Filter by Component Reference

[dave.laban]

Does anyone have a solution for being able to filter the Feature Manager by Component Reference? There is an open SPR for adding the functionality but I'm hoping there's a workaround I haven't found.

I have some PCBs that have come in through CircuitWorks so all the parts have the unique Component Reference set. I'd like to be able to quickly find the parts in the model but the tree isn't in any kind of order.

I've tried searching for a macro that might act as a search tool with no luck.

[AlexLachance]

Component reference is the number in parenthesis? If so that's a configuration name and it can be used as a callout, this is how we do our balloons in our air drawings

Just create your BOM template and callout the property you desire to use as a "part number"

[dave.laban]

Hi Alex, the Component Reference is separate to Configurations, it's effectively a Unique ID for each instance of a Component.

I've got some useful replies on the other place; I'd never used the Go To tool and had basically forgotten it existed. It's a good workaround for this issue (especially paired with Jim's macro to avoid right-click tedium).

https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexp ... QeYvkwqJ4A

[AlexLachance]

Hi Alex, the Component Reference is separate to Configurations, it's effectively a Unique ID for each instance of a Component.

image.png

I've got some useful replies on the other place; I'd never used the Go To tool and had basically forgotten it existed. It's a good workaround for this issue (especially paired with Jim's macro to avoid right-click tedium).

https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexp ... QeYvkwqJ4A

Understood, we use configuration descriptions in a similar fashion. Sounds like your need is for a "selection set". Have you tried an advanced selection...? Maybe that would give you exactly what you need?

There's a few different selection tools such as "select identical components"

[SPerman]

It looks like the component reference is available through the API. You might be able to write a macro to accomplish what you want to do.

https://help.solidworks.com/2016/englis ... rence.html

[dave.laban]

Understood, we use configuration descriptions in a similar fashion. Sounds like your need is for a "selection set". Have you tried an advanced selection...? Maybe that would give you exactly what you need?

image.png


There's a few different selection tools such as "select identical components"

Thanks - doesn't seem like any of those tools is giving me what I'm after (i.e. to be able to type in J11 somewhere and it show me the Part in the Feature Manager).

[dave.laban]

It looks like the component reference is available through the API. You might be able to write a macro to accomplish what you want to do.

https://help.solidworks.com/2016/englis ... rence.html

Cheers. Fortunately the Go To tool gets me where I need to be so further custom macros is probably wasted effort.

[SPerman]

I've never used Go To. To be honest, I didn't even understand how it worked until just now.

If you right click an item, and select "Go To" why doesn't it pre-populate the "find" box with the item you right clicked?

[dave.laban]

Presumably the logic is you don't need to find the thing you've just right clicked on as you know where it is?

I'd like some way of enabling "start from the top" without further intervention every time I use the tool.

[SPerman]

Presumably the logic is you don't need to find the thing you've just right clicked on as you know where it is?

Clearly I still don't know how the "Go To" tool works.