Where is Paste Special / Break Link?

I cannot use Paste Special in 3DX 2017x, nor can I find a toggle for the option.  Grr...

Yeah, they took away Paste Special, Break Link.  You have to Duplicate the part and then insert the new part into your assembly.  Why they decided to make the process take 5 times longer, I'm not sure....

Nathan Shipley

Assistant Director, CAD/CAM Laboratory

National Institute for Aviation Research

Wichita State University

Phone: 316-978-7260 or (800) 642-7978

Fax: 316-978-3416

E-Mail: [login to unmask email]

Website: www.cadcamlab.org

Do you have confirmation that this is true?  Because the documentation still have references to the functionality, for versions all the way up to 2020x.

My initial suspicion was that Break Link could not peaceably coexist with some of the IP and collaboration functionality.  But that's just me being speculative.  I'd like to have formal acknowledgement from Dassault - or at least somebody tell me that they've had it confirmed - that the functionality isn't actually available.

Can you send me what you're referring to in the documentation?  I'm just going off my experience with it.  

Nathan Shipley

Assistant Director, CAD/CAM Laboratory

National Institute for Aviation Research

Wichita State University

Phone: 316-978-7260 or (800) 642-7978

Fax: 316-978-3416

E-Mail: [login to unmask email]

Website: www.cadcamlab.org

https://help.3ds.com/2017x/english/dsdoc/asdusermap/asd-c-designinassemblycontext.htm?contextscope=onpremise

You'll have to have your own login to see that, but it's very clearly referenced, in unmistakable terms, on that page.

For me I have Paste Special from the RMB context menu, depending on what I have copied I have different options: As Specified in Part Document, As Result etc.

And you are specifically using 3DX?  What version?

I could be wrong, but I think you and Richard are talking about 2 different paste specials. Richard is talking about Paste Special within a 3dshape object which is available and gives the listed options(note: "as result" not "break link"). I believe you want to use paste special to paste a product in another product and use "break link" to create a new version of the pasted product. I have checked in 16x, 19x, and 21x, and it looks like past special is not available at the product level. You would need to use Nathan's method to do what you want to do.

Yes Patrick you are correct, I should have specified in more detail. The option for Copy and Paste of a reference is not available within 3D Experience as it is not a file based application and fully integrated into the database the object must be created separately. There are many ways to do this however, in particular on the save with options menu where you have the options to save the modification as Revision as Duplicate and as Evolution. My preference is to use Evolution as it maintains the Logical ID of the object and allows for reconnection of downstream objects such as Delmia etc. but that is probably a discussion on its own.

That is interesting. I don't see any functional differences between Evolution(branch) and duplicate. They both create an object with a new ID and Revision. Duplicate or duplicate advanced might actually be preferable because it offers more options.

In Reply to Patrick Voosen:

That is interesting. I don't see any functional differences between Evolution(branch) and duplicate. They both create an object with a new ID and Revision. Duplicate or duplicate advanced might actually be preferable because it offers more options.

You would see the difference, if you created objects using all the aforementioned methods, and then pulled an MQL report on all of the resultant objects, and compared outputs.  It's not something that is as readily obvious on the CAD side of things.

Yes you will need MQL to see the difference, look for the Logical ID, on Duplicate it will be different on Evolution it will be the same.

for us the Duplicate commands removes the possibility to relink Delmia downstream processes but there may be other drawback also.