Where Does this Symbol Reside 1

[felix7502]

Could someone explain where this symbol resides?
I have a note that I would like a flag placed in. None of the symbols in the library are the shape I need. i.e. triangle, sqcircle, etc..
I place a balloon on the drawing with a text number in a diamond. I edit the note, click on the balloon and close the note. The symbol appears in the note. After that, I delete the balloon and the symbol stays in the note, although it is now a dumb object.
If I have a symbol from the library, it will appear as<T#-2>, but this "dumb" balloon doesn't show.
This functions for what I need it to do, but I'm wondering why??

 

[josephv]

sorry, Felix, I don't understand what exactly you are trying to achieve and why. Could you rephrase your question?

 

[handleman]

I understand what you are trying to do. You're certainly in a bit of a tight spot. Depending on your situation, you have a few options:

1. Don't delete the balloon - just remove the leader and move it off the printable area of the sheet. That way the link is not destroyed. This is the option for you if you need to share your .slddrw files with outside customers/vendors or with many people inside your company.

2. Modify your Gtol.sym file to include diamond shapes. See faq559-1229 for a great summary of how to do this. The disadvantage with this method is that any PC that opens the file in the future will need to have the same symbols in the Gtol.sym file for the symbol to display correctly. If you have just a few people in your department/division that need to open and read the symbols you may be able to get everyone to put the modified Gtol file on their system. Anyone without the modified Gtol file will just see the text <XXXX-XXX>, where all those "X"s are whatever you name your symbol.

3. Just keep on doing it the way you have been.

Just FYI, the actual text inside the note that is used to link to balloons/dimensions/other symbols is:

<OBJECT ID="XXX">

where XXX is a sequential number generated when the object is placed into the drawing. If you want to really dissect what text and HTML style tags are inside a complex note, use the attached macro. Just select a note and run it. A form will appear with the displayed text of the note in one box and the actual "driving" text in another. To investigate another note, just select it and hit the button.

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)

 

[felix7502]

handleman-
Thanks for the info. I contributed to that FAQ, so I know about its limitations. The macro works great and may help in the future.
I'm just wondering why I can delete the balloon and it doesn't disappear from the note. I've rebuilt, saved, closed and reopened and it stays, so somehow the drawing has held onto its memory. I think that I will follow your #1 suggestion though, so that it's still accessible.
Sylvia

 

[handleman]

Oops, sorry I missed that you had contributed to the FAQ!

It is definitely a bit odd that the picture of the balloon is somehow retained. I did a bit of experimenting myself:

If you copy a note that is linked to a deleted item, the original retains the image but the copy does not.

You can type in the tag for an existing object and it will link to the object. If you type the tag for a deleted object you get something like "#link error".



-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)

 

[handleman]

After some more looking into the API, it appears that SW stores both the link and its rendered result in the note itself. When the linked object gets updated, SW re-renders the note. When the linked object goes away, the rendered result is retained but inaccessible and unchangeable. If it is deleted or the note is copied, that rendered appearance apparently doesn't go with it. Through the API you can access all the lines, arcs, and text that make up the rendered note, but you can't change it at all or create new.

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)

 

[felix7502]

handleman-
Thanks for all your help and a star for you. I had also gotten to the "# link error", but I then created a new balloon and the link error recognized it!
SW should really allow borders around individual text within a note. This would eliminate all of the text symbols in the gtol file. I'm sure there are others that could use this function.
Thanks again, Sylvia

 

[handleman]

Here's an interesting little tidbit... Supposedly you can't link dimensions to other annotations. Only you can. If you get the object id of that item. You can link surface finish marks, balloons, geometric tolerances, etc to dimensions. You can link balloon text to dimensions, datums, finish marks, etc.

You can make some weird looking stuff by typing that <OBJECT ID="..."> tag in interesting places.

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)

 

[handleman]

Wanna see something really weird? Create a geometric tolerance. Figure out its object ID by linking a note to it and using the macro in this thread. Then edit the geometric tolerance and link it to itself. Then start moving it around. Crazy!

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)