To Update, Edit or Break Associations between Imported Files and Inventor Files

CATIA, Solidworks, Pro-E/Creo, NX, Alias, STEP, and AutoCAD DWG files only.

Update and edit associations - CATIA, Solidworks, Pro-E/Creo, NX, Alias, STEP, and AutoCAD DWG

The Update icon on the Quick Access toolbar indicates that the original imported file was edited since it was initially imported into Inventor. Click the Update icon to load the revised imported file and incorporate the changes.

Note: The Update icon is also displayed in the browser.

Remove the association

Use Break Link to remove the association between the imported 3rd party file and the original 3rd party file.

1. In the browser or graphic window, right-click on the imported file, and select Break Link from the context menu.
2. In the Save External dialog box:
   • Specify a prefix or suffix to add to the file name to avoid name duplication issues.
   • Browse to specify where to save the file.

Update and edit associations - Alias only

When the file node displays the warning icon , right-click and select Update Associations.

Use the Update Associations dialog box to ensure that your model is healthy before the creation of new features.

After the objects are imported as Reference Model, associativity is maintained from the source file to the Inventor file. All items available from the source file display in the browser, along with their status. Click the round status icon to change the status of the associated object. You can choose to include or exclude the object or import the object as individual surfaces. To expose the child nodes in the browser, click the plus sign (+) next to the parent node. Likewise, to hide the child nodes, click the minus sign (-).

Layer Selector	Choose the layer to update. The browser displays the imported objects and Inventor objects associated with the selected layer.
Command Bar	Select surfaces in the browser and click a command to execute the associated operation.    Matches the selected surfaces.    Unmatches the selected surfaces.    Deletes the selected surfaces.    Undeletes the selected surfaces.
Surface Status	The browser font colors denote the surface status. Use the colors to identify which surfaces are Matched, Orphaned, Updated, and Deleted.

Given the complexities involved with the translation of the imported files into the Inventor format and the maintenance of associativity, there are situations in which orphaned layers or surfaces are encountered. These orphans are created due to object association errors between the imported file and the Inventor file.

Two post-translation scenarios exist which can lead to orphans:

• A new surface is introduced in the file to replace a deleted surface. It leads to a mismatch between the surfaces in the Inventor model and the surfaces in the original file.
• A surface was deleted in the product that was no longer needed. It also leads to a mismatch between the surfaces in the Inventor model and the surfaces in the original file

The orphan issues are corrected using the Update Associations dialog box. The Update Associations dialog box displays the objects present in the imported file and the Inventor file. You select objects in the browser and use the commands to update the associations. You can match or unmatch surfaces between files and delete or undelete surfaces in the Inventor model.