Controlling Creation of External References

You have the option to not create external references when designing in the context of an assembly.

This option is useful:

  • In a multi-user environment where you use data from components controlled by other users to define your new component, but you do not want subsequent changes to their components to affect your component.
  • If your product data management system does not allow external references in documents.

If you select No External References, no in-place mate is created when you create a new component. Also, external references are not created when you reference the geometry of other components, such as when you use Convert Entities or Offset Entities, or extrude Up to Vertex of another component.

To specify that external references not be created, do one of the following:

  • Click No External References (Assembly toolbar).
  • Click Tools > Options > System Options > External References, and select Do not create references external to the model.
You can switch No External References off and on as you work in an assembly to create external references for some components but not for others.