How to save a copy of a Content Center part to make a custom part from it?

How to save a copy of a Content Center part to make a custom part from it?

MBPedersen_DK
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Message 1 of 14

How to save a copy of a Content Center part to make a custom part from it?

MBPedersen_DK
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi everyone, 
I hope, here is someone who can help me figure out how to save a copy of a Content Center part to make a custom part from it.

The issue is, that I have some parts in the Content Center, that I need to copy and modify a little bit.
In this specific case a Bracket, that I need to make some extra holes in

I thought, I just could place the right size of the bracket in an assembly, then open the part and "save as". Give it a new name, and do my changes to that new part. 
And it does also almost work, except that I now notice, that if I right-click one my new valve, it still have the "Change Size" option with the variations from the original bracket.

Is there a way to break that link, so that I have a new standard part, with no connection to the original content center part?

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Accepted solutions (1)
989 Views
13 Replies
Replies (13)
Message 2 of 14

todd_cannon
Advocate
Advocate

@MBPedersen_DK , use the Place from Content Center option from the Component tab on the Assemble menu ribbon. When you get to the place from Content Center dialog box, select the part and configuration you need. In the configure dialog box, there are radio buttons for "As Standard" and "As Custom". If you tick the as custom option, you will be asked to provide a filename and location for a custom, modifiable copy. Hope I could help.

 

Cheers,

Todd

Message 3 of 14

Gabriel_Watson
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Mentor
Someone wrote a macro/iLogic for it:
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/breaking-link-to-content-center/m-p/8736326/highlight/...

But you could also derive/simplify your bracket (or save as STP and import back) to dumb it down and remove the connections to CC.
Message 4 of 14

MBPedersen_DK
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Enthusiast

Thanks for your reply, it works a little better that way, than the way I did is.
but it still have the "Change Size..." with the options from the original Content Center part, when I right click it, the only difference is, that when doing it this way, it doesn't change, when trying to choose one of the original versions, which is a little better, as it doesn't risk being changed by accident, but not quite, what I were looking for. 

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Message 5 of 14

anthonyzepeda1969
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Advocate

I had this issue before as well until I accidentally found out about the Custom part. lol 

Message 6 of 14

MBPedersen_DK
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I have never used macros in Inventor before, so I am not totally sure about how to do that, but your solution about derive/simplify it, sounds like a good and simple solution, I am going to try that 🙂

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Message 7 of 14

anthonyzepeda1969
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Advocate

You don't have to derive the part.

You can create a custom part when you drop in from the CC. Before you hit ok check the box at bottom left "Custom". Then when you ok it will prompt you to save somewhere and assign a part name. You can just leave it witht file name from CC if you want. 

But it also still has all the parameters where you can edit if you want. 

This option worked great for me. Especially when I need a size that CC does not have. 

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Message 8 of 14

MBPedersen_DK
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Enthusiast

Thanks for pointing this option out, and if it only were me, who were going to use this, then I would be happy enough with this solution. 
But the issue with doing it that way, is that I still get the "Change size" option with the original variations, when right clicking my new custom part.
and I am not very happy about having this, as it clearly will looks like a mistake, and some co-workers might get confused about this not working dialog-box.

MBPedersen_DK_0-1683813390955.png

 

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Message 9 of 14

anthonyzepeda1969
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Advocate

🤷‍♂️

Well sorry. 

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Message 10 of 14

MBPedersen_DK
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Enthusiast

That's totally OK. I appreciate, you trying to help, and as said, if it just were me, who were going to use it, that I would have been happy with that solution, as it is a ease and fast way to do it 🙂

Message 11 of 14

anthonyzepeda1969
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Advocate

U have the luxury of being the only designer here. 

So as long as I don't forget then I'm ok. 

Message 12 of 14

A.Acheson
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Mentor
Accepted solution

Hi @MBPedersen_DK 

The link @Gabriel_Watson contains two lines of code as below.

  1. Open the part file you want to remove CC publishing iproperties.
  2. In the manage tab button, navigate to ilogic tab.
  3. Click button "ilogic browser"
  4. Click button "add rule"
  5. Paste the lines of code
  6. Press Save &Run
ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.PropertySets.Item(6).Delete
ThisApplication.ActiveDocument.PropertySets.Item(5).Delete

 This video has the operation, fastforward to minute 3.

https://youtu.be/uZsHVrMpf0U

 

The rule is saved to that document so if the functionality works and you don't want a rule in every document you can set up a rule as an external rule in the ilogic browser and this saves it to a central folder and not each document. The alternative is to simply delete the rule. 

If this solved a problem, please click (accept) as solution.‌‌‌‌
Or if this helped you, please, click (like)‌‌
Regards
Alan
Message 13 of 14

todd_cannon
Advocate
Advocate

@MBPedersen_DK , I see what you are saying about right clicking on it and seeing the ability to resize/reconfigure the selection from Content Center. It seems that anything placed from CC will have this option, whether placed as standard or custom. But, this is true in a way for all parts. Normal IV parts have a replace component rmb option that a user could do if they chose to do so. This would be similar to a replace from content center option for CC parts. If you are worried about other users inadvertent change of a model, then you probably need a better security model or process change. At some point you are going to have to trust the ones working in the models. I don't expect that this is going to solve your problem, but just giving you my perspective.

 

Cheers,

Todd

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Message 14 of 14

MBPedersen_DK
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Enthusiast

Thank you very much A.Acheson

That solutions worked perfectly in my test here, when having saved the CC-part as custom like todd.cannon and anthonyzepeda1969 suggested 🙂
(doesn't work, if placing it as not custom and then just using "save as..." as I did first, but that is totally fine, just good to be aware of, I think). 

 
I will now set this as solved. Thank you all for your help 🙂

And yeah, I do see your point todd.cannon, but I am glad, that Change Size menu can be removed without much trouble, when knowing the "secret way" with the script 😉