Getting Familiar with Templates

This topic is intended to help you make out the differences between the two different kinds of templates available (power copies, and user features) from two points of views: The mechanisms they use and their contents.

This page discusses:

What is the difference between the Power Copies and User Features?

Here is a table gathering the difference between the two templates.

Power CopyUser Feature
A power copy is a template that works at the 3D Shape representation level. From a collection of features (geometry, literals, formulas, constraints, ...), you can create your own collection of features. The result is a Part design feature or a shape design feature that can be reused in the design of another 3D Shape representation. A user feature is a template that works at the 3D SHAPE representation level and that is very close to the power copy. Like the power copy, from a collection of features (geometry, literals, formulas, constraints, ...), you can create your own feature. The result is a Part Design feature or a Shape Design feature that can be reused in the design of another part.

The major differences between a user feature and a power copy is the following: The mechanisms used at instantiation time are different.

Creation and Instantiation of User Features and Power Copies: Mechanisms

You can create an instantiate user features and power copies.

This section aims at describing the mechanisms used to create and instantiate user features/power copies.

Power Copies: Rely on the Copy/Paste mechanism

  • The power copy reference has links to the selected features (Reference Feature in the graphic below.) These selected features are the components of the power copy reference.
  • The instantiation of a power copy reference is a copy of each of its components (Copied Feature.)
  • After instantiation, there is no link between the copied feature and the reference component.



User Features: Reference/Instance Mechanism

  • The user feature reference aggregates a copy of each selected feature.
  • The instantiation of a user feature reference creates a new feature: An instance of the user feature reference.
  • After instantiation, the new user feature can be edited. You can change the value of its published parameters and/or replace its inputs.
  • A change in the reference user feature does not impact its instances.



Content of a Template

You can define the content of a template.

Find below a table listing the objects that can be inserted and those that cannot be inserted into power copies, and user features.

Power CopiesUser Features
3D Shape Representation



Body



(if assembled)
PartBody



Sketch



Sketch-based features



Dress-up features



Surface-based feature s



Transformation Features



Boolean Operations



Advanced Dress-Up Features



GS/OGS
Wireframe



Law



Surfaces



Volumes



Annotations



Views/Annotation Planes
Operations
Constraints



(If the geometry is embedded)
Knowledgeware features
Space Analysis
Measure Between



Measure Item



Measure Inertia