Batch editing of assemblies or cast units

Using the Batch editor tool you can quickly copy modifications done to an assembly or a cast unit to other, identical assemblies or cast units that have the same position number, or to very similar but differently numbered assemblies or cast units.

Batch editor reduces the amount of repetitive work in situations where you need to edit very similar assemblies or cast units by modifying the object geometry or by changing the part properties.

Unlike the Copy special > To another object or Copy special > All content to another object commands which replace the duplicate objects in the target assemblies or cast units, Batch editor detects matching objects in the targets and modifies their geometry and properties without replacing the objects.

This is important especially in the late stages of a project when the detailing of all objects is done and the documentation has been created or issued. For example, replacing of objects and components might damage not only the target but nearby assemblies or cast units which would not require any modifications, and the changes would have a negative impact on the drawings that are ready for issuing.

With Batch editor you can

Select a source assembly or cast unit in the model, and based on the source, generate a list of target assemblies or cast units to which you can copy the edits done in the source. Batch editor only detects assemblies or cast units which have the same position number as the source.

If needed, you can manually add very similar but differently numbered assemblies or cast units to the list of targets.
Use the list to copy all edits done in the source assembly or cast unit to the specified target assemblies or cast units in one go.

Batch editor attempts to avoid replacing of modified objects. Batch editor detects matching objects in the targets assemblies or cast units and modifies their geometry and properties.

Both the main and secondary part geometry and property edits, as well as modifications in component properties can be copied. Note that to copy the main part geometry edits, the Copy main part position edits performed after selecting the source assembly option needs to be on.

If there are secondary parts in the target assemblies or cast units which do not exist in the source anymore, Batch editor deletes the excess secondary parts in the targets assemblies or cast units when you copy the edits.
Use the list of target assemblies or cast units for
- viewing the differences between the source and the target assemblies or cast units before copying the edits.
- browsing the list of target assemblies or cast units and fixing possible errors before running numbering.
Batch editor uses the Validation attribute to report detected differences in the number of objects between the selected source and the listed target assemblies or cast units, and to compare the assembly or cast unit weight and volume. The Validation attribute also reports any missing or additional objects in the target assemblies or cast units.

Limitations and recommendations in using Batch editor

Batch editor works only on the assembly or on the cast unit level.

Assembly or cast unit secondary parts cannot be selected as a source or target. For example, you cannot copy edits from one part to another, or from one sub-assembly to another.
Batch editor does not copy the following:
- values of unique user-defined attributes
- sub-assembly properties
- assembly numbering information
Batch editor does not support the following object types:
- Pour units and pour objects
- Load object types in analysis and design
We recommend that you do not use Batch editor if the source assembly or cast unit has been split.
We recommend that you do not use Batch editor with mirrored assemblies or cast units.

Rebar groups and components are not always adapted correctly to the main part. This applies especially to cases where new objects are added to the mirrored target assemblies or cast units.
We recommend that you do not use Batch editor with assemblies or cast units that look similar but are modeled using different methods.

This applies to, for example, assemblies or cast units that have different orientation of secondary object, or assemblies or cast units that have been modeled using different object types as the main part.
Rebar groups and some macros do not adapt to the geometry of the main part with different dimensions or different shape.
The main part geometry edits that are copied to rotated or mirrored assemblies or cast units may not work as expected.
Batch editor overrides the overall dimensions of the parts that the Wall layout tool creates. Therefore, we recommend to use Batch editor for copying edits to precast walls that have identical dimensions.

Edit similar assemblies or cast units with Batch editor

On the Edit tab, click Batch editor.

The Batch editor dialog box opens.
Click the Select button and select a source assembly or a cast unit in the model.

Batch editor finds all assemblies or cast units with the same position number. The assemblies or cast units are listed in the Target assemblies list.
To add target assemblies or cast units manually, select them in the model and click the Add button.

To remove target assemblies or cast units from the list, select them in the list and click the Remove button.

Note that if you delete the source in the model, the source list becomes empty. Similarly, if you delete the targets in the model, the list of targets becomes empty.
In the Target assemblies list, use the check boxes to select the assemblies or cast units to which you want to copy the modifications from the source assembly or cast unit.

To select several check boxes in one go, select the targets, and hold down the Shift key and click the left mouse button.
To view the differences between the source and the target assemblies or cast units, or to fix errors, use the Validation attribute in the Target assemblies list.

Batch editor uses the Validation attribute to report detected differences in the number of objects between the selected source and the listed target assemblies or cast units, and to compare the assembly or cast unit weight and volume. The Validation attribute also reports any missing or additional objects in the target assemblies or cast units.

You can check the missing and additional objects in the model. Click the Additional or Missing objects link to check the highlighted the objects in the model.
To copy the modification from the source assembly or the cast unit to the targets, click the Copy button.

Batch editor analyzes the detected differences between the selected source and the targets, and makes all the selected target assemblies or cast units identical to the source.
To review the copying results in the model, select the target objects in the list.

Select the Zoom to selected check box to automatically zoom to the object selected in the list.
Number the modified assemblies or cast units to validate that all modifications have been copied properly.

Settings in Batch editor

Use the Settings to define how the edits are copied.

Copy main part position edits performed after selecting the source assembly

When the option is on, Batch editor copies the geometrical modifications done to the assembly or cast unit main part, such as dragging of end point handles of the main part, or changing the main part location with the Move or Move special commands.

Note:
Batch editor recognizes only the edits that you have done after selecting the source assembly or cast unit, and switching the option on. If you first modify the main part geometry and only then switch the option on, the main part edits are not copied.

If the option is off, only the secondary part and component edits are copied.
Copy main part properties

When the option is on, Batch editor copies the assembly or cast unit main part property modifications to the selected targets. Use this option, for example, when you want to copy the edits to targets with different main part profile dimensions.

Note that user-defined attributes are copied but unique user-defined attributes are not copied.
Update copied components in target assemblies

When the option is on, Batch editor modifies the components in the target assemblies or cast units according to the properties set in the component properties dialog box. All manual changes, such as modifying the geometry of component objects, are lost.

If the option is off, manual changes in the component, for example, modifying the geometry of component objects or the component object properties, are copied to the target assemblies or cast units.

Work with property columns in Batch editor

You can organize the list of target assemblies or cast units and the property columns in Batch editor. Add, edit, or remove property columns to show the needed properties about the target assemblies or cast units.


To	Do this
Add more property columns in the Target assemblies list	Click the button in the upper right corner of the Batch editor. Alternatively, you can right-click the property column header and select Edit. In the Add/Edit properties dialog box, do the following: Select the required property from the list on the left and drag it to the list on the right. Use the Search box for searching properties. You can add several properties to the same column. If you want to add a custom text in a column cell, select Custom text and type the required text in the displayed Text box. Then press Enter to add the custom text in the list on the right. To show the property cells even though there is no value, select the Show empty fields of the column option. Enter the name for the property column and click OK. The new property columns are added to the Target assemblies view.
Change the order of the property columns	Drag the property column header to a new location in the list of targets.
Change the sort order of a property column	Click the column header. The arrow symbol next to the column header indicates if the sort order is ascending or descending .
Resize a property column	Drag the edge between this and the following column header.
Refresh the Target assemblies list	Click in the upper right corner of the Batch editor.