Is there a way to reuse a copy of an in context part 1

[NCSU1980]

I am trying to reuse an assembly to make another, very similar, assembly.

I saved the assembly as a copy. I am adjusting parts as needed. After the creation of the new assembly, if I need to change an individual part, I save the part as a copy with a new name, replace the old component with the new, and modify the new component as needed.

The trouble I have run into is an in context part. It is a 3D sweep of a wire. I saved the wire and replaced it, but it will not adjust to the plane I have it mated to. I get the message "This part has features in the context of another assembly. You can edit the part, but cannot create any external references to the components of the current assembly."

I opened the part and it shows the sketch status as "out of context" and the "referenced entities" are from the old assembly.

I am just trying to get the 3D sketch to go to a plane to modify the length of a segment of the sweep. Is there a way to do this? Maybe change the "referenced entities" to the new assembly, or even change just the one I need?

I right clicked on the part in the feature tree and see that I can "break all" references. I tried it, but do not know where to go from there. Will this help? If so, what to do then? Can I break the one reference and referencd the plane in the new asm?

If the references cannot be changes, how can the part be edited?

Steve
SW2006 sp 5.0

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

"I saved the assembly as a copy."
Try using Pack and Go next time. It is usually better at finding and updating references.

"After the creation of the new assembly, if I need to change an individual part, I save the part as a copy with a new name, replace the old component with the new, and modify the new component as needed."
With the new assy open and the original closed, all you need do is a Save as of the part to be changed and it will automatically replace the old for the new.

"I opened the part and it shows the sketch status as "out of context" and the "referenced entities" are from the old assembly."
While in the new assy, you need to go into the sketch and delete the in-context constraint, and then re-establish it in the new assy.

 

[NCSU1980]

I also found that when saving as a copy and there are in context parts, to check the "references" box. This allowed me to go ahead and assign the new part names for the in context parts, and in the process it updated the references to the new assembly.

Thanks, Steve

 

[JD80]

I saved the assembly as a copy
I second using pack and go.

You can edit the part, but cannot create any external references to the components of the current assembly."
Correct. You won't be able to add external refs to the current parts until all the old external refs are gone.

"break all" references. I tried it, but do not know where to go from there.
You may have noticed but all parts with external refs have "->" marks, missing refs are "->?" and broken refs are "->x". Find the parts with the broken refs. The feature with the broken refs will have the "->x" mark. If you edit the feature you can display relations for that feature. On the left hand menu you can select "broken" references. Below the listed references is a small window showing the entities involved in the broken reference. If you click a broken entity you can replace it with an entity from the current assembly. You can also use this menu to delete all the old refs and start over.

I do a fair bit of work using external refs. It really pays to use pack and go & the rename tool from SW as it replace most of the refs and avoid the problem to begin with. You can copy and paste the old part (for a backup) and rename the original. If you ever need to go back use the find and replace option making sure your assembly shows up before hitting replace.