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Exploded View for Parts: Hidden Items in Feature Tree Are KILLING me

Question asked by Andrew Miller on Mar 11, 2016
Latest reply on Nov 12, 2020 by Adrian Diromualdo

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I recently made the terrible mistake of using SW (2015 SP 5.0) exploded view in a part. It wasn't working for me at all, so I deleted the explode configuration--problem solved, right? No such luck. Now I have a permanently exploded part that I can't un-explode.

For the uninitiated, this "feature" works by adding secret Body/Moves into your feature tree. You can roll back the assembly and undo the damage, but they'll always be there, exploding your part, if not rolled back. Of course there is no way to view the secret features. Of course there is no way to delete them.

SW, never add secret features, relations, appearances, or anything else that affects parts. I know you think you're good at your jobs and can make software that doesn't need low-level manual control of everything, but you aren't. You people are actually terrible at your jobs and we need as much manual low level control as possible to work around your bugs, bad features, inconsistencies, and poor design.

Ben Fulton Apr 2, 2017 8:25 PM

Correct Answer

Seems like a shit feature ol' Solidworks need to fix..... gotta love these second rate features with no real help other than waiting for someone here to dick about with it lol

I hope nobody suggests this for my issue:

Exploded View of Multi bodied sheet metal part - quick easy option?.

See the reply in context

1 person had this question

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Deepak Gupta Mar 12, 2016 5:33 AM

I had similar issues in S2014 version also.

I was able to fix some models by adding another exploded view configuration, added some exploded steps and deleted them which fixed the issues but some remained as it is.

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Kelvin Lamport Mar 13, 2016 7:01 PM

Can you post a part which shows the problem, for review?

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Kelvin Lamport Mar 14, 2016 3:00 PM

For the uninitiated, this "feature" works by adding secret Body/Moves into your feature tree.

Please explain how you created these "secret" features.

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Andrew Miller @ Kelvin Lamport on Mar 14, 2016 3:16 PM

1. Create Multibody part

2. Create exploded view in part

3. Now you have "secret features" in your feature tree.

See attached example part. I created 2 boxes, then did a part-level explode that effectively moved one over. In the feature tree, you'll notice that one of the bodies has been renamed from "Boss-Extrude..." to "Body-Move...". When the exploded view is toggled, this body-move is unsuppressed; when the exploded view is toggled, this feature is suppressed. All this action occurs in secret, however, i.e. not in the feature tree. The issue is that sometimes these secret features become uncoupled with the exploded view and then there is no way to affect them.

In my last part, I deleted the exploded view, but the secret features were retained. I could roll back the feature tree until they were eradicated, but I couldn't delete them or reorder them. I ended up right clicking the body, editing the secret feature there to affect a dummy solid (deletion was not an option).

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Secret-Features.SLDPRT.zip42.5 KB

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Kelvin Lamport @ Andrew Miller on Mar 14, 2016 4:13 PM

OK. Now I understand. That function was introduced in 2012, but I've never used it.

I just tested in SW14-SP 5 without a problem, but will test on 15 & 16 tonight.

If it turns out to be a reproducible bug, one workaround would be to use the From > Offset option when creating the multi-body feature.

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Deepak Gupta @ Kelvin Lamport on Mar 15, 2016 12:25 AM

Kelvin, these are not reproducible even with the same files. So one need to use several workarounds to get away from it.

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Daen Hendrickson Aug 22, 2016 1:53 PM

I have been fighting with this EXACT issue using SW2014 SP5.

I got there by creating a weldment, adding an explode, then editing the weldment such that the weld bodies were deleted and new bodies created. This of course caused the exploded step that referenced the old bodies to not be associated with the new bodies. I then edited the explode feature steps with the missing bodies and clicked on the new bodies. They were happy to become associated with the explode step and move to the intended location.

And then I exited the explode feature. And tried to collapse the explode feature. This is when SW deleted the explode steps I had just edited but did not remove the "secrete" move body steps. No way to go back. I have not had any success with the steps Deepak suggested.

Daen

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Daen Hendrickson @ Daen Hendrickson on Mar 22, 2017 3:38 PM

I am using SW2014 SP5.

I believe I may have stumbled upon a solution for this issue - one that I have faced a number of times.

Find the body with the offending hidden Move/Copy Body feature within the cut list. RMC on this body and select Parent/Child Relationships. In the Children window you should see a Move/Copy Body feature listed. RMC this feature in the list and select Delete.

Done.

I just discovered this and have only worked it on one part file but it succeeded every time on multiple bodies.

I placed a duplicate answer in a similar thread here: https://forum.solidworks.com/message/529770

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Adrian Diromualdo @ Daen Hendrickson on Nov 12, 2020 2:41 PM

Wow this actually worked. Thank you so much!

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Ben Fulton Apr 2, 2017 8:25 PM

Seems like a shit feature ol' Solidworks need to fix..... gotta love these second rate features with no real help other than waiting for someone here to dick about with it lol

I hope nobody suggests this for my issue:

Exploded View of Multi bodied sheet metal part - quick easy option?.

Actions

10 Replies

Deepak Gupta Mar 12, 2016 5:33 AM
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Correct Answer
I had similar issues in S2014 version also.

I was able to fix some models by adding another exploded view configuration, added some exploded steps and deleted them which fixed the issues but some remained as it is.
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Kelvin Lamport Mar 13, 2016 7:01 PM
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Can you post a part which shows the problem, for review?
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Kelvin Lamport Mar 14, 2016 3:00 PM
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For the uninitiated, this "feature" works by adding secret Body/Moves into your feature tree.
Please explain how you created these "secret" features.
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- Andrew Miller @ Kelvin Lamport on Mar 14, 2016 3:16 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  1. Create Multibody part
  2. Create exploded view in part
  3. Now you have "secret features" in your feature tree.
  
  See attached example part. I created 2 boxes, then did a part-level explode that effectively moved one over. In the feature tree, you'll notice that one of the bodies has been renamed from "Boss-Extrude..." to "Body-Move...". When the exploded view is toggled, this body-move is unsuppressed; when the exploded view is toggled, this feature is suppressed. All this action occurs in secret, however, i.e. not in the feature tree. The issue is that sometimes these secret features become uncoupled with the exploded view and then there is no way to affect them.
  
  In my last part, I deleted the exploded view, but the secret features were retained. I could roll back the feature tree until they were eradicated, but I couldn't delete them or reorder them. I ended up right clicking the body, editing the secret feature there to affect a dummy solid (deletion was not an option).
  Attachments
  - Secret-Features.SLDPRT.zip42.5 KB
  Like • Show 1 Like1
  Actions
  - Kelvin Lamport @ Andrew Miller on Mar 14, 2016 4:13 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    OK. Now I understand. That function was introduced in 2012, but I've never used it.
    I just tested in SW14-SP 5 without a problem, but will test on 15 & 16 tonight.
    
    If it turns out to be a reproducible bug, one workaround would be to use the From > Offset option when creating the multi-body feature.
    Like • Show 1 Like1
    Actions
    - Deepak Gupta @ Kelvin Lamport on Mar 15, 2016 12:25 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Kelvin, these are not reproducible even with the same files. So one need to use several workarounds to get away from it.
      Like • Show 1 Like1
      Actions
Daen Hendrickson Aug 22, 2016 1:53 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I have been fighting with this EXACT issue using SW2014 SP5.

I got there by creating a weldment, adding an explode, then editing the weldment such that the weld bodies were deleted and new bodies created. This of course caused the exploded step that referenced the old bodies to not be associated with the new bodies. I then edited the explode feature steps with the missing bodies and clicked on the new bodies. They were happy to become associated with the explode step and move to the intended location.

And then I exited the explode feature. And tried to collapse the explode feature. This is when SW deleted the explode steps I had just edited but did not remove the "secrete" move body steps. No way to go back. I have not had any success with the steps Deepak suggested.

Daen
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- Daen Hendrickson @ Daen Hendrickson on Mar 22, 2017 3:38 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  I am using SW2014 SP5.
  
  I believe I may have stumbled upon a solution for this issue - one that I have faced a number of times.
  
  Find the body with the offending hidden Move/Copy Body feature within the cut list. RMC on this body and select Parent/Child Relationships. In the Children window you should see a Move/Copy Body feature listed. RMC this feature in the list and select Delete.
  
  Done.
  
  I just discovered this and have only worked it on one part file but it succeeded every time on multiple bodies.
  
  I placed a duplicate answer in a similar thread here: https://forum.solidworks.com/message/529770
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  - Adrian Diromualdo @ Daen Hendrickson on Nov 12, 2020 2:41 PM
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    Correct Answer
    Wow this actually worked. Thank you so much!
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Ben Fulton Apr 2, 2017 8:25 PM
Unmark Correct
Correct Answer
Seems like a shit feature ol' Solidworks need to fix..... gotta love these second rate features with no real help other than waiting for someone here to dick about with it lol

I hope nobody suggests this for my issue:
Exploded View of Multi bodied sheet metal part - quick easy option?.
Like • Show 1 Like1
Actions

Exploded View for Parts: Hidden Items in Feature Tree Are KILLING me

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