I was wondering if there is a way to expand the standard hole library. I recently created a part and wanted to add an NPT tapped hole but found no way of doing it.
Some of the info may be hard to follow, but this is staright from PTC. Have fun.
Steve
MODIFYING THE .HOL FILES
The standard hole dialog box was added by PTC in an attempt to provide it's customer base with an editable file for which commonly used hole types could be customized by the user to fit their particular design needs. The purpose of the standard hole dialog box and associated files was NOT intended to supply the customer base with a series of holes that should be used in every design. Additional modifications and improvements to this standard hole dialog box is currently being investigated by PTC.
The configuration file option "hole_parameter_file_path" can be used to create a custom .hol file which can be displayed in the hole creation dialog box and should be set up as follows:
1.) Copy one of the .hol files located in the load point/text/hole directory and rename it.
2.) Open the new file and change the value of the "THREAD_SERIES" parameter in the "TABLE_DATA" area to the name of the new .hol file and save the file.
3.) Place the new file in the desired directory.
4.) Set the configuration file option "hole_parameter_file_path" to the full path of the new folder that contains the new hole file.
5.) Restart Pro/ENGINEER. (Pro/ENGINEER must be restarted in order for these changes to take effect).
STANDARD .HOL FILE
TABLE_DATA
PRO_VERSION 22
THREAD_SERIES UNC
CLASS 2b
TABLE_UNITS inch
DEPTH_RATIO 1.25
CALLOUT_FORMAT
For all types of holes:
The callout format should be entered on a SINGLE line (do not continue it on the next line after a carriage return).
The callout format should be entered a space or two after the text CALLOUT_FORMAT (not on the line below it).
If the note itself (on screen) is to have two lines, separate the notation with a forward slash "/".
Special symbols can be included using the format <CTRL-a>x<CTRL-b> where "x" is any lower case character.
The callout format row of any .hol file can accept the following parameter strings followed by a space:
Note: If you precede each parameter by a single space, it will appear in the note without a space (between the value and the previous parameter). If you precede each parameter by two spaces, it will appear with a single space between the value and the previous parameter. If you want a parameter inside parentheses, put a space on either side of the parameter name (after the open parenthesis and before the closing parenthesis).
EXAMPLE: The syntax for the default UNC callout format would appear in this way (all on a single line) in the .hol file
NOTE: <CTRL-a>x<CTRL-b> must be typed in exactly as shown. "CTRL", here, does not refer to the control key on a computer keyboard.
WHERE THE INFORMATION COMES FROM
The information in the .hol file is for CLEARANCE holes. Most of the information in the .hol file can be seen on page 1823 of the Machinery's Handbook table #4 "Tap Drills and Clearance Drills for Machine Screws with American National Thread Form".
NOTE: Some of the information that is displayed in the new hole creation dialog box is not present in the .hol file and this is due to the fact that it is calculated information. For example: for a 1-64 screw the default diameter is .0595 and the default countersink dia is 1.25 * dia=.0744 where the multiplier comes from the DEPTH_RATIO specified in the header information.
The default counterbore diameter is 1.5 *dia=.0892
The default counterbore depth is 0.5 * dia = .0297
The default drill depth is 3 * dia = .1785
The default thread depth is Drill Depth/Depth Ratio
WHAT DOES THIS INFORMATION MEAN?
NOTE: This example uses the(Example) data from the above table.
Additional tips for this issue is to split the default iso.hol into 2 hol files with the first preferred hole sizes in one and subsidiary in the other. We have named the files 1st_pref_iso.hol and 2nd_pref_iso.hol. If you also delete the iso.hol (<proe installation dir>\text\hole\iso.hol) the default hol file would then be the first in alphabetical order.