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Tricks with the Backup Model
The BACKUP MODEL is a great tool for helping to resolve problems with regeneration as indicated
in our Pro/E Tip of the Month for October 1998. However, one of the
limitations of the BACKUP MODEL and REGENBACKUP is the backup is relative to the last time
the model was saved. Sometimes, the information needed is further back. For instance, if an
item was suppressed at the point of the last save, the information necessary to
find the missing references will not be available in the usual way using the BACKUP MODEL.
Lets take a typical scenario to see how this problem can be overcome.
Today you are working on a widget part. Along about feature 100 you realize that you need to
insert several new features just after feature 60. Save the model now, before going into
INSERT MODE, then take a look at the directory list. It might look something like this:
widget.prt.9
widget.prt.10
widget.prt.11
widget.prt.12
Note that widget.prt.12 is the part just saved. To be sure that we
preserve it, copy widget.prt.12 to widget-x.prt.12
or widget-bak.prt.12 (or to some other meaningful name).
Note: If you use REGENBACKUP, turn it off. It will not work with this trick.
Enter INSERT MODE after feature 60. (This suppresses features 61-100, allowing new features
to be inserted before.) Now you add a couple features, and save the model -- following the very sound
advise of "Save Often". You then add another few features and are now ready to leave
INSERT MODE and resume the 40 features that were suppressed. Save First. Now your
directory list looks something like this:
widget.prt.9
widget.prt.10
widget.prt.11
widget.prt.12
widget-bak.prt.12
widget.prt.13
widget.prt.14
Use FEATURE > INSERT MODE > CANCEL to exit insert mode, and choose YES to
resume the features suppressed when insert mode was initiated. If you are lucky, everything will
regenerate fine. However, if you have changed something in the earlier geometry which makes one
of the suppressed features loose a reference or become invalid, you will hit the dreaded
REGENERATION FAILURE -- also known as the RESOLVE MENU.
At this point if you need additional information about a failed feature to correct it, the usual
BACKUP MODEL will not give it because the feature in question was suppressed when the model was
last saved.
So, how can we get this information?
Remember that we saved the model just prior to entering INSERT MODE -- which was the last time
the feature in question was successfully regenerated. This is the version of the model we need to
help us resolve the problem. To get this information we must simply go to the command line
(or Windows Explorer if you happen to use Mickeysoft) and rename or copy widget-bak.prt.12
to a version number greater than the largest one present. In this case, copy
widget-bak.prt.12 to widget.prt.15 so your directory now
looks something like this:
widget.prt.9
widget.prt.10
widget.prt.11
widget.prt.12
widget-bak.prt.12
widget.prt.13
widget.prt.14
widget.prt.15
Now, when the BACKUP MODEL is initiated, it will go to the last saved version -- which we have
just changed to be a version of the model which includes the successful regeneration of the features in
question. You can now can examine the original references of any failed features that were suppressed
during insert mode using this "New" backup model.
Good Luck with all your INSERT MODE and BACKUP MODEL adventures.
We hope you are having a FANTASTIC summer!
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