Component Properties

Component properties and context menus are located in the Mechanical Browser panel.

Component context menus display when you right-click the component. Component properties display automatically when selecting one or more components in the Mechanical Browser panel.

Figure 1. Mechanical Browser

Components can be: Main, Insert and Subcomponent.

Table 1. Components
Type of component Rendered visual style Wireframe visual style Hidden
Component without subcomponents * * *
Component with subcomponents * * *
Standard part component

* External components contain a green arrow: or .

Table 2. Component Properties
Context menus
Main Component context menu Right-click the main component name:
Figure 2. Main Component context menu
  • Update: update the hierarchy of mechanical components for the current drawing in case referenced drawing files of sub-components have been modified.
  • Visual Style: All by Viewport: apply the current Visual Style to all components in the assembly (see the SHADEMODE command).
  • Insert standard hardware: insert a standard hardware part as a mechanical component in the current drawing.
  • Switch all to local: switch all components to internal components (see the BMLOCALIZE command).
  • Switch all to external: switch all components to external components (see the BMEXTERNALIZE command).
  • Add new parameter: create a new parameter in the assembly.
  • Select all: select all components with the same definition.
  • Select same: select all components with the same name and the same parameter values.
  • Highlight all: highlight all components with the same definition.
  • Highlight same: highlight all components with the same name and the same parameter values.
  • Create exploded view: create a block with an exploded representation of the current assembly.
  • Collapse all: collapse the main component and all components and subcomponents.
  • Expand all: expand the main component and all components and subcomponents.
Component context menu Right-click a component name.

External components context menu (left), local components context menu (right):

  • Open: opens the referenced drawing (see theBMOPEN command).
  • Open a copy: open a copy of a component insert as a new drawing (see the BMOPENCOPY command).
  • Update: reload all referenced components from external files and update BOM tables (see the BMUPDATE command).
  • Replace: replace a component insert (see the BMREPLACE command). Replacing a local insert turns it into an external insert.
  • Replace all inserts: replace all inserts that refer to the same source (see the BMREPLACE command). Replacing local inserts turns them into external inserts.
  • Switch to local: switch an external component to an internal component (see the BMLOCALIZE command).
  • Switch to external: switch an internal component to an external component (see the BMEXTERNALIZE command).
  • Set material to component: assign a physical material to a local component.
  • Remove material from component: remove the physical material definition from a local component.
  • BOM status: parameter to control the appearance of the component in BOM tables.
  • Dissolve: dissolve a mechanical component inserted in the current drawing (see the BMDISSOLVE command).
  • Unlink: break the connection between a component insert (for example a Window) and a 3D solid (for example a Wall) retaining the opening.
  • Hide () / Show (): hide or show the selected component.
  • Exclude all inserts from section: set the Sectionable property of all similar inserts to NO. Define whether an insert is affected by the VIEWSECTION command.
  • Visual Style: display the Visual Style menu. All Visual Styles that are saved in the current drawing are available.
    • By parent component: render the selected component according to the shademode of the parent component (see the SHADEMODE command).
    • All by Viewport: render all components according to the current viewport shademode (see the SHADEMODE command).
  • Zoom to: zoom to the selection set.
  • Select all: select all components with the same definition.
  • Select same: select all components with the same definition and the same parameter values.
  • Highlight all: highlight all components with the same definition.
  • Highlight same: highlight all components with the same definition and the same parameter values.
  • Delete: remove the selected component and its subcomponents from the assembly.
  • Collapse all: collapse the main component and all components and subcomponents.
  • Expand all: expand the main component and all components and subcomponents.
Subcomponent context menu External subcomponents context menu (left), local subcomponents context menu (right):
  • Open: open the referenced drawing (see the BMOPEN command).
  • Open a copy: open a copy of a component insert as a new drawing (see the BMOPENCOPY command).
  • Hide () / Show (): hide or show the selected subcomponent.
  • Exclude all inserts from section: sets the Sectionable property of all similar inserts to NO. Define whether an insert is affected by command VIEWSECTION.
  • Visual Style: see Component Visual Style.
  • Zoom to: zoom to the selection set.
  • Select all: select all components with the same definition.
  • Select same: select all components with the same definition and the same parameter values.
  • Highlight all: highlight all components with the same definition.
  • Highlight same: highlight all components with the same definition and the same parameter values.
  • Collapse all: collapse the main component and all components and subcomponents.
  • Expand all: expand the main component and all components and subcomponents.
Component parameter context menu Right-click a parameter:
  • Link to parameter: create a link between one or more component parameters and assembly parameters.
  • Collapse all: collapse the main component and all components and subcomponents.
  • Expand all: expand the main component and all components and subcomponents.
Properties
Main component properties Click the main component name:
Figure 3. Main component properties
  • Name: type a name for the main component. By default, the name of the main component equals the file name.
  • Description: optional description of the main component.
  • File: show the path and name of the drawing.
  • Extension type: identify the component as a BIM Component or a Sheet Metal Feature.
  • Insert as: select Internal Component or External Component.
  • Sectionable: define whether the component is affected by the VIEWSECTION command.
  • Standard component: define whether this component is a standard component or not.
  • BOM status: define the behavior of this component in a BOM table.
  • Material: material of the main component.
    The Name, Density, and the optional Description are defined in the Physical Materials dialog box.
    Select the Material node and perform one of the following:

    • Click the Browse button () to open the Physical Materials dialog and choose a material in the Project or Library list.

      The Density property of the selected material is used by the BMMASSPROP command.

    • Click the Delete button ().
      The Material field now reads <Inherit>. When the component is inserted in an assembly, the Material definition is copied from the main component of the assembly.
Component insert properties Click the component name:
Figure 4. Component insert properties
  • Name: type a name for the component. By default, the name of the component equals the source file name.
  • Component name: name of the component as defined in the source file.
  • Description: description of the component as defined in the source file.
  • Visible: show or hide the component in the assembly.
    Choose between:
    • Click the Visible field, click the down arrow button and choose Yes or No.
    • Double-click the Visible field to toggle the visibility of the component.
  • Sectionable: define whether the component is affected by the VIEWSECTION command.
  • Standard component: define whether this component is standard or not.
  • BOM status: define the behavior of this component in a BOM table.
  • Visual style: allow to control the visual style for the component. By default, the visual style is inherited from the viewport.
    Click the Visual style field, click the down arrow button, and choose a visual style in the list.
  • File: show the path and name of the referenced drawing.
  • Material: show the material of the component.
    If set to <Inherit>, the material is copied from the main component.
    If the material is defined explicitly in the source file, this material is used.
Subcomponent properties Click the subcomponent name:
Figure 5. Subcomponent properties
  • Name: name of the component as defined in the source file of the parent component.
  • Component name: name of the component as defined in the source file.
  • Description: description of the component as defined in the source file.
  • Visible: show or hide the component in the assembly.
    Choose between:
    • Click the Visible field, click the down arrow button and choose Yes or No.
    • Double-click the Visible field to toggle the visibility of the component.
  • Sectionable: define whether the component is affected by the VIEWSECTION command.
  • Standard component: define whether this component is standard or not.
  • BOM status: define the behavior of this component in a BOM table.
  • Visual style: control the visual style for the component. By default, the visual style is inherited from the viewport.
    Click the Visual style field, click the down arrow button, and choose a visual style in the list.
  • File: show the path and name of the referenced drawing.
  • Material: show the material of the subcomponent.
    If set to <Inherit>, the material is copied from the main component.
    If the material is defined explicitly in the source file, this material is used.
Selection methods
Select component(s) in the model The component(s) highlights in the Mechanical Browser.
Click a component in the Mechanical Browser panel The component highlights in the drawing. Press the space bar to select the component.