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Reorder Work Features and Component Patterns in Assembly browser

Reorder Work Features and Component Patterns in Assembly browser

I can not drag/reorder Work Features and Component Patterns in the assembly browser. I see no reason why this is not possible. Please fix this, thank you.

51 Comments
Anonymous
Not applicable

Yet another jaw dropping limitation in Inventor. It is obvious to even a relatively new user that folders and reordering in the features section of the browser are very important for managing complexity.

 

As a long time software developer it seems to me Autodesk refuses to sit in the chair of the user and understand the importance of aspects that while not essential (an incomprehensible array of features does get the design done), nevertheless have a huge impact on creating and comprehending the design.

 

The inventor software is nothing more than a big array of zeros and ones in a very precise order. Imagine writing software where the tool requires you to manually shuffle a long string of zeros and ones into the correct length and permutation. Theoretically possible, but definitely impossible...

Anonymous
Not applicable

Wow! 6 years in development for a simple request.  This software is pathetic compared to the competition.

JKolarovic
Explorer

This is such a joke. Not only does this restriction prevent your assembly from being clean and readable since you can't use folders effectively, it also prevents you from demoting component patterns to existing assemblies.

 

"Future consideration" means it's less along the path than "accepted", right? That's fantastic, in 4 years it became even less plausible to remove this infuriating problem from the software.

Anonymous
Not applicable

If there is a fundamental reason they cannot be reordered (see steven.dennis commnet above) then can an additional view mode be created?  Currently (in v2017) there are two view modes in the assembly browser: "Assembly View" and "Modeling View".  Why not create a new view mode in the browser where parts, folders, patterns, work geometry, etc. can be moved around at will in a tree view?  It could be called "Organized View" or "Custom View". 

 

Hopefully this suggestion may help move this idea along.  I would welcome the ability to reorder component patterns in the assembly tree, regardless if they are in a folder or not.  It has been so frustrating over the years to be able to move parts around the patterns in the tree, but be able to move the patterns past each other to keep things organized.  Inventor team has made some great improvements since IV6 when I started after learning 3D modeling on the other SoftWare.  I think the UI of Inventor is superior at this point, so I am holding on to hope this idea moves up the list.

Thanks for listening.

SteveMDennis
Autodesk

@Anonymous

I tried exactly that, having a "customer view" that had no compute semantics in it and allowed you to do whatever you wanted to the nodes...

This attempt of mine failed miserably for a variety of reasons. Keep the ideas coming and we understand the frustration this limitation gives you and others but I just wanted to let you know that I did personally try this solution in the recent past.

Benjamin
Contributor

Any update on being able to reorder work features in assemblies? Strongly support this idea!

Anonymous
Not applicable

+1; this is a frightning limitation if the software is intended for use by professionals in industry rather than just hobby use where mesy assemblies might be acceptable.  

 

No issues with this in Creo or SW, it might be okay to live without in basic assemblies but for large assemblies with several patterns it becomes a mess in very short order. 

 

I've only been using inventor for 2 weeks but it seems like every day I come across some other staggering limitation.

Oh gosh!

I will always say the same for this software, it's extremely good but just not in the most important and simply things, it fails a lot in the basic functions.

Patrick1323
Enthusiast

I can not drag/reorder Work Features and Component Patterns in the assembly browser. 

 

This is a duplicate post:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/reorder-work-features-and-component-patterns-in-assemb...

mgreenmachine
Enthusiast

I'm curious as to why this has not been implemented for Work Features yet....

Andrew2803
Advocate

@mgreenmachine 

 

 
Never will be fixed, as some features following sequentially each other in the feature browser.
 
 
 
 
 
For example: You just can't move a hole above a body (in browser) in which the hole has been applied on.
This post is completely intransitive and supposed to be deleted ages ago.....................
DRoam
Mentor

@Andrew2803, as the title says, this is regarding the Assembly browser, not the Part browser. Unlike in Parts, the order in the Assembly browser has no effect on the model, so there's no logical reason for the reorder restrictions like there is in Parts. There's extensive discussion regarding this here. According to Autodesk devs it's technically challenging to fix due to some deep, hard-coded aspects of the browser/assembly solve process. But there's no logical barrier from a high-level perspective. Just a programming one.

bcampbell3SR6X
Enthusiast

Exactly what DRoam Mentor said.

 

Put it this way:

Parts: You need to drill a hole before you can tap it. Simple order of operations that can't be changed.

Assemblies: If you have 2 bricks of Lego, you can re-order which goes on the bottom.

 

Why can't Inventor re-order the Lego?

I guess I need to be extremely careful with my order of operations for Assemblies.

mgreenmachine
Enthusiast

Fellow Inventor users,

 

I struggle with these same issues. However I want to share with you all a way to reorder component patterns (definitely not the ideal fix, as it can be somewhat time consuming, but it's a decent workaround for now).

 

1. Select the Pattern Component command

2. Select components in the order you would prefer to see them in the model tree

3. Create the pattern

4. Delete the newly created pattern

 

Your components will now be in your preferred order at the bottom of your model tree. Now, like normal, drag and drop the rest of your non-patterned components where you want them and voila, your component patterns are in the desired order and your model tree organized. I hope this proves to be as helpful for you as it has been for me!

bcampbell3SR6X
Enthusiast
@mgreenmachine Neat little trick there! Kind of silly that your method will re-organize the Part order in an Assembly but we can't do it on our own. I've notice that with your Pattern method, it reverses the order of selection (for me anyway).
 
Thanks for this!
 
 
 
 
drawings
Advocate

Thanks @mgreen7W3EF!

I did find my patterns in reverse order of choosing.

It allowed me to move work features to the top. They were not accepted in the pattern, but the pattern was created at the bottom of the browser. It stayed on top when the pattern was deleted.

Maybe this workaround will give insight into improving browser behavior.

Thanks again.

 

mgreenmachine
Enthusiast

@bcampbell3SR6X @drawings No problem.

 

I suspect the reason your components are in reverse order may be due to what order in which they were selected (for instance, if you select the bottom-most pattern, hold down the Shift key, and then select the top-most pattern, this would reorder them in reverse order). However, I have not myself experienced the reversing that you have described, so I really cannot say.

 

Another note: Reordering Component Patterns is now possible with a simple click and drag in Inventor 2022. I recommend updating, as I have done, thus circumventing this issue altogether. Cheers!

drawings
Advocate

 

Thanks @mgreenmachine!

Nice to know they have taken care of the issue. With having to update Vault being required we end up skipping years.

Because of @bcampbell3SR6X comment,I selected them in the order I wanted them; starting with the work feature, then patterns 1,2,3.

When that gave me reverse order I did it again picking patterns 3,2,1. It then got them in the order I wanted, same as I started, but with the work feature (plane) before them.

Thanks!

 

Yijiang.Cai
Autodesk

The idea post covers two parts, and please see the status below -

  • Reorder Component Patterns in Assembly browser, which has been addressed in Inventor 2022. Please have a try.
  • Reorder Work Features in Assembly browser, which has been sent to project team for investigation.

Really appreciate your idea!

Yijiang.Cai
Autodesk
Status changed to: Accepted
 

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