Autofill the Title Block 1

[ddeck]

Whats the best way to automate the filling of the Title block in SE V17 Draft file. We have a common title block for sheets B,C,D,E but they are all located in the bottom right hand corner.

Right now we use Callouts that links to the file properties. The problem with this is I cannot tell it what x,y position i want it to be at (unlike a textbox).

Also, say the drawing is on the first REV (not A) so we leave the "Revision Number" file property blank. This sometimes makes the Callout say "Invalid Reference" which is no good.

The other question I have is what Sheet do most people put their information into (Working or Background)? We have the title block in the Background, but we alos have the Info (DWG#, Drafters Name, Checkers name, etc.) in the background sheet. Is this OK?

 

[Kenny_G]

Property text is probably the best, automatic, no coding solution. If they do not have to be over-ridden, or you want to make it more difficult, place them on your background sheet/s. You will just have to eyeball the callouts because they cannot be precision placed.

 

[beachcomber]

The background sheet is for anything that would go on all sheets of a multisheet drawing, and equally applies to a single sheet. That includes drawing border, title-block text etc.
It's no more difficult to place and update property text (or a text-box) on the background sheet than on the working sheet, and all this stuff should be in the template file..
I have never liked the idea of leaving any kind of text field blank. I would always put a - or something so that you can see that the field exists. Am I correct in thinking that your first issue of a drawing has no revision letter and that the first revision after issue is revision 'A' ??
What is the revision field linked to ? If it's a property in the draft file then you should not get an error, provided the property exists. Don't forget that if the property value is blank then the property text field linked to it will also be blank.
As for positioning, place some by eye then use the
'line up text' command to align the others horizontally and vertically.
Another idea may be to only list the current revision details, rather than a list of previous revisions. That way you can just increment the revision property (which can be done by revision manager).

beachcomber

 

[ddeck]

Yes beachcomber, we use nothing for the initial release and then A for first revision.

I'll try the line up text, never new that worked for callouts. I'll try placing a text-box in the position i want it (using the properties) and then line up the callout to it.

I too don't like leave thing blank, you get people forgetting that they are there.

3 summers ago when I was a student, I programed a VB script that had a dialog box open up and you would enter stuff in there, and it would insert the text in the right spot based on your sheet size selection. It worked quite well, and eliminated the need for everyone to align the text themselves. I was hoping Solid Edge would have come up with something recently to help with this.

 

[beachcomber]

ddeck
Why don't you put all the property text fields in a template file?
You could have different background sheets for different sizes (as we do here) each with the text positioned correctly. You can always delete the background sheets that aren't used when the drawing is finished.
We have a macro, similar to what you described, that brings up a dialog box formatted like the title block on our drawings. We fill it in and the properties are completed automatically.
Did you know that you can place a 'symbol' on the background sheet. Symbols can be linked, embedded or placed as graphics.
I have used a linked symbol in the past, so that the border in all drawings is linked to a single source.
If the source file changes all drawings linked to it will change. Sometimes, however, this is not what you want !
Any text fields would have to be on the background sheet, not part of the symbol.
I don't think this is really a problem for Solid Edge,
every company has it's own standards for title blocks etc.
so it wouldn't really be practical.
What they do provide is Property Manager - have you had a look at that ? (Tools > Property Manager)

bc

 

[ddeck]

I am putting everything in the Template file and I'm using the Draft File Porperties to fill in selected data using callouts. Works ok, and should be fine for us.

Maybe if i get some free time i'll write a macro to help.

I tried using the Line Up text command to line up a Callout to a Text Box (that is in the right position), it would allow me to select the Text box. I just moved the callout unitl it overlapped the same font in the textbox.

Where would I write the Macro? Excel? Or would I need VisualStudio or something like that?