I have a question about configurations.

Basically I have two assemblies I'm working with.  One is a spring
inside a channel with a clip attached to the end of the spring.  The
other assembly is the sole of a shoe, with the assembly of the
channel/spring/clip.

For drawing purposes I would like to shoe two different views of the
entire shoe assembly, one configuration would be with the spring short
and the other would be of the spring longer.

I have created two configurations of the string, short and long(at the
part level) which I then would modified through the Feature Properties
of the part within the assembly mode of the channel/spring/clip.  I
also created two different configurations of the entire sole assembly
with the assembly of the channel/spring/clip where I would have one
configuration of the spring short, and long in the other long.  This
way I can use the entire sole assembly in the drawing with the
different spring lengths shown in different configurations.  However, I
find that the configuration of the string propogates through to either
assembly configuration when you change the parts Feature Properties to
the either configuration.

How do I go about fixing this so the entire sole configurations will
show the string short and long?  Do I need two configurations of the
sub assembly, channel/string/clip with the string short and long
because the entire sole assembly with dual configurations doesnt work.

Thanks

Josh 
SW 2006 SP0

in help see"alternate position views" 

Try using Alternate Position Views on your drawing to show the primary
config and them you can show the Alt View config as a phantom overlay
and even dimension to the Alt View.
I do this often to show movement thru a range of motion like swing or
stroke.

for parts, create config's.
then, in tree, edit a feature.  select a dimension or feature setting, you 
will now have the options "this configuration" or "all configurations".

for assemblies, create configs.
then, right click on component in tree, select properties.
select config of part you want to use with the corresponding assy config. 

"Josh Hilgart" <joshjhilgart@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:1163439770.452686.228600@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>
> How do I go about fixing this so the entire sole configurations will
> show the string short and long?  Do I need two configurations of the
> sub assembly, channel/string/clip with the string short and long
> because the entire sole assembly with dual configurations doesnt work.


That would be the way I would do it: two configurations of the part, the 
subassembly and the assembly.

Jerry Steiger
Tripod Data Systems
"take the garbage out, dear" 

The spring drives the overall length of the assemblies.

Setup a Design Table in the Spring

For example:
            Length@Sketch1
Short     1
Long      2

Also setup a Design Table in the Assembly
             $CONFIGURATION@Spring<1>
Short      Short
Long       Long

This assumes that the spring part is called Spring and it is the first
instance of spring in the assembly you wish to change. If you setup
your mates right the spring will drive the length of the assembly. In
your drawing you can refer to the specific configs in your assembly and
it will show the assembly at that length. If you insert an alternate
position view you can specify one or more configs as alternate
positions.

What is neat about this method is that you can have more than one
spring in your assembly and drive them all from the design table to
different configs (if you are on 2004 or later).