Exploded View Issues

[Glenn Schroeder]

I rarely use exploded views, but I did one today. I wouldn't be surprised if it was five years or longer since the last time.

It got tricky when working with the Drawing. First, I was trying to attach a note calling out a custom property to the components in the exploded view. Some of them attached just fine, but most of them didn't. I'd move my mouse all over it, but it wouldn't highlight or link to the note. I finally collapsed the view. That let me attach the notes just fine. I went back to the property manager, selected the collapsed view again, and the notes stayed linked and moved along with the components just fine. Problem solved.

Then I tried to add a dimension on a collapsed view. Similar problem. I could select edges or vertices on some components, but not on the others. I opened up the Assembly, and it was exploded. I collapsed it, went back to the Drawing, and dimensions worked fine.

Is this typical behavior for exploded views, or is it just one of those days?

[mike miller]

Are you on 2021?

2021 has a known bug with attaching balloons to exploded views (SPR 1211277). The workaround is to collapse the view, attach balloons and then re-explode the view.

[Glenn Schroeder]

Are you on 2021?

2021 has a known bug with attaching balloons to exploded views (SPR 1211277). The workaround is to collapse the view, attach balloons and then re-explode the view.

You nailed it. I am on SW2021. It's comforting to know that this isn't one of those little tricks my computer plays on me to amuse itself.

[Merovingien]

this bug was already present in previous version of Bugidworks...

[cncah]

I am able to do it if I open the model, activate the exploded view, Ctrl+Q, save, then go back to the drawing.
I have had the same issue with dimensions and notes when using different display states.
I have to open the model, activate that display state, Ctrl+Q, save, then go back to the drawing and it works. (Usually)

[mbiasotti]

I love doing exploded views in drawings - especially with balloons and a BOM.

[kawuser]

I love doing exploded views in drawings - especially with balloons and a BOM.

Is this sarcasm

[B-K]

I have had the same problem attaching annotations to exploded views. One thing that sometimes solved the issue was to go into the assembly with the exploded view and make sure perspective was turned off. Save the assembly, and re-insert the exploded view to the drawing.

[S.Casale]

I have had the same problem attaching annotations to exploded views. One thing that sometimes solved the issue was to go into the assembly with the exploded view and make sure perspective was turned off. Save the assembly, and re-insert the exploded view to the drawing.

Did anyone else corroborate this as a workaround?

[S.Casale]

2021 has a known bug with attaching balloons to exploded views (SPR 1211277). The workaround is to collapse the view, attach balloons and then re-explode the view.

Hold on. Then how does one ever attach items that aren't visible on the outside of the assembly (without great effort)?

[mike miller]

Hold on. Then how does one ever attach items that aren't visible on the outside of the assembly (without great effort)?

With great effort.

Ever turned on wireframe in a large assembly? It looks like a drunk draftsman was working overtime.


Fun, fun.

[Glenn Schroeder]

Hold on. Then how does one ever attach items that aren't visible on the outside of the assembly (without great effort)?

One option would be to find the part in the tree, right-click, and choose "Show hidden edges". Of course on complex Assemblies finding that in the tree may be a non-trivial exercise.

[S.Casale]

One option would be to find the part in the tree, right-click, and choose "Show hidden edges". Of course on complex Assemblies finding that in the tree may be a non-trivial exercise.

Not wanting to do that work around. We have a ten pounds of parts in a 1 pound box.

[Glenn Schroeder]

Not wanting to do that work around. We have a ten pounds of parts in a 1 pound box.

I replied to this quote in the other Discussion. How do you do it in SE, assuming it has an easier method?

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

I replied to this quote in the other Discussion. How do you do it in SE, assuming it has an easier method?

In SE the auto balloon actually works! The auto explode also is quite impressive!

Attached is a video where I assemble a part, create an exploded view, create a drawing view, BOM and auto balloon it.

FYI I'm new to SE so the video is a little lengthy.

[Ben]

In SE the auto balloon actually works! The auto explode also is quite impressive!
Attached is a video where I assemble a part, create an exploded view, create a drawing view, BOM and auto balloon it.
FYI I'm new to SE so the video is a little lengthy.

SE? i'm sorry but why does that apply to my problem?

[DanPihlaja]

SE? i'm sorry but why does that apply to my problem?

Because he was replying to someone who asked how to do it in SE.
And also....what problem are you referring to? You didn't ask any questions in this post.....and even if you did.....it was Glenn's post.

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

SE? i'm sorry but why does that apply to my problem?

See below.

Because he was replying to someone who asked how to do it in SE.
And also....what problem are you referring to? You didn't ask any questions in this post.....and even if you did.....it was Glenn's post.

[Ben]

See below.

ooops i thought i was in the thread i made. my bad

[DanPihlaja]

ooops i thought i was in the thread i made. my bad

No issues! I apologize for what (I read now) to be a terse tone when I replied to you. I was flabbergasted.

[zxys001]

BTW,.. has anyone seen (macro or other?) or want a Spherical Explode?

[Jaylin Hochstetler]

I rarely use exploded views, but I did one today. I wouldn't be surprised if it was five years or longer since the last time.

It got tricky when working with the Drawing. First, I was trying to attach a note calling out a custom property to the components in the exploded view. Some of them attached just fine, but most of them didn't. I'd move my mouse all over it, but it wouldn't highlight or link to the note. I finally collapsed the view. That let me attach the notes just fine. I went back to the property manager, selected the collapsed view again, and the notes stayed linked and moved along with the components just fine. Problem solved.

Then I tried to add a dimension on a collapsed view. Similar problem. I could select edges or vertices on some components, but not on the others. I opened up the Assembly, and it was exploded. I collapsed it, went back to the Drawing, and dimensions worked fine.

Is this typical behavior for exploded views, or is it just one of those days?

BTW, I confirmed this was fixed in SP4.1.

[Kwetla]

I was having this issue in Solidworks 2017 where it wouldn't let me add balloons to a model for which i had created a custom view. I couldn't select some of the part surfaces, and in some cases the selectable surfaces were phantom ones floating in space.

One fix was to not use custom views - using the Isometric view seemed to solve it.
Another fix was so save your custom view as one of the standard views, i.e save your view as the 'front' view, and then use the 'front' view in your drawing. This seemed to work fine, but meant that the standard views were all messed up when viewing the CAD in future.

One final fix was to make sure that you hadn't scaled your drawing view to anything custom. Instead, scale your drawing using the sheet scale, and set your drawing view to match the sheet scale. This fixed it for some reason...

[mgibeault]

I encountered the problem in 2024 SP1.0
The problem was indeed an exploded view saved in perspective.