The Link Manager can be used to support the family-of-parts functionality.  For example, you can set up a family-of-parts "generator" by creating a part that serves as a "wrapper" part.  Within that part, you could Insert an Equation Set that drives the part family and then insert any components or assemblies that may form the basis of the family-of-parts.

 

These components can be blanked if you don't want to see them all.  Additional parts and drawing sheets that need to be regenerated after the equation set and main assembly are regenerated should be added as links using the Link Manager.  You can use the Part Settings Form to enable or disable the regeneration of linked objects and files.

 

The Link Manager is divided into two scrolling lists, one for linked VX objects and another for linked external Files (i.e., Objects and Files).  Refer to the steps below and the description of each Link Manager function that follows.  You can right-click on objects to get options not otherwise available on the form.  For more information see Mouse Button Functionality.

 

You can also use the Link Manager to embed external files in the active part.  For example, you can embed a Command Template (*.t) file used to define a Custom Feature so that the feature will always regenerate properly without VX having to locate the file externally.  Refer to the Tips & Techniques section below for more information about embedded files.

 

1. Insert VX Objects that you want linked to the target part and set their regen status.

2. Insert any external VX Object Files (if any) that you want linked to the target part.

3. Insert any embedded files that you want to always remain with the active part.

4. Pick OK or Apply to assign the links.

 

 

 

See Using the Link Manager above for more information.

 

• Insert - Displays the Object Browser.  Objects selected from the browser are added to the scrolling list of object links.

• Regen - Regenerates all objects flagged for regen (i.e., referred to as hard links).  Objects are automatically hard linked (with an Asterisk) when they are added to the list of object links.  If an object will not regen, a message is displayed asking if you want to continue regenerating the remaining objects.  If an object will not completely regenerate without user interaction, an error is generated and the object is left unmodified.

• Auto regen - When this option is checked,all hard linked objects (those with a asterisk in front of the object name) are automatically regenerated after the parent part is regenerated.  The objects are regenerated in the order they occur in the list.

 

 

 

See Using the Link Manager above for more information.

 

• Insert - Displays the File Browser.  Object files selected from the browser are added to the scrolling list of file links.  If no link is highlighted, new links are inserted at the end of the list.

 

 

 

See Using the Link Manager above for more information.

 

• Insert - Displays the File Browser.  External files selected from the browser are added to the scrolling list of embedded files.  If no file is highlighted, new files are inserted at the end of the list.  

 

 

 

• Select All, Unselect All - Select or unselect all links in the list automatically.

• OK - Save the current list of links with the target object and remove the Link Manager.

• Apply - Save the current list of links with the target object and leave the Link Manager displayed.

• Reset - Re-display the links last saved with the target object.

• Cancel - Close the Link Manager without saving.

 

 

 

Left-click selects and highlights a link (by changing its font) and adds it to a temporary pick list.  A double click selects a link and displays the Object Editor menu discussed below.

 

Middle-click after one or more links are selected displays the Object Editor menu discussed below.

 

Right-click selects a link and displays the Object Editor menu options listed below.  This is the same as double-left-click above but only acts upon the highlighted link even if other links are on the pick list.

 

• Delete - Removes picked links from the list.

• Hard link - Flags all selected links for regeneration when the Link Manager's "Regen" button is picked (only displayed for VX Object links).

• Soft link - Disables all picked links from regeneration (only displayed for VX Object links).

• Edit - Activates the selected object of editing (i.e., it becomes the active object).  When a link is activated from the Link Manager, the original active object is stored globally so that it is reactivated when the Go up to Parent Object icon is selected (only displayed for VX Object links).

• Inquire - For embedded files, this displays the Inquire Entity Information form with information about the file.

• Save - For embedded files, this saves the file externally from the active part.  A copy of the file will remain embedded with the active part.