How to save copy & pasted features, e.g. surface, into another file?

[syang-5]

Hi all,

I am confronted with a problem to save extracted surface to a separate file. For example, I use copy and past function of Creo 3 to generate a duplicate feature. The next step is to save these file to another file or create another layer. The problem is that I cannot find the pasted feature under the model tree. Where is this new feature located? Thank you!

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[mbonka]

Hello sheng yang

first what cross my mind was badly activated part. Before you past geometry, you have to activate "target" part. Right click part and click actvivate. Actually activate part is designed with small green star in model tree. After past action see your model tree if desired feature was copied.

Youtube video with top-down design and "part activating".

Top Down Design- Creo - YouTube

If you see desired part in your model tree and not in graphics area, there can be many different reasons:

- feature is hidden

- feature is hidden in some layer

- some other reason ...

Hope it can helps

Regards

Milan

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

if you can please upload your model. Use How to attach file when you Reply to a discussion. procedure.

MH

[dgschaefer]

I'm a bit confused as to what you are trying to do.  Are you trying to copy a Creo feature (extrude, revolve, etc.) from model A to model B or are you trying to copy geometric entities (surfaces or curves themselves) from model A to model B?

They are quite different things and require very different approaches.

Since you mentioned copy & paste and that doesn't work on geometric entities, I'm going to assume that you mean features.  The best way to do this is to use paste special > advanced reference configuration. It's a very powerful tool. I also find it easier if I have both models open in separate windows on separate monitors.

Go to your source part and use control to select all the features you want to copy in the model tree.

No go to your target model and select paste special from the flyout menu under "paste".

In the pop up dialog, select Advanced reference configuration and nothing else.

In the next dialog choose a scale factor, if desired and select OK.

Then the Advanced Reference Configuration dialog comes up showing every reference used to create the features in the source part and allowing you to pick new references in the target part.

Here's where having 2 monitors helps. Creo also highlights the references in the source part to help you pick the correct new ones in the target.

Once you've got all the new references chosen, assuming the geometry will work in the target part, you'll get an exact duplicate of the features in the target part and it'll appear in the model tree exactly as it did in the source.

I use this technique nearly daily and find it really speeds my work.

[syang-5]

Hi Doug,

First of all, thank you for so detailed answer. I need to specify my need a little bit more.

I am dealing with an assembly with several components. I am trying to copy designated geometry features (surfaces, splines etc.) to another model (a blank model) so that these features can be saved separately with no dependency on the original assembly.

I can copy and past geometric feature (not Creo design feature like extrusion) within the same assembly file. I can also copy and past in the same component and the copied feature will synchronize in the assembly as well. The problem is that I cannot find the location of the copied feature in the assembly. As you can see in the figure, the colored surface is a duplicated face in the assembly but it does not show in the model tree.@Doug Scharfer

I have tried your way to copy & past, but I could not repeat your work in a blank model. The reason might be that when you create a new model, this model is in  a new session so that it can not find the copied content in the clipboard.

[dgschaefer]

The method I posted is for copying features, not geometry entities.  Within the assy, if you are highlighting surfaces and selecting copy then paste you are creating assy surfaces, not part surfaces.  By default in Creo, I believe that assy level features might be hidden in the model tree.  Check the model tree filter settings under the hammer & screwdriver button in the model tree.

[syang-5]

Hi Doug,

I tried your method again. I guess I have made some progress; however, I cannot pasted it successfully. As shown in the figure below:

In the tree model, I can find the copied feature named "AssemblyFeature_2", but I cannot confirm my selection as shown on the toolbar, the check option is grey. I can upload the model. Could you please try it for me? Thank you

[syang-5]

As you said, this method is to copy Creo feature, e.g. extrusion. All the steps are the same as you did, but I want to know how to specify the new reference so that copied feature can stay in the same position as it is.  How can I specify the reference of pasted feature. Thanks you and I have learned a lot.

[dgschaefer]

What you are doing is telling Creo how to recreate the feature in the new part, reference by reference.  So, if you sketched on the RIGHT plane with the TOP plane as the sketch reference and then dimensioned to the TOP and FRONT planes, Creo is going to ask which planes (or surfaces) to use in the new part to replace the RIGHT, TOP and FRONT planes. 

In the image above, you picked a sketch as your only reference for the extrude, Creo whats to know what sketch to use instead in the new part.  In that case, I think you need to copy the sketch and the extrude or embed the sketch within the extrude in order to copy the feature.  Or, you need a new sketch inside your target part to use as a reference.

[syang-5]

I have figured out where to find the copied features already. However, I still cannot find how to copy file to another file or another session.

[dgschaefer · Accepted solution]

To copy surfaces from one part to another, you can use a copy geometry feature.  Here's a quick overview.

1. Open the target part and select Copy Geometry from the model tab.
2. From the copy geometry dashboard, select the open button to open a file to copy from.
3. In the placement dialog select default to align the default coordinate systems for the copy.
4. Deselect the publish geometry button (looks like a cube with 3 arrows). Your source part should appear in a small window.
5. Click the References tab to expand it. You'll see 3 sections, one for surfaces to copy, another for curves to copy and the third for references such as datum planes, axes ,points, etc.  Pick the appropriate area and choose the items on the source part that you want to copy.
6. On the Options tab select "No Dependency" if you do not want any link to the source part.
7. Select the green check mark to complete the feature.

Good luck.

[syang-5]

This is the assembly. I need to copy the feature in purple to another new part file.

[dgschaefer]

Your zip file only contains the assy, not the parts.  We need it all in order to diagnose.