I can't figure out how to drag parts to reposition them in an assembly

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
March 13, 2025
5 replies
2711 views

I'm a SW user with about a year of CREO use now. I'm on CREO Parametric 10.0.4.0. I'm playing with a PCB layout, placing major components on a motherboard. So I've dropped in a PCIe card, and attached it to a PCIe Connector, and I've got power connectors, and other hand-accessible components (buttons, switches, etc). I've constrained them all to the PCB surface, and now I'd like to drag them around and figure out which layout works best for end-user and PCB design team.

The only way I seem to be able to do this is to click on a component, and Edit Definition, and then drag the arrows for the unconstrained Degrees of Freedom. That's kind of okay, except that CREO seems to really think the assembly order matters. So if I place the PCIe connector first, I have to drag that around in its DoF, but that hides the PCIe card, and associated cables since those were placed later. And if I move whatever the first component is (in this case a button), every other component disappears so I have to frame of reference to know if I've dragged it to a good spot or not.

I've tried using the Drag Components tool, but I can't get it to move anything. I've tried moving totally unconstrained parts, partially constrained (like my connectors), and fully constrained parts. The drag tool doesn't seem to do anything. When I watch you tube videos of Drag Components, people just click on the tool, and start dragging stuff around on the screen. Why doesn't mine work like that?

Assembly Design

Best answer by kdirth

To use Drag Component, select the drag component button then select the component to drag (do not hold mouse button) and move mouse. Click mouse button again to release it.

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StephenW

23-Emerald III

It just kind of works if the component isn't fully constrained

I would start by testing on a newly created assembly, just to make sure it works at all. Create an assembly, add a part with no constraints and see if you can move it. Maybe there is something unexpected happening in that specific assembly you are working with.

If it doesn't work on a new assembly, the you likely have a setting preventing, although I don't know exactly what that would be.

tbraxton

22-Sapphire II

If you can post the models (put them in a .zip file before uploading) or at least a video of what is happening that would be helpful. Details on exactly how components are constrained and what happens when you attempt to drag them.

If the components are packaged (not fully constrained) then drag components should work. From your description it sounds like you have used a mate constraint to make the connectors coplanar with one side of the PCB. If this is true, then only a single DOF is constrained, and the component will show as packaged int eh model tree.

In the model tree do you see this glyph indicating the components you have placed are partially constrained?

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xPR1MUSx

Author

10-Marble

My parts do show the partially constrained icon. I got the answer in another reply. I was Click&Dragging. The Drag tool requires Click, Drag, Click. Not intuitive for me coming from SW, but very simple now that I know.

kdirth

Answer

21-Topaz I

To use Drag Component, select the drag component button then select the component to drag (do not hold mouse button) and move mouse. Click mouse button again to release it.

There is always more to learn.

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xPR1MUSx

Author

10-Marble

Oh my goodness, what a lifesaver!!! This is just like the Middle Mouse click to create a dimension. Thank you!

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pausob

19-Tanzanite

FYI, if enable_implied_joints yes config.pro setting is active (default setting for Creo 10), then you can use CTRL+ALT+Left click button to grab and drag your component(s) around (the components will obey their constraints) - without going into the "Drag components" mode