Importing parameters from excel; data type problem

[norkamus]

When I import parameters from an excel file into a drawing, I have problems with the data type.

Basically I am making a tool list template. There are 23 tools each with 6 pieces of information, so there will be 138 parameters. It is much easier to enter data within excel which is why I choose to do it this way.

In the template file I want to import the parameters from the excel file with blank values which I will tie into a table.

When I instantiate the template file for use, I want to import the excel file to update the values. When I do this though, anything that was destined to be a number returns a data type error. Strings seem to be fine.

It seems that the initial import just assumes it is a string regardless of the data format used in excel (number, text, general...)

I don't want to one-by-one create 138 parameters and assign the data types through the parameter editor. I can't seem to find a way to change the data type once a parameter is created.

Anyone?

Nick

Light structural commercial aircraft parts
PCDMIS 4.3 CAD++, CATIA V5 R20
APM Consortium Inc.
Cambridge Ontario, Canada

 

[norkamus]

The error I get in the import results box is:

The parameter T1.dia can not be modified because its type is different to its real type in imported file

Nick

Light structural commercial aircraft parts
PCDMIS 4.3 CAD++, CATIA V5 R20
APM Consortium Inc.
Cambridge Ontario, Canada

 

[norkamus]

I might as well answer my own post... I was leaving the "value" blank in my initial import. Then when I imported it with a number as the value, CATIA wasn't happy with me.

So, on my initial import of the parameters into the template file, I have dummy numbers and dummy text where I expect numbers and text to go. This seems to work.

Premature post-ulation...

Nick

Light structural commercial aircraft parts
PCDMIS 4.3 CAD++, CATIA V5 R20
APM Consortium Inc.
Cambridge Ontario, Canada

 

[norkamus]

Last post. I realize this is not a blog. My solution above doesn't allow me to have blank cells. Anywhere it expects a number can never be blank ( I require unused cells to be blank). So again, I'm open to any suggestions that don't involve heavy scripting.

Nick

Light structural commercial aircraft parts
PCDMIS 4.3 CAD++, CATIA V5 R20
APM Consortium Inc.
Cambridge Ontario, Canada