pro|program issue

[tonton sam]

hey a braincracker here... for me at least

i made an assembly with 8 sub assemblies. it's a trashreceptor (a large street-model) the design is a modular one so they are connected next to each other or they can be stand alone. (i hope this is a bit clear)

the modularity doesnt stop there, inside the trashreceptor, i can choose for a glass-module (shredder) a plastic-metal-module (press) and a paper-module.

my question now is: is it possible to make a program, that once run, it asks how much modules you want, and afterworts asks which module i want to put in each of the modules.

i made my assembly so, that i have 1 complete module, with all the modules in subassemblies.
i know how to make the program to choose wich module but can't think of a way to make the program ask how much modules i want...

if anybody can help, even just a little tip to get me started, or a place where i can find more explanation?

big thanks in advance,
if there is not enough info, or if something isn't clear, ask away, i knkow my english isn't that good

greetz

tonton sam

 

[ankarl]

I've asked PTC and some other consultants about the same issue a coupple of years ago.
They all came up with the answer that a tool-kit application is needed to solve the issue of how many modules to use and then configure each of them independent of the others.


Dynamic Design Link has been mentioned as a sollution to this but I havent heard anything about this in a long time.

 

[caddie]

I have worked with a project doing what ankarl says, and toolkit is a easy way to go from a user perspective. You create the specification offline from proe, if that is easier, and then feed the info to proe. I have seen and worked with such systems and it works well (does take time and thought to setup though). Please note I am not a toolkit programmer, I was part of defining the proe models.


If you want to have it all in proe, try layouts. It'll give you tables to populate and you can place pictures to explain the variables. You also have the possibility to load and save parameter fileswith a layout.

 

[FishNut]

Simple answer is to control the assembly with a layout. The layout would have all of the inputs you want to ask on it, in the form of table cells. Assign every table cell to a parameter. For instance, have a layout paramter called ShredType. set up a table cell, and for the text use &ShredType. Then declre your assembly to this layout. Then in your proprogram do something like


If ShredType == "PLASTIC"


then assembe plasic shreddder .... . yada yada yada


The weakness of layouts is controlling the inputs. I like integer inputs.

 

[ankarl]

FishNut,
please explain how to control the number of modules using layout and then how to configure each module (each module can contain different numbers of sub-modules as well).

I'm asking this since we discussed the lay-out sollution for my problem also but it was considered not to be possible without programming.

 

[conrat]

tonton sam,



My company does this all of the time. We are a door manufacturer,
who makes a wide variety of custom hollow metal doors. Depending
on the criteria (ie - Blast, Acoustical, Bullet Resistant), we must add
or subtract various components from the asm. Also, depending on
the size, sometimes we must change the number of parts (ie - number of
hinges, sidelites, etc.)



We use the input section of the Program to allow a text file to be read in.



You set up your input section like this:



INPUT<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">
Moduletype String<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">
"Enter the module type (G)lass, Plastic/(M)etal, (P)aper"<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">
END INPUT



This defines a string input and asks the question in quotes when you do a Regn-Auto-Enter.

However, you can also select the Read File option and read in a text file in the following format:



Content of Text File:<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);">
Moduletype = "G"



Then add a relation:

if Moduletype == "G"

module_asm = "glass_module.asm"

else

if Moduletype == "P"

module_asm = "paper_module.asm"

else

if Moduletype == "M"

module_asm = "metal_module.asm"

endif

endif

endif



then, in your asm program, you add the following where you assembled the type of module:



ADD COMPONENT (module_asm)



You can also elminate the relation and simply do this to the add statement for each:




if Moduletype == "G"

ADD SUBASSEMBLY GLASS_MODULE

...

END ADD

end if

<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
I prefer adding it in the relations
section, as it keeps the logic together, but either will work.
Also, some of my syntax may be off, but the concept is there.
Look in your User Guide under the Pro/PROGRAM section, which
illustrates this in greater detail. There is also a RELATIONS
section which should be helpful.



Note, I believe the first option requires that each module is assembled
in an Interchange Assembly. This ensures references are
maintained. If you do not, you may get placement or missing
reference errors.<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">

<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Good luck,

<br style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Jim







Edited by: conrat

 

[tonton sam]

yup thx jim


this is the way i made it work, and works great


thx

 

[conrat]

Just
wondering, which method did you use? Did you set a variable to
hold the name of the subasm and then use one ADD statement? Or
did you use multiple ADD statements with IF statements to control which
was processed?



Jim