Properties 2

[b18c5rjdm]

Is there a way to force properties before a save? For example, you get a part from someone, not all the prop. are filled out, you go to detail the thing and you titleblock format has about 10 custom fields(description, mass, treatment...) and you have to go back to the model again and fix problems... And if you don't have ownership then that's even more wasted time... Does anyone have any ideas?

Go Honda!

 

[ctopher]

I suggest your company setup standard templates for parts/assy/dwgs ... and follow them.
If you don't have ownership, have who does fix it.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[b18c5rjdm]

We do have standard templates, it's the following part that I'm furious about. I just want to be able for other people who create parts not be able to save the part without filling the properties out. like filling out a form on the internet, if you don't have a required field filled out then you can't go any further....

Go Honda!

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

SW2007 has a Design Checker module which may be what you need. Though I'm not sure if its use is voluntary or forced.

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Helpful SW websites faq559-520​

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SW2006-SP5 Basic ... No PDM​

 

[rockguy]

There is really no way to do this that I'm aware of.
What we do here is have predefined text in our template properties (rather than leave them blank. We have things like "Enter Description", Enter Part Number", Etc, appears in our title blocks (by Default) until someone fills them in. This kind of reminds the user to do it.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group

http://www.robrodriguez.com

(updated 8/12/06)
SW 2006 SP 4.0 / SW 2007 SP 0.0

 

[ctopher]

That probably would be some API that would run when a new file is opened. I do not know of one that exist.

curious ... "Go Honda!", a sports team or do you work there?

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[b18c5rjdm]

Design checker is voluntary.... just tried that. And our formats do have "XXX" in them. It's the reminder thing I'm getting tired of.

Go Honda!

 

[handleman]

I doubt there is any way to force people to enter custom properties before saving. You could write a macro that would "listen" for a save event and cancel the save if properties are not filled out. However, you would have to figure out some way to force the user to run that macro along with SolidWorks.

 

[b18c5rjdm]

Go Honda.... I can only dream of working for them... Just anything Honda... Best engines on earth. (this is where I wait for an american V8 comment.) if it's a car to a lawnmower if it doesn't say Honda somewhere on the engine I won't buy it.

Go Honda!

 

[ctopher]

I used to have a Civic. Stolen in front of my house. Now I drive a Chevy truck.

If anyone comes up with a macro to pop up the properties window when starting a file, I would be interested also.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[b18c5rjdm]

I think the problem is that the engineers do most the modeling around here, and they do not think of the drawings, which is our deliverable document. I spend more time fixing problems that I do anything else...

Go Honda!

 

[ctopher]

A very common problem. I had the same issue at my last job. Did training every week then every month to change them, to no use.


Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[J-C]

Mom had a Honda Civic...ran slightly hot one day....replaed the thermostat.....head cracked a few weeks later.

My 65 Mustang on the otherhand ran hot (thermostat).....didn't realize it (temp gauge broken) and drove the car 30 miles until I did.....evaporated all the water in the radiator....burned up all oil in the engine. Came back...changed the thermostat.....put in 5 quarts of oil....filled the radiator....ran like a champ. No smoke or anything.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[ctopher]

Watercraft: I'll have my Sea-Doo's (supercharged 215hp) over Honda (turbo) anyday.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[TheTick]

Checking properties would be a simple thing for an addin to do. A macro would not quite do the trick, as macros do not work well for monitoring for events like documents opening and closing.

I could be the world's greatest underachiever, if I could just learn to apply myself.

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

-SolidWorks API VB programming help

 

[handleman]

Tick,
Not being argumentative, just curious... why are addins better at event monitoring than macros?

This also made me think... not all of us have access to a VB compiler. I know you can change your SW launching shortcut to run a macro at SW startup. How hard would it be to write an add-in that would run whatever macros are listed in some text file when SW loads? Or, to take it further, have an add-in that allows a user to assign macros to common events without having to write all the event-listening code?

 

[TheTick]

No problem, handleman.

True, you can monitor events with macros. However, macros are not compiled and require more resources to run. Leave a macro running for an extended period and it almost certainly will affect performance. This would be especially true if the script failed to properly release objects.

Because macros run slower, it is possible for them to fail to register events. I have seen this firsthand. Even compiled programs can miss events, but it happens much more with macros.

As inferred above, one advantage of an addin is that it is compiled, and thus runs faster. It can run processes on an independent thread, relieving "pressure" on SW processes.

Another significant advantage is that they are triggered automatically with SW startup (as long as they are activated). No "forgetting". Addins also allow for adding menu items and toolbars.

If you want to, you can create a macro (VBA) and then cnvert it to an addin in VB6. I have a project to do exactly that on my website. You can write your ode, then find a local programmer to turn it into an addin with a few simple steps.

I could be the world's greatest underachiever, if I could just learn to apply myself.

http://www.EsoxRepublic.com

-SolidWorks API VB programming help

 

[J-C]

You could remove the existing "Save" button and replace it with a "Save" that does the same thing but also excutes your code. Some PDMs do this...or rather they have an additional save button that saves the file but also checks the file into the PDM.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[VBSpawn]

Hi all,

just for fun I got an Example in VBA (swp)..
You can Download this file here

http://www.voice-of-europe.com/dotnetnuke/Portals/0/CheckPropsb4Save.zip

and maybe you need to change the VBA references a little bit.

After you had done this close all your open files & run this Sub Main (once), you will notice that nothing happen ... thats not true .. If you try to save or saveas a sldprt or sldasm file without Title Information this macro won't let u save this file... just a message pops up.

maybe it worth a try.

cheers
Michael

 

[boottmills]

Thanks a lot...STAR FOR YOU! This may have solved most of the issues I have been having as well...now I just need to figure out how to have it liked to property values instead of the summary title.

I was thinking you could try to like it to a blank value, except that realistically all the values have a space as a character. Any Suggestions or ideas?

Boottmills
SW2006 SP3.0