×
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

Thoughts on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro?

Thoughts on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro?

Thoughts on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro?

(OP)
Hello!

I would like some feed back on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro. I will try my best to explain..

Typically, a designer would save file(s) locally on their computer while working on a design. Then the designer would provide an Adobe 3DPDF to the customer for review/approval. After design has been approved and changes ( if any ) have been completed we run an existing Catia macro that loops thru a tree renaming the "Part Number" property to a company standard format ( plus fills out other user attributes ). A big time saver. Then the designer has to go thru each CatProduct & CatPart and perform a Save As using the new part number as the new file name. That way the filename and the part number match. The designer has to do this one at a time and can be time consuming.

Would it be okay to write a script that would first create an empty temporary folder, loop thru the tree, obtaining the newly assigned part number property value, perform a Save as, saving the current object in loop to the new temporary folder using the part number as the new file name. Then..... The designer would within Catia perform a Save management and propagate the design to its final destination folder. Lastly delete the temporary folder after propagation.

Mainly looking for feedback on the idea. I'll tackle the script myself if I feel the task is okay to try and if there are any Warnings I should take into consideration.

Thank you!
Tom

RE: Thoughts on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro?

We use something similar to your idea at our shop. All of our non-standard components have a "#" in the front. Our renaming macro then searches all parts for "#", then adds in the job number in front of it.

This macro has been in the company for a while, so I don't know the specifics. I can look into the code later on today to see if I can explain better.

RE: Thoughts on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro?

I don't get the method you design. Why not to assign desired part number at start of a design? You can even keep temp files in a folder on a desktop or somewhere else. After approval simply press send to folder.

RE: Thoughts on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro?

(OP)
pKayy,
Thank you! I would appreciate any thoughtful advice. I will write the script, just need some advice on the idea, warnings, link issues, etc..

Jenial,
We could rename parts & products in the beginning but the problem is things change throughout the course of a design. Customers review and propose new changes, build shop may introduce changes, and management may introduce changes. If we rename in the beginning then we will most likely have to rename again and possibly rename again. Because of potential changes, we save renaming towards the end of the design.
Our company naming policy has a numerical/alphabetical sequence. An organized list of details helps build shop to fabricate.

Thanks!
Tom

RE: Thoughts on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro?

You may control folder name by date or revision but if there are a lot of components this will be a challenge. I know some big company here in Israel that controls releases by status like status 1, status 2, status 3. Status 3 means will be released without changes. If it's not breaking the rules of you company try to drop the idea of folder control instead of files control to your management. Changing files name without any special software may become an issue one day. Already got thru that and thanks God not to much components.

RE: Thoughts on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro?

(OP)
Thank you! I will definitely take a deeper look into that idea.

RE: Thoughts on an idea for a CatiaV5 save file macro?

(OP)
Thank you Ferdo,

Typically we create drawings after 3D is 100% & approved, otherwise we will need to perform the updates like you mentioned.
With tight budgets, we try not to do things twice.

Tom

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