Editing Copy/Paste Body Link  

This functionality shows you how to edit a solid internal import feature, modify its reference Link and keep design consistency within the model.

A generic solid internal import feature is created when using the Copy/Paste Special as Result with Link on a body. This feature keeps a link towards the body it was created with, otherwise known as its reference. It is possible to edit the solid internal import feature to redirect its input Link towards another body.

Open the Edit_BodyLink.CATPart document.

  1. The sample part contains two bodies. The first body contains an edge fillet and a hole. The third body, Body.3 is created by copying the first body and pasting it by using the Paste Special as Result with Link option. A solid Internal Import, a generic solid feature is created and is identified by the icon:

  2. Create an edge fillet EdgeFillet.2 on the solid Body.3.

  3. Check the Parents/Children relationship of the solid internal import feature. It shows the first body as input and the last edge fillet as child.

  4. Double-click on the solid feature or right-click on it and use the Definition option in the Contextual Menu, to edit the Internal Import and launch the corresponding dialog box.

  5. The Input tab is active. Select the second body Body.2 as the new Input. The Replace Viewer dialog box appears to reroute the links that pointed sub elements of the old import geometry.

    You need to specify the faces that the edge fillet will take as reference on the geometry of new generic solid feature:


  6. Click Close to go back to the previous dialog box. Click OK to close the dialog box and modify the Solid. Update the Part if needed.

  7. There is no update error. Launch the Parents/Children command on the modified solid. The second body is the new Input for the Internal Import.

  • This functionality only concerns Internal Imports. Editing External References is not possible with it.

  • An Internal Import can only take a body within the part in which it is, as Input. Simple solid features are not accepted. An Internal Import cannot take bodies from another part as Input. That would be the same as transforming an Internal Import into an External Reference, and that is not possible.