Much like yesterday, the area of improvement that I want to share with you today is one of the very TOUCHY subjects between SolidWorks users. When it comes to in-context modeling it is one of those subjects that you just try not to discuss; kind of like religion, politics, and your part numbering system. I have to admit, I am taking the part numbering bit from a good friend of mine but I laugh every time of think about it.
Anyways, enough of me babbling and on to the meat and potatoes. I am a HUGE fan of in context modeling so this update hits home for me. In SolidWorks 2010 you can tell the software how it should behave for saving new in-context components. Now in Tools > Options > System Options > Assemblies there is a new check box option called “Save new components to external files”. If this box is check it will prompt you to save the new in-context component to an external file as soon as you create it. If it is not checked it will save the component as a virtual part inside the assembly. You can see this option in the screen shot below.
This is a nice addition that will allow users who are continuously designing in-context to quickly save a part off into an external file if that is what they are hoping to do. If you are one of those users you definitely need to check this new option out and see what you think.
Hi Jason-
I’m on the other side of the fence, I always break all incontext external references prior to checking in files to the Vault. In the R&D environment, they are very useful, but in my opinion, they have no place in production released files.
Devon
hi devon, we use them AND 95% of the time keep them in our production files. we have customer changes to the parts quite often and with a well setup in context assembly it reduces our design change time dramatically.
i can definitely see both sides of the fence but i think there is a definite time and place for them and also if you are going to be using them you need to understand how to set it up correctly from the beginning.
I am very excited about the improvements to in-context references. Also, with virtual parts. Now, if virtual parts have in context references in an assembly, and you do a “save as”, the references update to the new assembly – without having to through and re-name all the parts by clicking on the references button. This is actually a huge deal for the type of design work that we do.
Also, I can drag in a drawer from the library and right click on it to make it a virtual part, and i have a unique copy of the drawer that dis not linked to the part in the library. This is really cool too.
I just hope that the problems that we have had with virtual parts in the past (with them disappearing for no reason for example
are fixed.
Chris