Quote from http://www.d-digest.com/soliddigitaldigest/SDDArchive/V2I28SDD.html#T&T
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A common misconception is that SolidWorks cannot link a custom property to a BOM balloon. Follow the instructions below to amaze your friends and co-workers by easily accomplishing the impossible.
*)Create a custom property named Detail_No in a component used in an assembly; use the underscore.
*)Create a BOM template with a new column titled Detail No. (No underscore is needed.)
*)Before saving the BOM template, go to the Insert menu, choose the Name option and select Define. If these menu items are grayed out, click out of the column header cell and then back into it. (Microsoft. Go figure.)
*)A box will come up with Detail_No in the Text box. Excel adds the underscore by itself. Press OK. Save the BOM template with a new name.
*)Insert this BOM into an assembly drawing. Make sure "Row numbers follow assembly ordering" is turned off in the control tab of the Bill of Material Properties window. You can't change item numbers if this is on.
*)Double-click on the BOM and select the first item number cell, A2. Type in an equal sign (=) and then click on the first cell in the Detail No column. Your item number column is now equal to your detail number column and your balloon is equal to your item number. Hide the Detail No column.
*)Rearrange the components in your assembly FeatureManager tree to get the correct detail number order. Sorting will work if you export the BOM into Excel. Sorting in SolidWorks does not work as well.
You now can have the same detail number (or a different one if you prefer) in drawing views of different configurations. This works as of SolidWorks 2001+ SP2; it has not been tested in SP3. -- Submitted by John D. Ayer, FISHER Unitech, Troy, Mich.
Editor's note: Check out John Ayer's nifty solution using VBA to batch process SolidWorks files in the July/August 2002 issue of SOLID Solutions magazine, which mails Tuesday, June 24.
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