Use Crossing Window When Editing Design View Representation

[el_jefe_de_steak]

Is there a way to use a crossing window or selection window when editing a design view representation to add/remove parts?

This would help me out a lot as I use design view rep's all the time, and hate having to click-click-click for each part that I want to remove when I edit a view. Often I want to remove a whole section of the assembly at once, and a crossing/selection window function would be super useful. 

[mcgyvr]

What version of Inventor?

What selection filter do you have selected? <--I think this is key to your problem as you seem to be implying selecting parts of a subassembly

Both types of window select work just fine for me when selecting parts both children at that level or as components in a subassembly,etc....

I also have assigned a hot key of "A" for "select all occurrences" and that works really nice when doing similar work for me..

[jtylerbc]

@mcgyvr, I'm not totally sure, but I think maybe he's right-clicking on the View Representation and going into "Edit View" mode.  While in that mode, you have no window selection at all.

@el_jefe_de_steak, if that's the case, then all you have to do is stop going into that mode.  Just activate the View Representation, use whatever selection methods you like (including Window / Crossing), and turn off Visibility for the components you want to get rid of.

[johnsonshiue · Accepted solution]

Hi Guys,

Yes, it is true that Window-Select is not available in Design View -> Edit View workflow. I don't see a technical reason why it should not work there. It might be a design choice. I will follow up with the project team and see what we can do there.

Regarding making components visible or invisible, you can use the predefined Selection Filters to help select components. Window-select is enabled there (not in Edit View).

Many thanks!

[el_jefe_de_steak]

@johnsonshiue I would love this addition. I think it makes sense to implement it, and it would help improve the workflow quite a bit. Hidden parts and levels of detail do not work for my application because I need to be able to show a BOM for the sub-components on fabrication drawings.

@jtylerbc you are correct in your assumption. The issue that requires me to edit the design view representations in sub-assemblies is that I am using Frame Generator to make complex weldments. Demoting the sub-components does not work because I have a lot of "reused" parts, and you cannot demote reused parts into separate sub-assemblies. I tried just breaking the reuse, but that creates separate line items for the same part on the BOM which is undesirable. Long story short, design view rep's is the best way for me to get what I need for my fabrication drawings and saw cut lists.

[el_jefe_de_steak]

@mcgyvr @johnsonshiue BTW I am using Inventor Pro 2019

[mcgyvr]

While I may be missing some difference I have been using design views very heavily in my Inventor career and have NEVER used the "edit view" workflow..

I'm not sure I could find a valid reason in my workflow that I would need to toggle between view included/view excluded and from what I can tell that might be the only benefit or function that the edit view workflow provides..

Not saying that window crossing shouldn't be something thats added.. Just saying that minor benefits that edit view provides may be totally negated by the fact that you can't window select.. So don't use edit view workflow unless you want to view excluded which I would expect wouldn't be that often..

There are a few places I've never understood why that crossing window workflow wasn't supported (applying constraints like horizontal/vertical to numerous points is certainly one where it would be highly beneficial)

[jtylerbc]

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@mcgyvr wrote:

While I may be missing some difference I have been using design views very heavily in my Inventor career and have NEVER used the "edit view" workflow..

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Me neither.  I've probably had some situations where it would have been helpful, but long before I remember that mode is there, I've already rummaged through the browser and found the components myself.