common *.exp file possible?

[tsjaikdus]

Is it possible to have a single exp file that several parts can make use of? For example I want to change the diameter of the camshaft in the file and I want both the camshaft.prt and the bearing.prt to change according to this file.

 

[JohnRBaker]

That's what interpart Expressions are for. You can have expressions in one file reference expressions in other files.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[tsjaikdus]

ok that's easy. I use one prt file to keep all my expressions in and from any other part I use the "Create Interpart Reference" button in Expressions to link to the 1st file. Thanks.

 

[tsjaikdus]

I've two additional questions about the behaviour that I find odd.

Is it possible to update the drawing without opening the file expressions.prt? I assumed it would be Update for External Exchange, but that doesn't do it.

Also, is there a way to generate an error if it can't find the file expression.prt?

 

[JohnRBaker]

No, the parts sharing the expressions must be open in order for there to be any sort of updating. The 'Update for External Change' is really intended for situations where you might have an expression or KF routine referencing say an Excel spreadsheet (not the internal NX spreadsheet, but an actual separate Excel file) and you've opened the spreadsheet and made some edits and would now like NX to update (links to external documents, like spreadsheets, are not 'dynamic').

That being said, we are working on a future project which will allow you to, after a part is already open, to automatically load the necessary parts and perform an update by selecting a single option on a menu. And you not need to know the names or locations of the parts to do this. Note that something like can be done today using the WAVE Module, but this will be part of basic NX. Today, you can have this happen if you have the proper Load Options set, but if you open that part and then discover that you need to do an update, you either have to explicitly open each referenced part or use the WAVE Module.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Design Solutions
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA

http://www.siemens.com/plm

http://www.plmworld.org/museum/

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.