Missing the boat on file copying

I am not understanding the file set up and the "save as" in SW.
I have an existing assembly that I want to create a copy of but I don't want
the new assembly to reference the original. In the new Assembly I want to
delete some of the components that I don't want. How do I create this new
assembly and take all the existing parts and copy them to a new folder. I
want all the references deleted so that I can edit a part and it won't
change the original.

 

If you truly want a divorced copy, open the main assy, do a Find References
and copy all files from there to a location. At that point you will have a
complete copy of everything that is not related to anything. Make all your
changes there.

If you actually want the new assy to reference some of the same part files,
then just open the main assy, do a File/SaveAs and check the Save as copy
box. Then go open the new, copied assy file that still references the same
part files.

WT

 

A third alternative is to use SW Explorer which can also add a prefix or
suffix to the new files to keep them from getting confused with the old
files. Having a bunch of files named the same thing on your hard drive is
not a great idea.

matt

 

: A third alternative is to use SW Explorer which can also add a prefix or
: suffix to the new files to keep them from getting confused with the old
: files. Having a bunch of files named the same thing on your hard drive is
: not a great idea.
:
Thanks, Matt, sometimes geniuses just point out the obvious. LOL!

 

Three ways to 'divorce' and copy SW assemblies are:

1: File | Find References : Choose not to preserve directory structure
and select a new directory. Everything required (but not drawings) will be
copied.

2: File | Saveas then check the references button - select all - browse
to a new directory then click ok, then check 'copy' and again browse to the
new directory. Everything required (but not drawings) will be copied.

3: Solidworks Explorer: This is the most thorough way. Using solidworks
explorer you can copy all parts and drawings to a new folder, updating
references along the way.

Hope this helps some! Anyhow - what you sent worked fine although I found
some external references looking for parts that don't exist anymore? But
not anything that caused trouble