drawing template and parts list help

[cowski]

I'm currently running NX2.

The recent number of posts regarding drawing templates and parts lists has inspired me to streamline our workflow. However, I have run into 2 problems (so far):

1) when I setup the template file, I added some standard views at 1:1 scale; but when I use the template the views come it at 1:4, 1:2, and even 4:1 scale. I have tested with multiple sized parts, and even those that would fit comfortably at 1:1 scale don't come it at 1:1. What controls the view scale? How can I get it to default to 1:1?

2) I have added a column to the parts list to show the part number (for me, the part number is the file name - eg "13579.prt" would show as "13579" in the parts list). I am using the system generated attribute <W$=@$PART_NAME>. It initially shows up as a square with a diagonal line through it, I have to go to "preferences" -> "assemblies" and change the "Part name style" from "description" to "file name" then update the parts list to get it to show up properly. This works well until I close UG and reopen it (it must be a session setting?). Is there a way to make the "file name" option the default? I glanced through my environment settings file, but did not find anything that looked useful (not surprising since I don't know what I'm even looking for). Is there an easier way to get the part number in the parts list? If we have to change the preference setting each time it will lead to confusion among my coworkers and mistakes on the prints.

Also, will I be able to use my custom .pax files (NX2) in later NX releases? Rumor has it we are upgrading soon to NX6 but I'd rather not wait around for that.

 

[hudson888]

You'll more or less be able to use everything the same in later versions of NX some use more and different variable strings for some of the system generated attributes.

I don't know about the view scale. I don't use canned views in my templates as the changes that they'll be correct have to be weighed against the chances that I'll have to wait for incorrect views to generate.

Cheers

Hudson

 

[potrero]

what is a canned view?

 

[BOPdesigner]

Canned view = the Standard View. Left, Right, Top, Bottom, TFR-ISO etc.

 

[hudson888]

You can have views saved in templates which may be at any orientation of your choosing. Generally if you design parts that run to X and Y axes orientation then these may serve you very well, but if you work on parts in absolute orientation that regularly defy being added to views using pre-defined orientation then what you would use a "blank" drawing template. The idea of a blank template might simply describe one without pre-defined views per the NX-5 out of the box examples.

Cheers

Hudson

 

[ewh]

Or, you could set up the template using view names other than the canned names, then create views with those names in your model at the orientation you need.
I don't really know if this will work, as I have not yet tried it, being of the same mind as Hudson that it may be easier to start without any views.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]

 

[jpetach]

Cowski,

Regarding question #2, the customer default
"Assemblies-> General -> Miscellaneous-> Part Name Style Attribute" should set that session preference. The value for the customer default should be $FILENAME to make the parts list column happy.

Regards,
Joe

 

[cowski]

Joe,

Thanks for the tip, I would love to try it out but have been unable to find it in my customer default file. I'm currently running NX2, any ideas as to where it is hiding?

Thanks

 

[hudson888]

you should be able to edit it under file>utilities>customer defaults, but I think NX-2 may have been the last version to run of ug_metric.dat which was the text editable version of the same thing. The other system defaults file is ugii_env.dat which we still use today. Both live in the directory where you have installed NX to under the UGII folder.

Cheers

Hudson

 

[doc1955]

Save the template with the drawing not the view scale set to 1:1 I did the same thing but once I set the drawing scale size to full it worked out fine.

Doc

http://www.goodrich.com