design table description 1

[SS22]

When working with design tables and configurations there appear to be two different descriptions. One is the Component Description which can be edited in the design table, right click properties, click custom properties, and select description from pull down menu. The second I believe is called the Component Configuration Description, right click to select properties.
I like managing the description in the design table, that way I can link its name to dimension values or whatever. The problem is when I am in an assembly drawing the properties tab gives me config name, but not the design table description. I have been using the same meaningless 5 digit part numbers for config name, BOM part number, and drawing number. I can not tell the differences in configs from the name. How can I link the two descriptions or get Solidworks to display the design table description in the assembly drawing environment?

Thanks.

 

[J-C]

Submit an enhancement request, the design table has no syntax for filling out the congs description property. This can however be done in the API and can therefore be added to your excel design table vb code such that it enters it on close.

Jason

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

If you use the $PRP@Description parameter in the DT ...

... it will populate the Files > Properties (Summary Information) > Configuration Specific section ...

... it also populates the Configuration Properties seen when RMB clicking on a configuration in the configuration manager ...

Note the options available at the bottom of the dialgue box.


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[SS22]

I’m with you so far. My dilemma is once I get to assembly files. The description I want to see when choosing which config to use is the value in $PRP@Description, ie “Test 1” or “Test 2”

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Check the SW Help files ... under Index, search for parameters, configurations. You should be presented with several choices ... select Summary of Design Table Parameters. This shows the various parameters which can be used in a DT. The one you want is $configuration@part_name



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[CorBlimeyLimey]

Ooops ... that should have been $configuration@component<instance>


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[SS22]

That's pretty close, but not quite what I was looking for.

In an assembly drawing of many parts you can RMB over an individual part, choose properties--named configuration and see a list of names (in my case a five digit number), but not the $PRP@description value from the design table. That description would help me pick the correct instance for the assembly.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Ahhh ... All clear, now it is

In that case I have to agree with Gildashard ... submit an ER to your VAR & SW. I don't know of a way to see that info in the config selection box.

BTW, to avoid confusion, please use the term "model" when referring to the "solid" parts & assemblies ... and "drawing" when referring to the 2D views on a sheet.


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[Regg]

Gildashard,

What is the API call to do this?

Regg

 

[J-C]

This from the api help:

This property gets and sets the description of the configuration.

retVal = Configuration.Description (VB Get property)
Configuration.Description = description (VB Set property)






Jason

 

[J-C]

Here's the code I use, I'm not really a programmer so be gently. And this is just a piee of the code, it may reference variables elsewhere.


Set swApp = CreateObject("SldWorks.Application")
Set Part = swApp.ActiveDoc

Set currentconfig = Part.GetActiveConfiguration() 'Get current configuration
configname = currentconfig.Name 'Set the configuration name string
configcomment = currentconfig.comment 'Set configuration comment string to current configuration comment
BomChildren = currentconfig.ShowChildComponentsInBOM 'Get ShowBom Children state

Part.SelectByID configname, "CONFIGURATIONS", 0, 0, 0 'Select config
Part.EditConfiguration3 configname, configname, configcomment, txt_partnum.Text, 1 'Edit configuration, adds part number to BOM field
currentconfig.description = txt_configdesc.Text 'Sets configuration description to be the same as the config description field
currentconfig.ShowChildComponentsInBOM = BomChildren 'Set showBom Children state back to above

Jason

 

[SS22]

All right so now I think I must be out in left field. What are other people’s numbering/ naming conventions so that you can find the correct part configuration from an assembly model? Do you really open an assembly model, open a part model, open the design table to find the correct configuration, then back your way out of all the windows? I don’t want to use significant part numbers as there is always some variation you did not consider when setting it up.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Do a search for numbering, there have been many threads about this, with as many differing opinions. Basically you have to use one that suits your company & its product.

When making the initial design I use a descriptive name only (no numbers). When the design is complete I add numbers to the description. The number matches the drawing sheet.


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[SS22]

I've read some of those posts until my head spins.

We spend twice as much time managing data and the information on 2D drawings so they jive with manufacturing process improvements as we do designing new items (I work at a furniture factory). New items are usually an existing item with different options. That's why I was looking to differentiate between configurations from a list. (12mm plywood drawer side instead of 5/8” hardwood etc). I wanted the $description to be the description on the drawing title block (drawer side), but the component config description to be some like “P, 22.5 x 9.125 x 12mm” or “H, 22.5 x 9.125 x .625”.

Get it?

 

[J-C]

We follow two different config naming schemes, one for manufactured parts and one for library purchased parts.

Our manufactured part configs are named by part number.
Purchased items configs are named by size, color or whatever the distinction in the family is.

I have used a combination of both for nuts, screws, washers etc. Originally I named them by their size but found out it was difficult for users to find them if they where looking for them by part number. We also had some cases of one screw size have two or three part number due to people assigning them and not realizing we already had them.

Example Screw,

"Size"-"Thread" x "Length" "Finish/Material Code" (Part Number)

0.250-20 x 1.000 Z (123456)

I did this back around Swx 99-2000, since then I think if you have the part number field entered for each config, it will show up in the component properties dialogue in the assy. The config description may show up in other places too, but I haven't really investigated it much.

This is one area in swx that really needs attention.

Jason

 

[J-C]

Forget to mention custom properties we use.

We use custom and config specific custom properties with a property editor I wrote in VB.

Custom properties apply to the whole family

Number (The drawing number)
Description (Drawing description)
Revision

Config Properties

PartNo (The final part number, it's the drawing number, plus a suffix)
Partnosuffix (Storage string for the part no. suffix)
ConfigDesc (Final part description, drawing desc plus suffix)
ConfigDescSuffix (Storage string for description suffix)

The program concantenates the "Number" and the "Partnosuffix" to get the Part no for that config.
Same thing for description, "Description" and "ConfigDescSuffix" to get ConfigDesc.

It also enters the final part number in the part number box on the config and sets the Configs description to be equal to the "ConfigDesc" property.

Confused yet?

The drawing titleblock notes are linked to the Number, Description, and Revision properties in the part.

Jason

 

[Regg]

Gildashard,

Thanks for the API call. I just talked to my VAR last week about this and I was told they did not think any call existed. Anyway, I tried the call out in a simple macro and I was able to read and write to it. Tommorrow I will try it out with a design table to see how it works. A star for you.

Regards,

Regg

 

[J-C]

I never did implement the code in our excel design table template, let me know how it goes, I may want to steal that code from ya.

If I remember, it was more difficult in a design table because you had to get and write this out to all configs, not just the current one. I wasn't to up on my VB skills to loop this through all the configs in the part.

Also, if you open the design table embedded instead of as a separate window, I couldn't get the code to run on close. Since you just select outside the window to close it, it doesn't seem to kickoff the Close and Update section. Maybe it could be done as an update button instead.

Hope you have better luck it than I did.

Jason

 

[Regg]

Gildashard,

Getting the code to work to from inside a design table will require some effort it appears. I tried putting the code in the BeforeClose event but it appears SolidWorks does not update the model until the design table closes. The work around may be to close the desing table, re-open it and then close it again. I will have to do further research if there is a way to run code after the workbook (or excel) closes and the model is updated. A quick and dirty method would be to write a separate macro that is run after the configurations are updated. A custom property could be created from the design table that contains the description information. This property would then be read by the macro and transferred to the configuration description. Another possibility: I found API calls for attaching to an existing design table (although it opens inside solidworks), then you can read cells, update the configuration description and then close the table. Again this would be after the fact. Another thought: Write a SolidWorks event handler that you would run before editing/creating the design table and then trap the event that detects when a configuration is created. Again a custom property would have to contain the desired description information. I will have to think about it some more.

Regards,

Regg

 

[J-C]

Wonder about a macro feature that runs the code on every rebuild. May take to long on parts with lots of configs though.

The design table could contain the code to add the macro feature.

Jason