History Manager (Ctrl+H)

 

Invoked ByTool Bar

 

Show VX Data ManagerThe History Manager is accessed from the VX Data Manager.  Select this icon from the Tool Bar and then select the History Manager tab.  Use the History Manager to view the feature history of the active part in a graphical tree structure.  It can also be used to select features as direct input to many commands and to execute history-based commands.  You can Object Edit an operation by right-clicking on it to display a pop-up list of relevant commands.  You can resize the width of the History Manager window by dragging its resize edge to the left or right.

 

The lower portion of the manager contains a list of history-based commands that you can select to execute.  During a history replay, the lower list changes to show the features in the history that are yet to be replayed.  Be sure to review the topics below and the Notes section at the end of this topic.

 

History Manager Modes

 

History Manager (when initially displayed)

History Manager

(when initially displayed)

History Manager (during a history replay)

History Manager

(during a history replay)

 

 

Basic Operational Sequence

 

  1. Set the filter using the drop-down list at the top of the manager. Only items that fit the filter description will be listed (i.e., sketches, features, components).  

  2. View or select from the History Manager tree or select other options as described below.

    Or

    You can Object Edit a feature in the History Manager by right-clicking on it to display a pop-up list of relevant commands.  You can also left-click multiple features and then middle-click to select a command to act upon them all.
     

  3. Pick Close box to close the History Manager.

     

History Manager (when initially displayed)

 

Drop-down Selector

This sets the active filter for the upper list.  Only the objects defined by the filter will be listed. Select from the following filters:

 

 

Upper List

The upper list shows all history based operations within the active part/assembly in a graphical tree structure.

 

Expanding/Collapsing the History Manager

All features in the top list are initially shown collapsed.  To expand a feature, select Open/Close.  Select the Collapse History Tree icon to the left of the feature to collapse it.  Expanded features show additional information such as feature parameters and sketch dimensions.

 

Basic History Manager Icons

The first three icons are toggles.  When one is active, the others are inactive.

 

Show history of modeling operations

No dependent operations are displayed.

List Parent Operations

The lower portion of the History Manager lists the downstream operations that are dependent on the selected operation.

List dependent operations

The lower portion of the History Manager lists the parent operations on which the selected operation is dependent.

Step through history replay

Step through a history replay.  All operations are moved to the bottom list and are replayed one at a time.  The icons at the bottom of the History Manager are activated.

 

Lower List

The lower portion of the History Manager initially displays a list of shortcuts to history-based commands.  At times, this list is replaced with other information.  This occurs when the List Dependent Operations icon or the Step through History Replay icon (see above) is selected.

 

 

History Manager (during history replay)

 

Upper List

When a history replay is initiated, the upper list is cleared of all operations.  Then depending on which icon is selected (see below), each operation is removed from the lower list, evaluated, replayed and then sent to the upper list.  Replayed operations are displayed in the graphics window.

 

Lower List

The lower list of operations is not displayed with icons in a tree structure.  They are simply the operations listed in the order that they will be replayed (top to bottom).  You can Object Edit an operation by right-clicking on it to display a pop-up list of the following commands.

 

 

 

Replay History Icons

 

Exit history replay

Halt the history replay.  Warning: all items not yet replayed will be lost!

 

Replay next operation

Replay the next pending operation.

 

Suppress/Unsuppress next operation

Begin an automatic replay of all remaining operations.

 

Suppress next operation

Suppress the next history operation in the list.  Suppressed operations are indicated by ( ) in the list.  Operations will remain suppressed during subsequent replays.

 

You can force the operation to be unsuppressed by selecting the icon below when the operation is at the top of the list (e.g., when it’s about to be replayed). See CAD Tips & Techniques for history regens after suppressing features.

 

Replay and auto-suppress failed operations

Begin a replay automatically suppressing any operation that will not regenerate.

 

Restore next part backup

Fast forward to the next Backup Feature, quickly restoring the part up until that point in the history.

 

Rewind History to Previous Backup Operation

Fast rewind to the previous Backup Feature, quickly restoring the part up until that point in the history.

Unlink/force next operation

Try to force a reply of the next operation in the list (even if the operation normally errors out).  This will try to get the operation to do whatever it can, even though the results may not be correct.  You can also use this option to unsuppress and replay the next feature in the list if the feature is currently suppressed.

 

Edit next operation

Stop the history replay and edit the next item in the list.  If it is a component, its alignment constraints (if any) are regenerated before it is activated and a warning message informs you that a component is about to be modified.

 

Relocate next sketch/component/datum

Prompt for a new insertion plane for the next sketch, datum or component operation.

 

Delete next operation

Delete the next operation.  This is similar to the Delete Feature from History command.  See CAD Tips & Techniques for using caution when deleting a feature.

 

 

Object Editing Functions

 

History Manager - RMB FunctionsYou can right-click on any History Manager operation in the manager tree and execute the same Object Editing functions that are available from the graphics window. There are additional functions that are only available from the History Manager.  These are listed below.

 

 

Right Mouse Button Functions

 

 

 

Tips & Techniques

 

Tips & TechniquesIf your VX files appear to be unusually large.

Backup features that you have created using the Backup Feature command can be the cause of unusually larger model files. Try locating and deleting unneeded Backup features.  To locate Backup features, display the History Manager and select "Other" from the drop-down select at the top of the manager.

 

Tips & TechniquesUsing (Ctrl) and (Shift) Keys for Selection

When you select an operation from the upper list of the History Manager, the text font will change indicating that it has been selected. As multiple items are selected, they are added to a "pick list." The pick list can be processed by the various options. You can use the (Shift) key to select blocks of operations. (Shift)+(Left-click) will select all items between the picked item and the first item on the active pick list.  All other items are unpicked. You can use (Ctrl)+(Left-click) to unpick an item from the active pick list.

 

Tips & TechniquesIf you step through the history a lot

If you tend to step a lot (i.e., using Replay All Suppress/Unsuppress next operation as opposed to Replay Next Replay next operation ), you may want to increase the maximum number of Undo/Redo transactions from the General tab of the VX Configuration Form. This will ensure that you can undo back to the beginning of a replay if desired.  Alternately, you can use Backup Session command before replaying the history.

 

 

Proceed with Caution!Use the History Manager "Link" function carefully

The Link function (available when you right-click on a history operation sub-item) should be used carefully because it does not check to ensure that the referenced (i.e. linked) input data is compatible with the target input field.  The Send function is different because the input data is evaluated in real time (i.e., as the command receiving the input data is executed).

 

 

Related Topics

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