Drawing Description to Match Part Description

[originalhandle]

In a drawing template I'm creating, I want the description property to be the same as the parts description property.

I can get the parts description to display as text in the drawing using $PRPSHEET:"Description", however using the same code in the drawings properties doesn't work.

I'm sure it must be possible, and should be easy, but I'm stumped.

Help is much appreciated.

 

[Gurjjeet]

in the annotation note editing mode click on the "Link to property"(2nd button below the angle input box, its got a hand and chain link on it) in the feature/property manager.

Now select 2nd option which is "model in view specified in sheet properties"

Now select description from the deop down list below.

Done!!

 

[originalhandle]

If I understand correctly, that will only change the annotation on the drawing? Not the "description" property in the drawings summary information (File -> Properties).
This is where I want the part files description to be automatically entered.

Thanks

 

[NL8]

originalhandle,

I think this question has been asked before, and the answer was that there wasn't a way to populate a custom prop on a dwg automatically from a part without some form of macro. What is your intent, it'll be easier to make suggestions about a solution if we understand that.

Joe Hasik,
CSWP/SMTL/MTLS
SW 10 x64, SP 3.0
Dell T3400
Intel Core2 Quad
Q6700 2.66 GHz
3.93 GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 4600

 

[fcsuper]

There is no default or easy way to populate the Description custom property on the drawing with the value in the model. This is one of the drawbacks to relying on the model to store metadata such as values for custom properties. The evaluated value (the description as it appears in the custom property of the model) will only be shown when linking an annotation to that property. This is fine for simple environments with only a couple of people. But it fails when trying to have a complex system including a PDM.

Two suggestions:
1) Use a macro to copy the properties such as Rigid Custom Properties
2) Don't input hte properties in the model at all. Rely on the drawing custom properties to store that information. I have an article about this here: Set up custom props for dwg template use

Matt Lorono
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/solidworks & http://twitter.com/fcsuper

 

[macduff]

Joe,
I think originalhandle is referencing what I've been barking about for years. You type in the description for a part or assemble, it populates your drawing title block when dropped into a drawing, but doesn't populate the description when you saving your drawing. You have to end up retyping the description when saving.

Best,

Colin Fitzpatrick (aka Macduff)
Mechanical Designer
Solidworks 2010 SP 3.1
Dell 490 XP Pro SP 2
Xeon CPU 3.00 GHz 3.00 GB of RAM
nVida Quadro FX 3450 512 MB
3D Connexion-SpaceExplorer

 

[fcsuper]

macduff,

Yup, this is why I kinda preach about not using model custom property values on drawings. It's double the work. If a company relies on drawings, they should not bother putting any information in the model unless they track revisions of the model separately from the drawing or unless they don't have a PDM of some sort.

Matt Lorono
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources & SolidWorks Legion

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/solidworks & http://twitter.com/fcsuper

 

[ewh]

Using one model for various functions (drafting, tooling, flat pattern development, machining, CMM, etc) is becoming more and more common and actually limits extra work as well as revision mistakes. It should not be considered a "second rate" method of model documentation limited only to separate drawing files or a lack of PDM. It is a shame that the software doesn't easily support including pertinent, downstream usable information with that master model.

"Good to know you got shoes to wear when you find the floor." - [small]Robert Hunter[/small]