Ok, Now I have a new (old) problem....

[rmcard]

After doing deep uninstall/re-install I now have a problem that I remember having a couple years ago but had gone away due to what I assumed was through a version update.

Basically, if I choose to modify a part located in a assembly and do it in another window (probably does it also if I modify it within an assembly as well) and I go back to modify a feature that is before a feature that may have an assembly constraint associated to it, I get an error popping up in the assembly stating that a feature associated with said restraint cant be found, along with constraints starting to cascade error red within the constraint tree. Although I have had this problem in the distant past I don't remember it happening in the last year or two and just figured that this was an annoyance coded away in the more recent releases.

I can easily uncheck the "display error" checkbox but I was wondering if there is another system setting I should be clicking on. Also, I don't remember whilst editing a part in the assembly in recent times having constraints going red on me even though the error box wasn't popping up on me - which again makes me think that there is another setup change I should be looking for.

 

[HaroldL]

It has been my experience that when you select "Edit in Separate Window" and you are just changing feature sketch dimensions, extrude distances. etc., Alibre has a better chance of updating the assembly constraints. IF are you deleting and replacing features that constraints rely on then Alibre has no way of knowing how to update the assembly constraints and will throw errors. You then have to rebuild them, selecting the new geometry/features. I think you would see the same behavior if you select "Edit Here".

 

[rmcard]

I can completely understand having errors pop up if I'm deleting features, but my problem has to do with backing the part up to it's first feature (or to any feature before one that is associated with an assembly constraint) to just change dimension inputs for resizing. I have not had Alibre kick me out of my "modify part in a separate window" in the last year or so to flag me with a "can't find feature" constraint error that I am now experiencing again after a total re-install.

It appeared that Alibre somehow had suspended the error checking while I was making changes to individual parts. I'm hoping it is just some radio button somewhere that I can turn on and off.

 

[bigseb]

... go back to modify a feature that is before a feature that may have an assembly constraint associated to it, I get an error popping up in the assembly stating that a feature associated with said restraint cant be found, .

This depends on how you modify the feature. If you simply change the dimensions or constraints of that feature's sketch then all will be well. But if you delete the sketch and redraw it (all the while keeping the feature) even just one line line you can ruin the associativity with that feature and will need to re-associate it within the assembly.

 

[JST]

It all comes down to Alibre re-naming the feature face, edge, etc. If you just change the extrusion length, that does not happen. If you delete ANYTHING, then internal names may change.

Another argument in favor of using reference geometry to constrain to, if possible. Of course, it depends how that geometry is defined..... if it has a specific location ref to the 3 basic planes, OK. If it is referenced to some part of the assembly, then it may get left loose in case of a change, and things fall apart in a big way.

 

[bigseb]

Another argument in favor of using reference geometry to constrain to, if possible.

+1