A real solidworks question, lol

Scenario
SW2005 sp 0.1
Pdmworks
task pane
5 parts a,b,c,d, and e
One sub-assembly containing parts a and b
One sub-assembly containing parts a,b,c,d
One main assembly containing sub assemblies 1 ,2 and part e
ALL part and assembly files are open.
I have the main assembly in view and decide to alter part b
I ctrl tab to the part b and alter it.
I then get a message asking if I want to update the referenced documents.
I click the yes button.
now here is the outcome, when looking at the task pane, the icon for the
part b, tells me that the part is newer than the vault, this makes sense.
The icons for the two sub-assemblies and the main assembly still show that
they are equal to the assemblies in the vault!
Hold on, did I not agree to update references documents?
If I then ctrl tab to a sub assembly, it tells me, that it has changed and
needs a rebuild, only then does the icon in the task pane change to show
newer than the vault.
Now take this to a main assembly that has 500 or more parts and
sub-assemblies with a microswitch in 20 sub-assemblies, and the problem gets
massive!
Take a sub-assembly of a micro switch, same switch, but I need to add a
custom property, that part has now changed, there is that update references
message again!
I have to open every sub-assembly in turn to rebuild it, and then the main
assembly.
This is bad enough when I have built it, but what happens if my partner
opens it and changes a part, he is not going to know what to open and
rebuild.
But wait, there is more!, now every sub-assembly is newer than what is in
the vault!
All this just for a custom property addition, Ahhhhh!
What am I doing wrong?

 

If you haven't actually changed something in a subassembly, don't worry
about it. Changes to an assembly include adding incontext references,
adding or removing assembly features, component patterns, assembly layout
sketches, mates, add/remove instances of parts/assy, new parts/assy, etc.

In the case you described, you only made a change to a part, and unless it
changes the filename/part number, you didn't make a change to the assembly,
only the part.

If you revved every assembly and drawing every time a part revved, you'd
never get anything done.

If you just rev the part and not the assembly, the only thing that's really
not going to be perfect is the preview of the assembly or lightweight
assembly. It will show with the old version of the part until the part is
fully loaded.

So I guess the answer is that you're not really doing anything wrong, other
than getting a little nervous.

matt

 

Thank you matt, I was wondering if I was doing something wrong or my sw was
going tits up!, lol

 

I now know what the problem is!
The task pane file explorer is not refreshing it's view automatically.
If you refresh the file explorer view, you can then see, what has changed.
Maybe a silly question, but why not have this file explorer view
automatically update, when you save a document???
An enhancement request I think.

 

Can someone make an API for this??
I know nothing about API, so please help me.
Thanks

 

Of course Pete only changed a part. But did SW change anything that the
assemblies need? For example:

1. Face numbering in the part changed (unknown to Pete). Then some
mates be changed in any of the assemblies that use this mate.

2. He did a drawing of a sheet metal part and added a flat pattern
view. This will update the drawing or assembly with a new
configuration.

 

The only thing I changed was the colour of the part.

 

Opps!
A custom property on the first go and a custom property on the second go.

 

That will do it.

 

Just thought I'd throw this in to muddy the waters.
Although you have mentioned the simple addition or modification of a
"custom property", if the "custom property" was to change a Material of
a part, then is the "Form, Fit or Function" of the part changed?
One could argue for Function. Could be cut-n-dry if the material
appears on a BOM.