About Reconnecting Mechanism

The reconnecting mechanism allows you to restore relations between components manually or automatically. It applies to relations that can be broken, not opened, or verified (solved).

You can reconnect relations provided that the pointed components are of the same type: a 3D shape with another 3D shape, a product with another product.

When you reconnect a relation, links are only reconnected if the same elements in the originally pointed component exist in the new selected component; links cannot be reconnected manually using Links and Relations .

When you reconnect a component that contains published elements:

  • You can either multi-select relations or select the set node regrouping relations that are pointing publications in the same source representation.
  • You can perform the reconnecting publication by publication, or select the new component product to reconnect all publications with the same name (functional name) at once.
  • If publications with the same name are detected in the new component, the relations are reconnected to those publications.
  • The reconnecting process is not performed for the publication which are not retrieved in the new component, the user can select another publication or keep the relation unchanged.

You can choose between manual or automatic reconnection: Manual Reconnection lets you choose a compatible component; Automatic Reconnection tries to reconnect with the first compatible component when possible.

The Reconnect Assistant dialog box appears when user interaction is required:

  • When the relation is broken and there is no matching solution or more than one matching solution returned in session; in the latter case, the minimum rigid assembly context is calculated and selected by default. You can select the target component in the tree, in the work area or in the Proposed Alternatives area.
  • When the relation is not broken and you want to select another pointed component, the Reconnect Assistant dialog box appears only when at least one alternative component is found in session. You can select alternative components in the Proposed Alternatives area of the Reconnect Assistant dialog box only.
  • To choose between alternative targets:
    • When reconnecting automatically and many logical targets are detected.
    • When reconnecting a context manually.
  • To select a new target:
    • When reconnecting automatically and no logical target is detected.
    • When reconnecting relations toward Ports to a component where corresponding Ports are missing
  • To complete a manual reconnection with an additional target selection:
    • Manually reroute the context of a contextual relation requiring the selection of the target.
    • Manually reroute the target of a contextual relation requiring to select the context.
  • Display a diagnosis for relations which could not be reconnected (e.g. Drafting relations belonging to a bundle).

The Reconnect Assistant dialog box is divided into two sections:

  • The Object section displays relations in a tree list:
    • In the first column, the component, context, set, relation or link.
    • In the second column, the estimated status of the component, context, set or relation if you click OK.

      No status is displayed for the links.

    • In the last column, the role of the relation.
    Notes:
    • By default, when entering the Reconnect Assistant, the first relation to repair is selected.
    • Contextual commands:
      • Center Tree and Reframe On are available for any line, onto the cross-selected object.
      • Isolate is available on relations only.
      • Disable/Enable Synchronization is available on candidate relations only.
  • The Alternatives/Diagnosis section displays either the diagnosis or the alternative targets and contexts corresponding to the selected line in the Objects section:
    • In the first column, the selection status of the alternative: only one alternative can be selected at the same time. Make the selection by left-clicking the checkbox.
    • In the second column, the alternative identifier (with instance path). A tooltip provides the complete path with references and instances.
    • In the last column, the alternative diagnosis: e.g. the target is valid, the target cannot be selected because it is not in the same editor.
Important: By default, only the concerned or affected relations are displayed. Select Displays relations which are not in the reconnection's scope to display out of scope relations. Contextual relations are always displayed in the scope.