Geometry Copier is CadActive’s tool for automatically copying component coordinate systems into an skeleton model. It allows large numbers of copy geometry features to be created at once while avoiding troublesome external references.

There is one major prerequisite for using the Copier: any features you are looking to copy into your skeleton model (either as Copy Geometry or as standalone features) should first be published at its assembly component level using the Geometry Publisher.

Background

When the active assembly is open, Geometry Copier can be accessed by selecting the icon on the CadActive tab on the ribbon. The active assembly must include a “source” subassembly which contains the component(s) with relevant geometry to be copied.  In this example, SHELF_1_EQUIP.ASM will serve as the source subassembly of the active assembly.

The active assembly must contain somewhere in its hierarchy a “target” skeleton which will receive the copied geometry from the source subassembly components.  RF_CABINET_CABLING_SKEL will serve as the target skeleton in this example.

Once the GUI opens, you'll notice a dual-tree view that looks very similar to the Geometry Copier. On the left side, use the mouse button to select SHELF_1_EQUIP.ASM as the equipment assembly. On the left side, use the mouse button to select RF_CABINET_CABLING_SKEL.PRT as the target skeleton. You will see the assembly components with Published features in the left side, along with a blank skeleton on the right.

How To Copy Features

To copy in features to the skeleton model, you can expand down on the left side and right-click on a specific assembly component, group of features, or individual feature and select "Copy Geom" to copy it over into the skeleton and see it become visible on the right side.

OR

You can right-click the entire SHELF_1_EQUIP subassembly and select "Copy All Children". You will now see (in red) that the skeleton model in the Model Tree now shows with the features inside it.

Copier identifies the assembly component by its unique ID Path (more information here). In this skeleton model, it automatically creates a coordinate system based on the local coordinate system of the component breaking the reference to the original component and names it according to the ID Path. In this case, the stand-alone coordinate system is called CS-52. It then creates the features from that component as external copy geometry features referencing only the stand-alone local coordinate systems - AKA no external references! If the component moves, simply delete/un-copy the related skeleton features and re-run the Copier!

How To Uncopy Features

To uncopy features from the skeleton model, on the right-side of the GUI, right-click the features you want to remove and select "Uncopy Geom". You will see them be removed from the skeleton in the Model Tree.