×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Dynamic Annotation's Location

Dynamic Annotation's Location

Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
Hello All,

I would like to make my annotation, located in the center of a rectangle, on a 2D drawing to relocate when I modify one side of the rectangle.
Any guru in VBA can give me few little hints, please. TIA.

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

Do you mean text that is typed in a rect on a dwg ... or text located on a part shown on a dwg?

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
Chris,
I create an annotation with the text like "Front Panel". Every time that I change the dimension of the rectangle I have tomove the text manually to fit in the center of the rectangle. I hope you understand what I mean. Thanks.

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

You have not said if on the part or on the dwg.
Either way, you can add some sketch centerlines attached to the text location "point" and the rect, dim the lines, hide the dims.
Or use a Design Table.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
Where can I find the text location point?. Or if I can create the point that link to the text or textbox then it will solve the problem. Thanks.

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

Are you specifically looking for an API/VB answer?

If a 'geometry' answer is acceptable, it will depend on the answer to the question asked by ctopher (twice) ... which, by the way, you have ignored.

If the annotation is in a 3D model part in the form of text in a sketch, the position can be kept central by drawing a line in the sketch which is constrained to the edges of the rectangle, using the line as the guide curve for the text and using the Centre Align option. (See Sketch Text in the help files)

If the annotation is in a 2D drawing view in the form of a note, then we'd need to know what the "rectangle" you refer to is.

cheers

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
Sorry guys, I do not ignore your questions. In my very first post, I did mention that I'm dealing with the 2D drawing and the rectangle which I refered to is a 2D rectangle on which I have to specify to my customer as "Front Panel" and on the back side as "Back Panel".
I made the design table to import the dimensions from Excel to Solidworks. It works fine except after the changes I have to move those texts manually to the new location.
The annotation does not have a coordinate or node that I can assign a relationship or dimenison to the drawing (maybe I don't know how).
If you could show me the way to link the text (i.e. annotation) to one side of the rectangle then I can assign a dimension or make a point then create a relationship with my rectangle.
I'm sorry for my explanation but english are not my strong point. Thanks.

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

OK, we understand that you have a 2D drawing, but we don't know what you are showing in the views on that drawing.

Is it a 2D rectangle drawn in a sketch in a drawing view? Is the text added to the drawing view? Is the text just the title of the drawing view? (Like Front View, Side View, Plan, etc)

or ...

Is it a 3D rectangular part with the "Front Panel" and "Rear Panel" cut-extruded or scribed into it using the [b]Sketch Text" function? If it is this one, see my first post for a solution.

No need to apologise for your English. It is far better than my version of your language.

cheers

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
It's just a text added in a drawing view and it's not related to any dimension. The Front Panel here is to indicate something like the front side of the bag of potatoes chip etc...

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

This will work. ->

1. Smart dimension between the mid-points of the sides of the rectangle in the drawing (any two sides will do) - make sure center dimension text is turned on.

2. Delete the Dimension Text <DIM> and replace with the text required (Front Panel)

3. Move the dimension to the approximate center of the rectangle in the other (non-centered) direction.

4. Right click on the dimension and go to properties/display and uncheck display extension lines and dimension lines.

5. Also make sure that this dimension is driven instead of driving.

Viola... you have a note which always re-locates to the center

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
Pevac ... Merci Beaucoup ... It's very simple and elegant ... Thank you ...

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
Mr. Pevac ... Please another question ... Is there any way that I can rotate the dimension text from 0 to 180 degree?. Thanks.

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

Say you need the text to be vertical.  You will have to dimension two midpoints on the horizontal lines (up and down) and right click on the line - properties/display and click override standard dimension display and choose the third option (in line with the dimension line).

This should work for other then 0-90 angles as well.

I just thought of another way to do what you are asking...
You could make a block with your text and add a point which you can constrain (coincident relation) to a virtual center (constructed on a hidden layer).

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
Dr. Pevac, you do know that Solidworks inside out. I did try the first suggestion and it works nicely. With the second suggestion I don't know how to make the virtual center but I'll play around until I'll get it. I really appreciate your help.

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

Dr Pevac.. I like that :) hehe! Thanks.

When I say virtual center.. I just mean some construction geometry that you put on a hidden layer.  For example, construct a diagonal line with a point in the middle of it.  This will be the middle of the rectangle and stay associative to it.

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
Dr. Pevac ... I got that block works ... Thanks again ... You have a good week...

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

Eurobum,
Sorry, been away over the weekend.
Glad you got it to work.
Good luck.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-27-06)

RE: Dynamic Annotation's Location

(OP)
Thanks Chris. I really appreciate all the help from this site.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources