Parts missing or disappear in assembly

[normanvannorden]

Hello everybody,


Something really strange is going on here andI dont know how to solve it or what is causing it.


here is what happens:


1-I make an assembly with a few parts and I mate them all together.


2- I save the assembly with no errors.


3- I close the assembly.


4- I open the assemblyI just saved


5- The assembly opens but some or most parts arent do not appear, they however do appear in the feature manager designer tree as parts. But in the normal screen they are nowhere to be found. This of course causes the mates to error.


So my question is: Does anyone know what is causing this problem or better what the solution to this problem is?


I hope somebody can help me out.


Kind regards,


Norman

 

[normanvannorden]

I Tried t do the same with a single part in an assembly and it seems to happen to specific parts only. So the next question would be: What could be wrong the parts that makes them dissappear in the assembly?


Kind regards,


Norman

 

[SSLaser]

Check to be sure that all the parts are being saved in your working directory. Occasionally, SW will change what it thinks is the working directory to something like a library directory, or the directory where all your drawing formats are, etc.(this is with SW2007 SP3.0).


Are the parts grayed out in the tree?

 

[normanvannorden]

Hello SSLaser,


The parts arent grayed out in the tree they appear like the usual yellow tetrislike shape.


What do you mean with all the parts being saved in the working directory? Do you mean the parts should be in the same directory as the assembly?


Kind regards,


Norman

 

[Mihail]

The parts can be in the separate folders but do not MOVE that parts AFTER youmake the assembly. Or, if stronglynecesary to do that, use SW EXPLORER, not windows explorer or my computer or...


Now, about your problem: Check if the SOLID BODY is visible in the trouble parts. For that, in the tree manager, right click the SOLID BODY (under part) and ensure that is visible (if it is visible you must see the option HIDE, if it is not visible you must see the option SHOW.


If you right click the part in thetree manager and select OPEN PART, the part is ok ? Are these parts members of other assemblys ?


Good luck !


Mihail
Edited by: Mihail

 

[normanvannorden]

Hello Mihail,


First of all thanks for the advice, but sadly I havent come any further.


The assembly is in another folder as the parts in it. the part files were never moved and are still in the same directory.


The part itself is not visible in the main working screen but appears solid in the tree, even ifI right click itI can stillselect hide component, so it is not hidden.


BUT here comes the strange part, ifI open the trouble parts from the assembly, a window opens like your normal working screen but there are no features, no extrudes or what soever. So there is nothing to see.


But when I open the part from windows explorer the part opens as normal with all its features.


Why is this?I have no idea.


maybe i should redraw the parts but it would take a lot of time.


Kind regards,


Norman

 

[milano]

I had a similar problem a couple of days ago, all I could see when I loaded some assemblies was the background wallpaper (strangely it did not affect all assembly files). You could still select parts by clicking somewhere on the screen and they would open fine. I tried changing performance settings, I reloaded the graphics drivers, but in the end I had to reload SolidWorks itself to cure the problem.

 

[Mihail]

Look at the EXTERNAL REFERENCES. Must be ALL in context. I think that you edit the part in assembly context. So, a sketch or a feature has relation with other part in the assembly but the initial position was been modified (after you applay a mate). So, make a copy of this part, insert it in your assy, break ALL thereferences and chek the result. If it is OK, I am right. Be carfuly: in this case (after you break thereferences) the part become FIX. It is not updated if the assembly is change.


Hope that help you or give you new ideas.


Good luck !