AnsweredAssumed Answered

Resetting the instance number of an assembly component

Question asked by Brian Endres on Aug 17, 2009
Latest reply on Mar 19, 2013 by Robert Bartz

Like • Show 0 Likes0
Comment • 10

The subject says it all, is there a way to reset the instance counter back to <1> again? I used to be able to do a "Save As" with a component, rename the component, save the assembly and close it. Then, I'd open the assembly back up and do the same steps but set the component's name back to the original name and it would re-number my instances. Now, SolidWorks seems to be too smart to let me do this anymore - there seems to be an instance counter odometer-type thing that always keeps track for you and you can never get back to <1> again...

This isn't a real necessity, but I would like to verify that all the items in my BOM are accounted for and the instance numbers used to make this a lot easier for me!

No one else has this question

Outcomes

10 Replies

Mauricio Martinez-Saez Aug 24, 2009 1:51 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
2015 wrote:

The subject says it all, is there a way to reset the instance counter back to <1> again? I used to be able to do a "Save As" with a component, rename the component, save the assembly and close it. Then, I'd open the assembly back up and do the same steps but set the component's name back to the original name and it would re-number my instances. Now, SolidWorks seems to be too smart to let me do this anymore - there seems to be an instance counter odometer-type thing that always keeps track for you and you can never get back to <1> again...

This isn't a real necessity, but I would like to verify that all the items in my BOM are accounted for and the instance numbers used to make this a lot easier for me!

I ask for an "enhancement" to allow the user to "renum" the instances of components way back in 2005... maybe if you ask also we get it next year...
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
- Deepak Gupta @ Mauricio Martinez-Saez on Aug 24, 2009 4:19 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Though I rarely need it but here is my trick. Delete that particular part/component. Save the assembly and close the file. Reopen and reinsert that part/component. A little tedious way but worked for me.
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
  - Steve Calvert @ Deepak Gupta on Aug 24, 2009 8:11 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Deepak, that might work but SW really needs to be able to reset thses numbers. I used them all the time with Unigraphics because I had the ability to "Pack" all the like instances of a component and UG would tell me how many I had. Pretty cool.
    
    I guess with SW2009 you could put a BOM in the assembly and it would show the same as packing or having all the instances reset.
    
    Steve
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
    Actions
    - Brian Endres @ Steve Calvert on Aug 24, 2009 8:46 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Looks like just doing the assembly BOM (or trusting the drawing BOM) is the way to go. It's a shame how many things worked a long time ago and don't anymore... Don't even get me started on mate numbering.
      Like • Show 0 Likes0
      Actions
      - Josh Brady @ Brian Endres on Aug 24, 2009 9:16 AM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Any time you rely on something to perform a function it was not designed for you should be prepared for it to not work in certain circumstances or later releases. Instance number was never intended to be used as an incremented number. It is only an identifier. SW should have used some random 5-digit number to prevent people from relying on that number for anything. There are way too many scenarios where that number cannot be used as you want to use it - Subassemblies, configurations, suppression, etc.
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
        Actions
      - Josh Brady @ Brian Endres on Aug 24, 2009 11:48 AM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Here's a couple of macros that will perform similarly to what you want instance numbers to do. One uses a form and displays more information, and one uses a tooltip-like popup at your cursor along with displaying information in the lower-left corner of the screen (status bar). Run either macro in an assembly and then click any component, either in the graphics area or the feature tree. The form version will give you information as:
        
        Selected Configuration
           Resolved
           Suppressed
           Total
        All Configurations
           Resolved
           Suppressed
           Total
        
        The SmartMessage version only reports the qty that are resolved for the selected configuration and for all configurations.
        
        The macros will find instances that are contained in subassemblies as well.
        Attachments
        CompCounter.swp.zip16.8 KB
        CompCounterSmartMessage.swp.zip17.9 KB
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
        Actions
  - Mauricio Martinez-Saez @ Deepak Gupta on Aug 24, 2009 3:01 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    15309 wrote:
    
    Though I rarely need it but here is my trick. Delete that particular part/component. Save the assembly and close the file. Reopen and reinsert that part/component. A little tedious way but worked for me.
    
    One of the "uses" of the "instance" number is to "define" the identity of a component on a "suppress / resolve" command on a DT, or to drive from a DT whihc configuration to use on a particular instance of a component... the inability of the user to define the "instance" number ID, create a limitation on using the instance ID on DT's, macros, etc.
    
    Imagine two different assemblies, one have four instances of a component and the other 200 instances of the same component, but on both assemblies one of the particular components need to have the same comfiguration (but they have different instance ID's given by SolidWorks), if you have a macro or a complex DT system configuring those two assemblies, you will need to have diferent instance ID's for each component on each assembly.
    
    Will be nice if the instance ID can be edited by the user so he can define a "unique" ID # to whatever component he want, SW can check that the ID # is unique, that can be done with a few simple lines of code.
    
    Maybe when the instance ID # was created on the application SW do not think on all possible implications of having that ID # internaly controlled by the application and even the fact that sometimes they are leaving "holes" on the numbering (<1> , <2>, <4>, <8>, <9>, <10>) when you delete a component.
    
    For us, this is a real problem in some assemblies, our problem is not to be able to "count" the occurances of a single component, that can be done with a simple macro... the problem is to have a "controled" component ID to use on product configurators, DT's, macros, etc.
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
    Actions
  - Robert Bartz @ Deepak Gupta on Mar 19, 2013 11:28 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    To cut right to the point, Deepak's Gupta's solution worked great for me in SW2012... Effective work-around; thanks! This is a good enhancement request also to renumber without having to run a macro.
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
    Actions
Alexander Sandstrom Dec 12, 2012 2:49 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
As I side note to everyone else, you can use the "Assembly Visualization" icon under the "Evaluate" tab in order to find out how many of a certain part there are. So, for example, if you have 20 parts that are the same but the instance numbers jump all over the place, you can use "Assembly Visualization" and it'll show you in a "Quantity" column the number of pieces in the assembly.
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
P. Farnham Dec 12, 2012 3:13 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Cool I like this question and the mate renumbering one too.
Put an enhancement request in and I will vote on them too.
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions

Resetting the instance number of an assembly component

Outcomes

Attachments

Related Content

Recommended Content