Custom symbol which prompts user to enter values

[koutilya]

Hi all,

is it possible to create a custom symbol which upon placing prompts the user to enter certain values and after taking input from user it should update itself with the given input values.

Thanks in advance

 

[JohnRBaker]

Do you mean 'parametric' values which will cause the symbol to change in size and/or shape?

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.com/museum/

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

 

[SkyRat]

No, I think he means like the way attributes work in AutoCAD, for example, you create an editable attribute which prompts you for the design engineers name, so as you insert the symbol into your drawing, a little box will pop up asking you to fill in a field for the responsible design engineers name. You can also have a place holder, so if you insert the symbol and cancell the input dialog box, the attribute will just display a hyphen maybe, if thats what you have chosen as your place holder, until the time comes when you can just double click the symbol and the input dialog box will come up.

I would also be interested if this is possible for all out custom symbols that require user input upon placement.

 

[JohnRBaker]

On my system I've written a small program, which upon saving a file for the first time, will automatically assign my name and current data to a pair of attributes which are already referenced by my standard drawing templates. These attributes will never change during subsequent Save operation, but will be reset if I do a Save-As.

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.com/museum/

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

 

[koutilya]

i want to do exactly what skyrat explained. if it is not possible to do with custom symbol can you please suggest any other kind of symbols which will satisfy this requirment.

 

[JHTH]

Custom Symbols are exactly how we do our drawing borders and we create them with editable 'attributes' (AutoCAD style). As a very quick description of the process:

1. Create your symbol, using curves etc. and text notes.
2. File > Utilities > Define Custom Symbol (or its equivalent in other NX versions)
3. Select everything that you want in your symbol.
4. Text boxes will appear as a note icon with 'Change it' next to it (again, this may be NX7-specific).
5. Click this and edit it (the help files give notes on the various options) and repeat for all other text boxes.
6. Name, it create a preview picture and click Ok and the symbol will now be available with editable fields (just remember to select Use Definition under Settings when inserting the symbol to preserve any formatting that you applied to the parts that make up the symbol).

Cheers,

Jon

JHTH
NX 7.0.1.7 + TC 2007

 

[JohnRBaker]

OK, in NX 8.0 there will be a new function for creating Titleblocks, which can then be included, along with the new Drawing Boarder object, into a Drawing Template. One of the new features is that you can either predefine the content of each Titleblock entry (field), link them to attributes OR leave them undefined. After creating this new Titleblock object you can then 'lock' all of the entry fields which you do not want users to manually edit, these would normally include the predefined entries and those linked to attributes, but these could be left 'unlocked' as well if you were going to allow users to edti them manually later on. However, you will also be able to create 'unlocked' AND undefined entries (fields) in the same Titleblock object and these will behave differently when the Drawing template containing one of these 'unfinished' Titleblock objects is accessed.

When you create a new Drawing which uses a Drawing template containing one of these new 'unfinished' Titleblocks with some or all of the entries (fileds) unlocked and undefined, this will cause a new dialog to appear where you are prompted to fill-in the information that's missing. Note that one of these new Titleblocks can contain a mix of 'locked' predefined and attribute linked entries (fields), and 'unlocked' undefined entries (fields) and you will be automatically prompted for the information to be placed in the 'unlocked' undefined entries (fields). Note that this dialog will only appear once automatically, when creating a new Drawing using one of these 'smart' Drawing Templates. However, even if you either filled-in all the entries (fields) or left some empty, you will be able to go back later at anytime and activate this same dialog, allowing you to edit or finish any of the 'unlocked' entries (fields).

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.com/museum/

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

 

[cubalibre000]

Hi John, it's possible to have a video that describe this new NX8 functionality ?

Thank you...

Using NX 8 and TC8.3

 

[mechjames]

Hi John,
is it possible you could make available your little program which upon saving a file for the first time, will automatically assign your name and current data to a pair of attributes which are already referenced in your standard drawing templates. These attributes will never change during subsequent Save operation, but will be reset if I do a Save-As. That would be really useful!

cheers,
james

 

[JohnRBaker]

Attached is a zip file containing the two GRIP programs (and their source files) as well as the menuscript which will add these 'actions' the the various 'Save' options found on the 'File' menu dropdown. Note that you will need to edit the .men file so that the paths for ACTIONS/PRE are correct for where you placed the program files. This .men file needs to placed in the 'startup' folder inside your 'user_defaults' folder (which is the folder pointed to by the environment variable: UGII_USER_DIR= <path to your user_defaults folder>.

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

http://www.siemens.com/plm

UG/NX Museum:

http://www.plmworld.org/p/cm/ld/fid=209

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