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Frequently Asked Questions about Autodesk Assets

Find answers to common questions about using Assets in Autodesk Construction Cloud.

What is a composite object in model-based asset workflows? Can I identify or define them?

A composite object is a group of individual model objects that represent a single object. Child objects are the individual model objects that form the composite object.

Composite objects are defined in the authoring tool, and as such, can't be edited or created in Build. In addition, it's not possible to determine what is and what isn't a composite object in Build.

Why can't I see the details of the asset I selected in my model?

If you select an asset in the model but don't see the details in the panel on the right, you might need to change the selection mode in the viewer:

  1. Click the Viewing toolbar > Settings option > Configuration tab.

  2. In the Selection area, use the Selection Mode drop-down list to choose a selection mode. Each mode enables selection of objects at different levels of the model.

    You can choose from:

    • Leaf Object - Selects the lowest level of object. For composite objects, selects the individual leaf objects within the composite. For example, when a Curtain wall is modeled as a composite object, clicking part of the curtain wall will select the individual panel / mullion.

      Tip: This is the recommended option to address this issue. Learn more.

    • First Object - Selects the highest level of object, for example, a whole model.

    • Last Object - Selects the lowest level of object. For composite objects, selects the whole composite object rather than the leaf objects within it. For example, when a Curtain wall is modeled as a composite object, clicking any part of the curtain wall will select the entire curtain wall.

Why do I see a message about unstable IDs when creating assets from models?

When creating assets from models, each asset is associated with the corresponding model element, and uses the element's specific ID. Some file types from third party applications don't guarantee that a stable element ID is maintained between model versions. This means that the ID used for an element can change when new model versions are uploaded, effectively breaking the relationship between the model element and asset.

When you add files that may contain unstable model element IDs to the Assets tool, you will see a warning message that explains the potential implications of using these formats.

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