Interchange assemblies used in a library.

[ptc-3289292]

In order to minimize folder size that a project is stored in we clean out all library parts after a project is finished. Normally when/if we need to use that project to start a new project or for whatever reason we can open the top level assembly and it will pull all the library parts down from the network. We do this using a search.pro file to list our library directory structure. Alot of our parts are created using family tables.

We have decided to try using interchange assemblies for the first time for some of our electrical components and other standard parts. When we clean these items from the project folder and try to open the top level assembly the parts from the interchange assemblies can not be found.

What do we need to do to make interchange assemblies work in a library?

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[dschenken]

Interchange assemblies are the only place that contains the information about what is interchangeable. If you delete them you are deleting that information.

You need to move the interchange assemblies to their own library so they won't be deleted.

Family table items don't have this problem as all the information about interchangeability is in the file the family table is in.

[ptc-3289292]

David

Thanks for the reply.

So just to be clear you are saying that once a part from an interchange assembly is used from a library it can not be deleted from the working folder?

[dschenken]

I'm missing how the parts are getting into the working folder - is this using Windchill?

If so, then you should be able to delete all the files from the working folder and retrieve the assembly from Commonspace and it will find all the required part for you.

If you are not using Windchill, there should not be any parts in there that were found in other locations using a search path.

This is why I don't understand the latest question.

The original description suggested that interchange assemblies were created in the working directory and then deleted, which would mean that you would not be able to replace components referred to by the interchange assembly anymore. It would also mean that all those parts that were in the interchange assy carry references to a non-existent file.