could give me some idea as to the nature of these problems that would help avoid future problems. 

Thanks

[Phil.E]

Thanks for the details.

I'm having no trouble dragging all the sketches except the two you have named into a child component. So I'm not sure what may be going on.

Could you possibly share the CSV file? I can try to replicate the issue you describe, because that seems like a bug. If the child component is active, any new sketch should be placed in it.

[Anonymous]

I've attached one of the .csv files I am using.

[Phil.E · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Thanks for posting that. I have tested it.

Results:

In a new blank design, using ImportCSV, and your file, I get

• A spline curve in a sketch at the root.
• I can drag the sketch into a child component.

The reason the sketch goes to the root is because the script is written to do so.

There may be a way to edit this for your workflow, and replace rootComponent with activeComponent, but I'm not a script/python expert by any means. Perhaps someone can comment and give some instructions or pointers.

[Anonymous]

Hi Phil, thanks for that.
Given your results, I just had another try importing and dragging the spline into a child sketch. I figured out that the drag only works when the child component name is highlighted, not when the underscore line is in the child component--which is what I thought should happen. So now I'm able to replicate what you are doing.

When I try to drag one of the existing splines that I used previously from the root component for generating a surface it comes up with the '...downstream features fail" error message. So I suppose that that occurs because there are components that are pointing to the root sketch, and not the sketch in the child component that was created later. Just wondering if I understand that correctly? And if I did, is there any way to point such a surface to the new component sketch?

So I think we are in a position now where I understand how this works and I can work around the limitation as it is.

But as you say, if one of your python script experts could make the imported sketch go to the active component that would make the behaviour of the script consistent with the rest of Fusion 360. One for Fusion 360's todo list?
Thanks for your help
George

[Phil.E · Accepted solution]

From what I could see there were indeed parametric downstream references on the sketch at the root. The way to avoid this is to get the sketch into the intended component before using it to create parametric references (i.e. downstream features).

Honestly, you could end up spending a lot of time trying to fix an existing design that has inconvenient parametric references, and that time might be better spent doing it again with the intent to avoid these problems. The example you provided looks simple enough this would be the case.

As far as the sample scripts in Fusion, those are intended for you to edit and make your own. There is no plan to change those sample scripts.  You might get more attention posting your request on the API forum.

Another reference is this page: Mod the Machine.