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Possible to rebuild more than one configuration at a time?

Question asked by Rob Edwards on Oct 3, 2018
Latest reply on Oct 4, 2018 by Rob Edwards

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Good Afternoon Folks

My VAR couldn't help with this, they said it's not possible.. just seems very strange to me and I was wondering if anyone has a solution/work-a-round

I have a very simple example that illustrates the issue.

I have an assembly with a simple sketch - just a construction line (Pink)

I then have a part containing a sketch of a single line.

One end of the line is coincident with the origin and the other end is coincident to an end of the pink line.

There are two configurations of the part so I am coincident to both ends of the construction line.

Here <1>config-1 is the 12 o'clock position and <2>config-2 is nearly at 3 o'clock.

So here's my issue..

If I move the assembly sketch like this (adjusting <1> end)

<1> updates perfectly but <2> requires a rebuild.

If I move the same part <1> again everything is perfect (both rebuild)

Now if I move the end of the line that would update <2> we get problems

but if I move <2> again it's all cushty

I get similar results when alternating the ends moved.

Basically <2> doesn't get rebuilt unless it already needs rebuilding

My guess is that it is because there is only one Update Holder.

The VAR told me that SW starts rebuilding at the Top and then just stops after looking at <1> I don't understand why?

Ideas anyone? If this worked it would be exceedingly useful.

CTRL-Q will fix this, but I'm never happy modelling such that a forced rebuild is necessary.

I would be delighted even if someone could just explain the rebuild process as to why this doesn't work

Anyway, All the best

2016 attached

John Stoltzfus Oct 4, 2018 7:25 AM

Correct Answer

Sorry I uploaded 2018 - not thinking...

Maybe I am misunderstanding your question, but this is what works............

In any assembly using multiple instances of the same part and all of these instances being a different configuration can be controlled with a context sketch or sketches, however you need a seperate sketch for each configuration and the other sketches not used must be suppressed.

As you show you can have a sketch on the top of your feature tree. The only way to add that sketch in your assembly is if you add the sketch prior to adding any parts, you could actually add multiple sketches as well. The final verdict is the each sketch needs to be connected so to speak and what's not used in that configuration must be suppressed.

See the reply in context

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Test.SLDASM.zip65.1 KB

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Dan Pihlaja Oct 3, 2018 10:42 AM

Well....CTRL SHIFT B is the default keyboard shortcut to rebuild all configurations:

Try that?

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Rob Edwards @ Dan Pihlaja on Oct 3, 2018 10:55 AM

Thanks Dan

That's a nice shortcut to have but I don't think it's available in 2016

I have to use the button buried in the Modify Configs Dialog

In this case though I am in an assembly (no configurations) the two configurations are at the part level

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Dan Pihlaja @ Rob Edwards on Oct 3, 2018 11:38 AM

OK, try this:

Add a 2nd sketch in the assembly. Add a single point

Add a 2nd sketch to the part as well. Add a single point to this sketch as well.

Have 2nd part sketch suppressed in config <1> but unsuppressed in config <2>

At the part level activate <2> config and attach the point to the end of the line

At the assembly level, edit the 2nd assembly sketch and make it coincident with the point.

This should create a 2nd update holder...

I haven't tested it....try it out.

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Dan Pihlaja @ Dan Pihlaja on Oct 3, 2018 11:51 AM

Scratch that. I thought that you had the sketches at the part level driving the sketch at the assembly level. Instead it is the other way around.

If you had 2 separate parts, this would probably work the way you want it to.

Even if you had two separate sketches, then convert entities to create a 3rd sketch, linking it all together it would probably work.

But having them both be in the same sketch.....I don't know. It would have to run through updating that sketch twice.....I don't think it is designed to do that.

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Jerome De San Nicolás Oct 3, 2018 12:16 PM

Try that :

Right click on you part in the configuration tab

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John Stoltzfus Oct 3, 2018 12:57 PM

Rob Edwards

This is how I would set it up... Take a look at the assembly and the part

Attachments

Rob Test.zip3.1 MB

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Andreas Rhomberg Oct 3, 2018 1:05 PM

"cushty" had to look that one up!

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Vladimir Urazhdin Oct 3, 2018 1:53 PM

Macro may help: See attach:

Attachments

UpdateConfigurations.swp.zip10.6 KB

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Rob Edwards Oct 4, 2018 5:29 AM

Thanks for all the suggestions...

Apologies.. I probably should have phrased my question slightly differently...

maybe something like

I would like to understand the rebuild process in an assembly and see whether it is possible to make two components which are different configurations of the same part both update/rebuild.

Anyway with a nights sleep I had another idea that whilst not being perfect is a significant improvement.

I mated the component origins to the assembly sketch, and then used an intermediate sketch in the second config to 'telegraph' the assembly location to the Part sketch.

This is because it is not possible to add two identical sketch relations in different contexts.

ie component <1> Sketch1 Point 1 coincident with Assembly Origin

and component <2> Sketch1 Point 1 coincident with Assembly Origin

I tried to cheat this with one config coincident to origin and second config using Intersection Top/Right Plane (the same thing) - it worked but it didn't update!

Doing it this way I figured that the mates would be more likely to be solved than sketches, which seems true.

I am still getting a rebuild indicator half of the time, but this is false - it is likely caused by the suppressed out of context relation. It seems to me that Solidworks isn't sophisticated enough to distinguish/ignore suppressed dependencies.

I'm not sure this is just me guessing but there is more supporting evidence. The Sketch_Pt_At_Ass_Origin Sketch was added to the second config and was automatically suppressed in config 1, but if the sketch is unsuppressed in config1 it is not possible to return to this initial suppression state.

Again this points to Solidworks not understanding which parent/child relationships are actually active in a configuration... it seems like a blanket approach is implied.

Although it works.. I am not happy with this solution because I think it is pushing/abusing Solidworks. For example you can make Solidworks crash if you have automatic relations turned on (who doesn't?) very very easily.

Anyway thanks again for alll your help

2016 attached

Attachments

Assem1.SLDASM.zip61.1 KB

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John Stoltzfus @ Rob Edwards on Oct 4, 2018 7:25 AM

Sorry I uploaded 2018 - not thinking...

Maybe I am misunderstanding your question, but this is what works............

Actions

Rob Edwards @ John Stoltzfus on Oct 4, 2018 8:39 AM

you need a seperate sketch for each configuration and the other sketches not used must be suppressed

Wow John... Perfect!!

I've got two update holders no traffic lights and it works a treat!!

The one thing I'd say is that it's pretty tricky to create. The order in which you make it and apply relations is critical.

2016 attached

Attachments

Assem2.SLDASM.zip59.4 KB

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11 Replies

Dan Pihlaja Oct 3, 2018 10:42 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Well....CTRL SHIFT B is the default keyboard shortcut to rebuild all configurations:

Try that?
Like • Show 4 Likes4
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- Rob Edwards @ Dan Pihlaja on Oct 3, 2018 10:55 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Thanks Dan
  That's a nice shortcut to have but I don't think it's available in 2016
  I have to use the button buried in the Modify Configs Dialog
  In this case though I am in an assembly (no configurations) the two configurations are at the part level
  Like • Show 2 Likes2
  Actions
  - Dan Pihlaja @ Rob Edwards on Oct 3, 2018 11:38 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    OK, try this:
    Add a 2nd sketch in the assembly. Add a single point
    Add a 2nd sketch to the part as well. Add a single point to this sketch as well.
    Have 2nd part sketch suppressed in config <1> but unsuppressed in config <2>
    At the part level activate <2> config and attach the point to the end of the line
    At the assembly level, edit the 2nd assembly sketch and make it coincident with the point.
    
    This should create a 2nd update holder...
    
    I haven't tested it....try it out.
    Like • Show 4 Likes4
    Actions
    - Dan Pihlaja @ Dan Pihlaja on Oct 3, 2018 11:51 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Scratch that. I thought that you had the sketches at the part level driving the sketch at the assembly level. Instead it is the other way around.
      
      If you had 2 separate parts, this would probably work the way you want it to.
      
      Even if you had two separate sketches, then convert entities to create a 3rd sketch, linking it all together it would probably work.
      
      But having them both be in the same sketch.....I don't know. It would have to run through updating that sketch twice.....I don't think it is designed to do that.
      Like • Show 3 Likes3
      Actions
Jerome De San Nicolás Oct 3, 2018 12:16 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Try that :
Right click on you part in the configuration tab
Like • Show 4 Likes4
Actions
John Stoltzfus Oct 3, 2018 12:57 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Rob Edwards

This is how I would set it up... Take a look at the assembly and the part
Attachments
- Rob Test.zip3.1 MB
Like • Show 4 Likes4
Actions
Andreas Rhomberg Oct 3, 2018 1:05 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
"cushty" had to look that one up!
Like • Show 3 Likes3
Actions
Vladimir Urazhdin Oct 3, 2018 1:53 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Macro may help: See attach:
Attachments
- UpdateConfigurations.swp.zip10.6 KB
Like • Show 3 Likes3
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Rob Edwards Oct 4, 2018 5:29 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Thanks for all the suggestions...
Apologies.. I probably should have phrased my question slightly differently...

maybe something like

I would like to understand the rebuild process in an assembly and see whether it is possible to make two components which are different configurations of the same part both update/rebuild.

Anyway with a nights sleep I had another idea that whilst not being perfect is a significant improvement.

I mated the component origins to the assembly sketch, and then used an intermediate sketch in the second config to 'telegraph' the assembly location to the Part sketch.

This is because it is not possible to add two identical sketch relations in different contexts.
ie component <1> Sketch1 Point 1 coincident with Assembly Origin
and component <2> Sketch1 Point 1 coincident with Assembly Origin
I tried to cheat this with one config coincident to origin and second config using Intersection Top/Right Plane (the same thing) - it worked but it didn't update!

Doing it this way I figured that the mates would be more likely to be solved than sketches, which seems true.
I am still getting a rebuild indicator half of the time, but this is false - it is likely caused by the suppressed out of context relation. It seems to me that Solidworks isn't sophisticated enough to distinguish/ignore suppressed dependencies.

I'm not sure this is just me guessing but there is more supporting evidence. The Sketch_Pt_At_Ass_Origin Sketch was added to the second config and was automatically suppressed in config 1, but if the sketch is unsuppressed in config1 it is not possible to return to this initial suppression state.
Again this points to Solidworks not understanding which parent/child relationships are actually active in a configuration... it seems like a blanket approach is implied.

Although it works.. I am not happy with this solution because I think it is pushing/abusing Solidworks. For example you can make Solidworks crash if you have automatic relations turned on (who doesn't?) very very easily.

Anyway thanks again for alll your help

2016 attached
Attachments
- Assem1.SLDASM.zip61.1 KB
Like • Show 2 Likes2
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- John Stoltzfus @ Rob Edwards on Oct 4, 2018 7:25 AM
  Unmark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Sorry I uploaded 2018 - not thinking...
  
  Maybe I am misunderstanding your question, but this is what works............
  
  In any assembly using multiple instances of the same part and all of these instances being a different configuration can be controlled with a context sketch or sketches, however you need a seperate sketch for each configuration and the other sketches not used must be suppressed.
  
  As you show you can have a sketch on the top of your feature tree. The only way to add that sketch in your assembly is if you add the sketch prior to adding any parts, you could actually add multiple sketches as well. The final verdict is the each sketch needs to be connected so to speak and what's not used in that configuration must be suppressed.
  Like • Show 4 Likes4
  Actions
  - Rob Edwards @ John Stoltzfus on Oct 4, 2018 8:39 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    you need a seperate sketch for each configuration and the other sketches not used must be suppressed
    
    Wow John... Perfect!!
    
    I've got two update holders no traffic lights and it works a treat!!
    
    The one thing I'd say is that it's pretty tricky to create. The order in which you make it and apply relations is critical.
    
    2016 attached
    Attachments
    Assem2.SLDASM.zip59.4 KB
    Like • Show 5 Likes5
    Actions

Possible to rebuild more than one configuration at a time?

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