Displaying results of variables on Drawings

[Watco]

How can I display the result of a global variable, which sums the length of a chain made of 3 lines and an arc, on a drawing?

 

[Regg]

Watco,

I am not sure what you mean by a global variable? Are you doing this analysis in a model or drawing?

Regards,

Regg

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

1) Create a "Total Length" Custom Property in the part.
2) Read the individual dimensions & the Total Length property into a Design Table in the part.
3) Create an AutoSum of the dimension values in the Total Length column & close the DT.
4) In the drawing, link a note to the Total Length property of the part.


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[Watco]

Hello CorBlimeyLimey,
Thank you for the help. One problem has come up though, when the "Total Length" property is displayed in the linked note on the drawing, it displays as a rounded up integer: 4. I would like it to display as the entire evaluated value: 3.755.
Do you know how to do this?

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The linked note should display whatever is seen in the DT. You probably need to adjust the "Total Length" column to display the required precision of the value.


Helpful SW websites faq559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions faq559-1091

 

[Watco]

Well, I didn't use the DT. I just made a custom property using a global variable: "Total Length". Then linked the note on the drawing to the custom property "Total Length". And after looking at it closer, this does not seem to be working. The value on the note is -3, and the evaluated value on the custom property window is 3.775.
Strange.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

I had forgotten about the Global Variable/Equation method, but I just tried it & it did not work for me either. What should have been 8" returned -4 in the linked note. Plus the value did not update when the sketch lengths were changed. The Equation shows the correct value, however.

This looks like a bug! Report it to your VAR.

Try the DT method ... it works well.


Helpful SW websites faq559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions faq559-1091

 

[Regg]

Watco & CBL,

I have been following your conversation. Now that I understand what you are talking about, I tried to duplicate the problem with the total length note. I get the correct length to display on my drawing. If I change a length in the sketch and do a rebuild, it also corrects itself. I am using SW2005 SP 5.0. What version and SP are you two using?

Regards,

Regg

 

[Watco]

SW2005 SP0.1

Do you think it has anything to do with the "type" of variable in the custom property table? It only accepts "text", "number" gives an error: "invalid value entered for type "number".

Watco

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Watco ... try updating to SP5 to see if that fixes the problem.


Helpful SW websites faq559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions faq559-1091