Assembly Components Not Selectable

rustyncc1701

I installed BricsCad on a new computer and I can open and work on my existing models just fine but I have one issue. In assembles of components some of the components are shaded lighter than others. I have attached an example of the issue. These lightly shaded components don't seem to work correctly, for example I can't select these components to form assemble constraints. Its been so long since I setup my original BricsCad I can't remember if I changed something to fix this issue early on. I tried for a few hours today to find some setting or something different between between these components to no avail. Does anyone happen to know why this might be happening?

Thanks!

Robert

Hello Rusty,

Are the files you opened Step files you imported from another cad system or DWGS made in Bricscad?
Can you post a file where this happens (maybe not this one, I can imagine work on military vehicles might be classified :P ).
That way we can help you check if there is something wrong in the model.

with kind regards,

Robert van der Veen

Knut Hohenberg

Does the display change when you set XDWGFADECTL to 0?
Some of your components might be Xrefs...

rustyncc1701

Thanks for the responses.

So when I set XDWGFADECTL to 0 the color does change, I did some research on xrefs in manual and it seems like you may be right. I am trying to create a mechanical assembly of components. It seems like some of the "components" I have inserted were these xrefs instead of components if that makes sense. Is there a difference between xrefs and components? Should I create components in different way? The manual seems unclear on this point.

Also would you happen to know if there is a way to compare settings between two different installations?

Roy Klein Gebbinck

To compare setting you can use BKG_Settings.

Robert

An Xref is an externally referenced document, in AutoCAD 2D and Bricscad 2D these are used often used and an underlay.
For example you have a dwg with a sewage system drafted on it, you can then insert an Xref of a map of the building to be display under/over the sewage system. So if someone updates the map of the building it gets updated in the sewage system drawing as well. To my knowledge Xrefs are only used in 2D and as such I don't think they are ment to handle/contain 3D information . The xattach can be used to add an Xref.

Now a assembly component kind of works like an Xref in the way that it is an external file that is referenced in the main assembly and can be edited and updated outside of the assembly. The difference is that is used for 3D parts and can be used in assemblies. These are added through the add component or create component functions found in the assembly ribbonbar.

To check the mechanical structure of your assembly use the mechnical browser.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

If you _BmInsert a component and do not modify a parameter, or if the component does not have parameters, the result will be an xref. So xrefs are use in 3D.

Jason Bourhill

Xrefs, like blocks can be 3D or 2D. BricsCAD assemblies via BMINSERT use a hybrid form of block and xrefs due to the inclusion of parameters. The key difference, as Identified by Roy, is that modified externally linked components are cached within the assembly. Unmodified components are treated as xrefs.

Attach an example file to illustrate. The model has 5 components:

• Base is a local component
• Spigot & Rod are external components. These files are missing, but the components still display because their parameters have been modified, which results in a copy being cached with the assembly.
• BasePlate & Handle are also external components and are also missing. These files don't display as their parameters are unmodified (BasePlate has no parameters) and are still essentially xrefs, you will see them listed under external references in the drawing explorer.

In your case it sounds like the external components have been cached in your model as you can see them. If you still have the external files, then you would want to make them available again. If you haven't got the files you can right click on them in the Mechanical Browser and select 'Switch to Local' to convert them to a local component.

Jason Bourhill

Here is the full assembly including the missing components. In this case I've used ETRANSMIT to ensure that all external dependencies are included.