Untouchable flags are caused by references that are lost between parts and assemblies during loading. Write protection is set to prevent data loss. Untouchable flags are denoted by a padlock and black and red arrows next to the part or assembly in the structure browser. Untouchables originate in the interaction of Creo Elements/Direct Modeling with Creo Elements/Direct Model Manager or Design Data Management, but not when loading directly from the file system. When loading from the file system the untouchable mechanisms do not seize.
There are two types of references.
1. References which reference elements within a part
Since these references refer to elements within a part, reload of the part may cause untouchables. Examples include GD&T, user-defined, and custom features, relations, and 3D Documentation references.
2. References which reference other parts
Untouchables can result due to a partial load/reload of the reference owner. Examples of such references are part group features and component lists of Creo Elements/Direct Annotation views.
In both cases the reference owner becomes read-only, and store to the database is disabled.
References can be lost
• During partial load in which a referenced part (such as a part referenced by a 3D dimension, relation, or view component list) is currently not loaded.
• By (valid) modifications of the assembly structure (e.g. removing a referenced part from a sub assembly) where the reference cannot be updated as its owner is not currently loaded. This is similar to loading versions of the sub assembly that do not contain the referenced part.
• By (re-)load of a version of the assembly that does not include the referenced part.
• By reload of referenced parts in general.
Examples
• A subassembly is loaded partially, and the superior assembly contains references to elements within parts of the subassembly (such as a relation over parts). The owner (part or assembly) of the reference becomes untouchable.
• References in the component list are lost during partial load when the user loads an assembly which includes a partially loaded container and a part of this container is a component of the viewset.
• When a feature is owned by a superior assembly, reload of a subassembly can cause untouchables if references of the feature (such as 3D dimensions) refer elements within the subassembly.
• (Re-) loading versions of parts or assemblies from the database can lead to untouchables. If a subassembly is (re)loaded and it does not contain parts that are referenced externally (from a superior assembly or owner), the owner is marked as untouchable.
Objects that receive the untouchable flag are:
The untouchable flag is always assigned to the owner of the reference.
• Untouchable on component lists
The owner of the viewset is assigned the untouchable flag.
• Selective instances
The context of the definition of the selective instance receives the untouchable flag.
• Untouchable on features
The untouchable flag is assigned either to the Instance or Contents of the object depending on the feature definition.
• Untouchable on 3D Documentation
This assignment is not always predictable because the user cannot recognize the owners on 3D. The untouchable flag is assigned to the Instance or Contents of the object which owns the dimension.
Generally with subassemblies, the flags that are assigned to an instance are passed to the contents of the superior assembly.
In general, Creo Elements/Direct Modeling prevents loss of data during partial load/reload by maintaining open references. In untouchable cases, reload of the object owning the untouchable flag from the database is often sufficient to remove the untouchable flag.