- [Instructor] If you're making multiple drawings
that are very similar using multiple models
that are very similar,
it can be really handy to utilize the replace model tool.
Basically what this does is it gives you the ability
to replace the model
that you have in a specific drawing view
that already exists
but maintains and updates
any file references moving forwards
so that when you say the file instead
of loading that previous model,
it now loads the model that you've added.
So let me show you how this works.
I have another version of this mounting block right here
where I've actually cut off the top of this.
I'm going to right click on this model
and go to Replace Model.
Now if you don't see that, you can go down to the bottom
of this arrow and hit Customize Menu
and make sure that Replace Model is turned on.
So I'm just going to exit that again
and do it one more time.
So I'm going to right click, go to Replace Model
and in the Property Manager, we get a couple options.
It says select parent drawing views
and then add new file reference.
So I'm actually going to update all of the view
because I've created my three-view drawing
and I want to leverage as much of the work
as I've already done as I can.
I now go down and navigate to the new model
that I'm going to change this drawing view to show me.
So I say Browse.
It goes to Windows Explorer.
I have my second version of that block and I say Open.
I now get the green window over here saying it's ready.
It's got everything loaded.
I hit the green check mark OK to replace
and now you can see in the three views,
I have a new part that's being referenced.
The geometry that's the same,
like this hole call out
and this dimension right here,
those all maintain those dimensions
but you can see in other areas
where geometry's been deleted
or because I did a cut on this face,
it changed some of these entity identifiers.
We now have to go back in and just reattach these,
which is actually pretty easy.
You just click on here, grab an endpoint
and then snap it, resnap it to the various item.
So maybe it lost one edge or another.
And you can see, I can just rebuild my model really quickly,
even for the dimensions that I lost
but having the ability to replicate the work
that I already did,
just by replacing the model is really handy.
For a bonus tip, if you are doing multiple models
that are very similar,
if you start from a base model,
and then save as a copy
and then edit from there,
when you go to replace the model
in this drawing, the identifiers
for let's say holes, sketches and various lines
will be the same
because it was built off the same base model
and that'll actually keep a lot
of these dimensions from going yellow,
which means they're not connected anymore.
And they'll maintain the black connected feature.