NOTES IN UDF

[rickm]

Good Morning,


I have a question regarding UDFs. Currently i have a UDF set up that allows me to select diffent sizes of API flanges. my question is can i set up a note that will identify what flange size i picked from my UDF and place that note in the model/drawing?


Or is there a way to make a coloum in my family table of the UDF that will be strickly for notes and then reference that coloum in my note in the model?

 

[Erik_Gifford]

RickM,


Yes, you can do that.
<UL>
<LI>create feature parameter(s) in the UDF modelto hold the value(s) that will switch in the note from instance to instance of the UDF. In some cases a single string parameter can contain the entire note text (depends on how long / involved the note is)</LI>
<LI>put those parameter(s) in the UDF family table to allow the values to be different in each instance (you'll have to reference the Feature ID# )</LI>
<LI>create a note as part of the UDF feature and include references to the feature parameters (again, including the FID#)... in the format of &PARAMETER_NAME:FID_### where ### is the feature ID of the feature you have the parameter and note in. Make sure you use the Feat. ID #, not the feature number.</LI>
<LI>The note should place with the UDF and pull in the values from the parameters for each instanceas you have them defined in the UDF's family table.</LI>[/list]


If I recall, PTC has a "how to" doc for this on their tech support pages. Key is the parameters and note should be feature parameters & notes. In Wildfire 3 this can be easily accessed by right-clicking on the feature in the model tree and selecting "Edit Parameters" and "Setup Note".


Regards,


Erik

 

[rickm]

Thanks Erik, that was extremely helpful!!


I just have one more question,


I would like to have a drawing associated with my UDF that shows the family table, but i cant figure out how to import the UDF family table into the drawing.


Is there a way to do this?

 

[Erik_Gifford]

You can definitely have a drawing table read the contents of a family table and display it. I've never tried it for a UDF, though. I'm not sure how you would do that in this case because I believe the definition of the UDF's family table resides in the .gph file not the .prt file associated with the UDF definition. I don't see a way to add the .gph file to the drawing. You might be able to save the contents of the family table out as a file and import it into Pro/E as a OLE object via Excel or some path like that. Never tried it though.