$PRP and General Tables

[WISDOMOFSOLOMON]

I work for a Start Up company, and we are in the process of creating Solid Models and Drawings for our manufactured parts.

We wish to use tabulated drawings.


The problem is that I have a single part file, with 3 main configurations.
1st Configuration has 5 derived configurations – Not Shown on Drawing
The 5 Derived Configurations will be on Sheet 1 of the Drawing File
2nd Configuration has 2 Derived Configurations – Not Shown on Drawing
These Derived Configurations will be on Sheet 2 of the Drawing File
3rd Configuration has 3 Derived Configurations – Not Shown On Drawing
These Derived Configurations will be on Sheet 3 of the Drawing File

example attached is of a very large pin with 10 configurations in the part file.

Between all 10 Derived Configurations, the only dimensions which changes between configurations is the length of the pin, which is controlled by a simple mid-plane extrusion of a square cross section, as well as the cross section of the pin.

I would like for the drawing to have a table on each of the three sheetswhich shows these dimensions.

I want them to be dynamic and link to the model (no need to touch the tables during revisions + accuracy)

So Far,

Basically, there is 1 design table for all configurations, For practicality, I cant show the entire design table on each sheet.

The (modified) design table has 2 header rows, and 10 configuration rows.

on sheet 1: i need the 2 header rows, and config rows 1-5
on sheet 1: i need the 2 header rows, and config rows 6-7
on sheet 1: i need the 2 header rows, and config rows 8-10

So far I tried to edit the Original Excel Design Table file to create inside of it, mock design tables where each cell says “=A6” (for example) and in that way I am assured that each of the mini design tables are dynamic and reference the model. Unfortunately, I can only show one version of the design table in the entire drawing file. (even though I took the time to crop out all but the individual mock tables for each derived configuration, when I rebuild they all revert to the last mock table that I inserted)

Given that I stated my problem correctly, does anyone know how to use a general table & $PRP attributes to call extrude dimensions and sketch dimensions into a general table??


REspectfully,

- Trevor

 

[WISDOMOFSOLOMON]

Figured out that the way to call sketch dimensions from a specific parts configuration into a Drawing Note.

The code is of the form


"DIMENSION NAME@@CONFIGURATION NAME@PART FILE.SLDPRT"

DIMENSION NAME EX: D1@SKETCH 1 or D1@EXTRUDE 1.

This works fine for sketch dimensions or feature dimensions

Now if I could figure out how to call out custom properties which are specific to a certain configuration.

- Thanks.

EX. One of my configuration specific properties is called 'Notes 1", my configuration is called '91001-01', and the part file is called '91001.SLDPRT'

Populating the note with the code:

"Notes 1@@91001-01@91001.SLDPRT"

or

"$PRP@Notes 1@@91001-01@91001.SLDPRT"

does not work.


Does anyone know how to use a note that is not linked to the current model view or to the sheet, but to a specific configuration.

I am using SW2008 SP5.0

 

[SteveMartin]

To the best of my knowledge, you can only call custom property information from an active configuration.

$PRP is evaluated from the current document (would pull from the drawing's custom properties).
$PRPSHEET is evaluated from the model specified in sheet properties - generally whatever was first inserted into the drawing, unless manually changed
$PRPVIEW is evaluated from the model in the view the note belongs to
$PRPMODEL is evaluated from the component an annotation is attached to (for pointing at a specific part of an assembly, for instance).

 

[WISDOMOFSOLOMON]

There is a way to do it but its kind of cheating and i wanted to avoid it if at all possible.


1) Bring in every configuration into the drawing, bring them in off to the side, not on the actual 8.5 x 11 drawing space.

2) attach notes, link cells to notes,

3) hide each configuration view.

when you print the drawing, it prints appropriately, but when you fit to screen, it sizes the window to the extent that you placed the hidden configuration views.


not the best, but i have three sheets and cant put three different design tables, and cant link use $PRP(XXX) to link to configurations which are not in the drawing.

still open to suggestions if anyone is reading this.

- Thanks