Document Settings not available

[steve_lindley]

Our company has a folder full of ipt files that were once Content Center files (washers, screws, nuts, etc). To ensure the parts were available to all users, each time a Content Centre part was inserted, they used Save Copy As, to rename and save to a network location with the rest of their CAD files. I can hear everyone shouting already about whether this was the right thing to do or not, but regardless, this is where we're at. I think this might be the root of my problem though.

We've currently trying to output parts lists for our stores to use and I'm gradually changing the BOM structure in purchased parts, via the Document Settings, so that I can filter them. However, these ex-Content Centre parts are causing me grief. When I open them, the majority of functions are greyed out, including the Document Settings button. So I can't change the BOM structure of these items and of course there can be dozens listed in an assembly, so I need to find a work around.

Can anyone tell me what's causing the document settings to be greyed out, and what I can do to change it please?

I'm using Inventor Pro 2016

Many thanks

Steve

[Mark.Lancaster]

@steve_lindley

Are you sure you are editing non-content center components..  I don't have any issues changing stuff from a content center component that was saved as a custom or saved as.  Can you share one of these components.

[-niels- · Accepted solution]

This is a little workaround that might help:
Start a new assembly.
Insert all your parts that have this behavior.
Open the Bill of Materials.
Edit the bom structure for all parts.
Save the assembly and all the parts. (you can delete the assembly afterwards)

Check an existing drawing/assembly if changes worked, but i think that should do the trick.

[steve_lindley]

Thanks Niels, that worked perfectly. I tried with just a few parts in a new assembly first, but when it worked I tried then with others in an existing assembly and that worked too. I had no idea I could change the BOM Structure from within the assembly. I'd tried the context menu before from in there and didn't realise I could alter it with the replace function. I thought it would only alter fields where the user enters the text, such as the description. Anyway, thanks again.

[steve_lindley]

Mark,

Although I've got a solution now, I'm still curious about why many functions are not available with these parts. Even the direct edit is greyed out. I've attached just one of the parts, but they're all the same. Also frustrating is the fact that we can't choose to open the ipt from the browser pane in the iam (please see image). I'd be really interested to see if it's the same when you open the part, or if you insert it into an iam.

Kind regards

Steve

[Mark.Lancaster]

@steve_lindley

I think the issue is related to the browser icon these components are assigned to..  I've seen this issue before but I can't remember the solution...  I thought there was some code you ran to reset the "locked" info in the part.

I will tag a few EEs to see if they remember...

@JDMather

@mdavis22569

@mcgyvr

@Curtis_Waguespack

@blair

[mcgyvr]

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@Mark.Lancaster wrote:

@steve_lindley

I think the issue is related to the browser icon these components are assigned to..  I've seen this issue before but I can't remember the solution...  I thought there was some code you ran to reset the "locked" info in the part.

I will tag a few EEs to see if they remember...

@JDMather

@mdavis22569

@mcgyvr

@Curtis_Waguespack

@Anonymous

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You rang sir...

I think this "may" be it.. Specifically post 6 of 8.... Maybe?

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-general-discussion/change-content-center-part-to-a-normal-ipt/td-p/3921916

[Mark.Lancaster]

@mcgyvr

Wow!!   How did you find my year book picture?

Thanks for the info..  But this is not the case because something is locked about these parts because of that browser icon..   I remember someone posting about this but its been way toooooooooooo long to remember..   @steve_lindley is unable to even use the "OPEN" command in the right mouse context menu to open the file.  I will keep searching...

Update: Not sure if this is what I was thinking of: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcartic... But even that we can't access the VBA editor to run the macro on these parts.

[mcgyvr]

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@Mark.Lancaster wrote:

@mcgyvr

Wow!!   How did you find my year book picture?

Thanks for the info..  But this is not the case because something is locked about these parts because of that browser icon..   I remember someone posting about this but its been way toooooooooooo long to remember..   @steve_lindley is unable to even use the "OPEN" command in the right mouse context menu to open the file.  I will keep searching...

Update: Not sure if this is what I was thinking of: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcartic... But even that we can't access the VBA editor to run the macro on these parts.

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@Mark.Lancaster

The code in post 6 of 8 worked for me..

Changed all the icons to regular ipt file icons and then allowed me to open them..

[Mark.Lancaster]

@steve_lindley and everyone else...

Never mind it wasn't a code..

Its where the file came from per this posting http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-general-discussion/anyone-ever-seen-this-icon-yellow-nut/td-p... steve.lindley do you know where you got these files from?  Because they are not standard ones that come with Inventor or ones that you model yourself/publish to CC.

@mcgyvr  Just saw your posting..  That's good to know that code clears whatever the original stuff did.. 

[-niels-]

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@Mark.Lancaster wrote:
...do you know where you got these files from?  Because they are not standard ones that come with Inventor...

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Yes they are, they're really old standard parts from way back in Inventor V1 to V...? (not sure when they changed... too long ago.)

I know there was a bit of code on the CBliss site ("Normalize IV Library Parts") but that doesn't seem to be available anymore...

[steve_lindley]

I realise it's been a couple of weeks since this thread started, but just wanted to update, to see if anyone's got any more ideas please.

Basically, I've got a new problem that stems from these same parts. I want to uncheck the participation in sections box in the doc settings. So I thought I'd give that code a go. I'm a complete novice with VBA and ilogic, so maybe I've misunderstood what to do with it, but this is what I tried.

In the ipt, there's no access to VBA Editor or ilogic (both greyed out). So i pasted the ipt into a new assembly. I tried pasting the code from post 6 or 8 into VBA editor and nothing happened with no change to the part.

So then I used the code in post 10 of 10 and pasted into a new ilogic rule. When I run the ilogic rule I get the attached error message and of course, still no change to the part. I'm amused by the "huh?" but still disheartened that I'm getting nowhere!

[-niels- · Accepted solution]

Did a bit of searching and found this old post with a download:
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/normalize-content-library-parts/m-p/1432362#M161762

Worth a shot i guess...

---edit---

Tried it and it works for me.

You have to select the parts in an assembly and run the VBA code/macro

[steve_lindley]

Thanks Niels. Works for me too! I really appreciate everyone's help with this.

[Anonymous]

Hi, Just start your project by going file new and standard ipt or whichever one you prefer and then go to tools and chose document settings go to the units and then you can chose whichever Units want.  

[steve_lindley]

@Anonymous  Hi. Thanks for chiming in. If you're new to this forum, it's good to let others know what you know. However, a bit of friendly advice for you if I may be so bold. Firstly, please read and try to understand the original post before you chime in. In this case, if you read my original post, you'll see that Document Settings is greyed out and not accessible. You'll also notice I haven't mentioned changing units. Secondly, you'll see if a problem has been solved or not. In this case, the post was solved back in 2016. If it is solved, particularly from a long time ago, ask yourself if your advice is still needed or relevant. For example, 2021 is now available, so the bugs may have been fixed in newer releases. Worth considering.