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Custom drawing title blocks 5
- Thread starter Lunar7
- Start date
Set them up as drawing templates under a pallet and consider also using pattern files to further automate and save memory. Just from that description alone you have the key words template, pallet and pattern to use in searches of both the help files and this forum where several previous posts describe the solution in great detail.
Best of Luck
Hudson
Best of Luck
Hudson
... or instead of setting up patterns, set up your drawing format as custom symbols and use those in your drawing templates. I have yet to try this method, but it comes highly recommended by Mr. Baker.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
Lunar7,
You should be able to export your I-DEAS data as IGES or DXF and then import into NX and use one of the above suggestions.
I would suggest looking up Pattern and Custom Symbol in the NX Docs to get a feel for what might be required prior to actually doing the work.
Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.
Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
You should be able to export your I-DEAS data as IGES or DXF and then import into NX and use one of the above suggestions.
I would suggest looking up Pattern and Custom Symbol in the NX Docs to get a feel for what might be required prior to actually doing the work.
Tim Flater
Senior Designer
Enkei America, Inc.
Some people are like slinkies....they don't really have a purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
Slow down guys. The use of patterns or custom symbols in a nicety, granted that you'd want to start as you intend to continue. The first thing that I would set up are drawing templates under pallets. In NX-5 you could change the out of the box ones found under Open>New->Drawing Tab.
Having got that to work you look at enhancing the template content. In general we use patterns for the drawing borders creating a template per each sheet size that we intend to use. Most places work in only one sheet sizing standard so we created A4-A0. Into the template we add attribute based text for the title block a parts list, maybe a table for revisions and a range of custom symbols for surface finishes. The custom symbols we use don't even appear on the face of the drawing but once declared in the file they will be available to anybody creating a new drawing.
When it comes to adding parts lists to drawings doing so manually is always a bit of a trial first time around. Many people don't use parts lists for single component so they create a duplicate set of templates for assemblies and components. If the two templates only differ by the addition or subtraction of the parts list, do as we do and just have one set because it is very easy to delete it if you don't use it. There may be a setting for the levels that you need to manipulate but we find that do-able as opposed to the hassle of having two separate sets of templates to maintain.
We don't create custom symbols for whole drawing borders because we've always used patterns for that. If others do so it is the first I've heard of it.
Cheers
Hudson
Having got that to work you look at enhancing the template content. In general we use patterns for the drawing borders creating a template per each sheet size that we intend to use. Most places work in only one sheet sizing standard so we created A4-A0. Into the template we add attribute based text for the title block a parts list, maybe a table for revisions and a range of custom symbols for surface finishes. The custom symbols we use don't even appear on the face of the drawing but once declared in the file they will be available to anybody creating a new drawing.
When it comes to adding parts lists to drawings doing so manually is always a bit of a trial first time around. Many people don't use parts lists for single component so they create a duplicate set of templates for assemblies and components. If the two templates only differ by the addition or subtraction of the parts list, do as we do and just have one set because it is very easy to delete it if you don't use it. There may be a setting for the levels that you need to manipulate but we find that do-able as opposed to the hassle of having two separate sets of templates to maintain.
We don't create custom symbols for whole drawing borders because we've always used patterns for that. If others do so it is the first I've heard of it.
Cheers
Hudson
Hudson,
Your method is very similar to ours, except we create drawing seeds first, then set up the drawing templates.
We have yet to try the custom symbol route because, as you, we already have patterns and drawing seeds in place. I have read John recommending the custom symbols however, and, if starting from scratch, I would definitely investigate it further. He pretty much knows his stuff.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
Your method is very similar to ours, except we create drawing seeds first, then set up the drawing templates.
We have yet to try the custom symbol route because, as you, we already have patterns and drawing seeds in place. I have read John recommending the custom symbols however, and, if starting from scratch, I would definitely investigate it further. He pretty much knows his stuff.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
Crocostimpy
Industrial
Having gone through this already I may be able to shed a spark of light.
Disclaimer: I knew/know next to nothing about IDEAS. I came from "another CAD system" to NX, and was tasked with getting the transition going from IDEAS to NX. Also, our drawings reside in the same part as the 3D. If our drawings were separate files, Drawing Templates might have worked. At least from I could understand.
I didn't like title blocks created as symbols because I thought it was too easy to highlight the title block and move it slightly or delete it.
That said, our title blocks come in two pieces. For everything that won't ever change from drawing to drawing, like sheet outlines, standard notes, field titles like Date, Drawn By and the like, etc. there is a pattern. I liked patterns because they are hard to select. You have to go to absolute zero and usually wait for the selection box to pick it. So there's no deleting it or moving it by accident. For the stuff that will change, like the actual title and information specific to each drawing, there is a part. Each of these 'changeable texts' is a Table. This part is imported. After looking at patterns it became obvious it was going to have to be done this way because the tables couldn't be included in a pattern.
I suppose that you could import the entire title block, text tables and all, as a separate part, but then you'd still be able to move or delete stuff that shouldn't be.
So there's my two cents worth. There may very well be an easier way to do it for our specific case, but this was the easiest that I could come up with.
Mike
Disclaimer: I knew/know next to nothing about IDEAS. I came from "another CAD system" to NX, and was tasked with getting the transition going from IDEAS to NX. Also, our drawings reside in the same part as the 3D. If our drawings were separate files, Drawing Templates might have worked. At least from I could understand.
I didn't like title blocks created as symbols because I thought it was too easy to highlight the title block and move it slightly or delete it.
That said, our title blocks come in two pieces. For everything that won't ever change from drawing to drawing, like sheet outlines, standard notes, field titles like Date, Drawn By and the like, etc. there is a pattern. I liked patterns because they are hard to select. You have to go to absolute zero and usually wait for the selection box to pick it. So there's no deleting it or moving it by accident. For the stuff that will change, like the actual title and information specific to each drawing, there is a part. Each of these 'changeable texts' is a Table. This part is imported. After looking at patterns it became obvious it was going to have to be done this way because the tables couldn't be included in a pattern.
I suppose that you could import the entire title block, text tables and all, as a separate part, but then you'd still be able to move or delete stuff that shouldn't be.
So there's my two cents worth. There may very well be an easier way to do it for our specific case, but this was the easiest that I could come up with.
Mike
I set ours up by creating the dwg patterns first, then bringing those into a seed file in which the "changeable text" is added.
When we create a drawing, we do so in the seed file (which is protected of course), which is then saved as another name. The text is updated by the properties entries and other "smart" text coding.
Works great so far.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
When we create a drawing, we do so in the seed file (which is protected of course), which is then saved as another name. The text is updated by the properties entries and other "smart" text coding.
Works great so far.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
DavidTolsma
Mechanical
If you need to share these drawings outside of your company, that company has to set up your patterns to view them. If you insert the drawings into the file, it can't be managed anymore. So changes to the format, revision history, standard notes, etc get to be a mess.
My initial thought would be to have a Drawing Format program, to control the revisions, title block, standard notes, and be able to get updated. This would require a UDO of sorts and another custom program, or commercial program if it exists.
I know of many large companies that have very nice custom format programs that do this, but not for sale. Opportunity possible.
-Dave Tolsma
My initial thought would be to have a Drawing Format program, to control the revisions, title block, standard notes, and be able to get updated. This would require a UDO of sorts and another custom program, or commercial program if it exists.
I know of many large companies that have very nice custom format programs that do this, but not for sale. Opportunity possible.
-Dave Tolsma
Here is the link for a web page with the custom format program :
Regards ,
Regards ,
Good point about sharing drawings outside of the company. This is why we don't share those files, instead we send the model file and a jpeg.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
Same deal everything is printed to PDF these days and shared that way. Some people prefer to do everything that I have outlined here except to use a pattern in their templates. There is a small penalty to be paid in file size, but apart from that it is no big deal.
An advantage of patterns is that if you what to change the style or fonts in your drawing or the company changes its logo then they will provide that every existing drawing can be automatically changed virtually instantaneously.
Cheers
Hudson
An advantage of patterns is that if you what to change the style or fonts in your drawing or the company changes its logo then they will provide that every existing drawing can be automatically changed virtually instantaneously.
Cheers
Hudson
BOPdesigner
Mechanical
Hudson, please help me understand how you use the patterns in this application. To create my templates, I imported drawing borders into modeling from a DWG format. Cleaned them up, and then saved that part file with the Pattern Data Only option set. Then I start a blank drawing in drafting, and the import that part into my drafting sheet and set up some drawing attributes for title block text automation. Based on your last post I have missed something with the pattern data concept as now my drawing border is permanent to the template part file. There is no link between my pattern part file and the template part file for me to update tht will affect the drawings that I have created starting with my template part file that I am aware of. Do you import the pattern in to the drawing as an assembly component or something?
Okay well a pattern is just used for the drawing borders. I'll explain pretty much all of what I do to set things up.
You make a file with Each of the borders in our case A4, A3...A0. Then you start to set up your drawing template files. The template file contains the pattern which is really a link pointing to the file that contains your drawing border. When you create a new drawing using a template you're effectively working in a copy of the original drawing that you'll later "save as". The system knows this and guides you through the process.
I create the borders in model space but I don't think it matters if you do it in 2D on a drawing sheet. It is important to model the borders with the lower right hand corner at absolute zero. If you plan to allow for a margin offset your drawing frame by that amount. I simply save off one of each and I tend to call the pattern_A# etc... and put them in a separate directory. As a tip include the version of NX in the directory name.
When you save the pattern files check Under Options>Save options turn on save pattern data while you're doing this.
In your ug_env.dat file edit the value of UGII_PATDIR to = the directory where the patterns are going to live. Otherwise the system fails to find the pattern files.
I would start with A3 by adding a title block, and maybe a parts list, revision column and any common symbols.
Fistly I add the pattern so that the drawing has a border. Start by creating a drawing sheet of the correct size in drafting then go Format>Pattern>Retrieve Pattern say OK to the scaling find the pattern file and place it a Absolute zero. Absolute zero always equates to the bottom left corner of a drawing sheet.
I drive the title block using a range of standard attributes, so that I can cut and paste or inherit the data that I need to fill out all the name, drawn by, scale and date fields etc. I place text driven by the attributes in the appropriate spots in the title block, and of course adjust the fonts and text sizes to suit.
If I want to have a parts list the I need to add a part to the drawing to help me set up and check that it is working, and I remember to delete it when I'm done. While you're working make sure all your drafting defaults are set up okay and check they work to your satisfaction.
You can add views to template files if you wish. NX-5 is shipped with some examples (as are earlier versions if you look for them). Most people don't bother because you may be unable to predict the orientation and you'd then be forced to wait for all those views to display supposing you were to add some rather large part to a drawing.
Then I may add a revision block as a table for convenience sake. If I use standard finish symbols and/of user created ones then I add a few of those, but then I delete them because it is just to seed the file.
Obviously I align everything on the page save it off as named for the border size, i.e. format_A#.prt etc and go on to the next on by changing the pattern juggling the alignment using transformation by known amounts and then save as under the appropriate name per border size. Place these in a directory where they're easily located also.
Once I have them all I create a palette .pax file usually by modifying one that comes shipped with NX. No matter what version of NX you run you should be able to find some of these under the installation directories. Usually they're actually named quite unmistakably. You can edit the values to point to different template files (these would be the ones I named format_A#.prt). Then you can add these to your side resource bar under Preferences>Palattes. You should hopefully have no trouble from there on in.
Now if you're running NX-5 or later then you're probably in luck because a few more recent operations make that even easier. You didn't specifically ask about palettes though so I'll leave you to figure them out. Let me just say it really is pretty easy so don't hesitate to experiment.
Once done a lot of the grunt work of drafting disappears and life gets a lot easier. You may need to press F1 for help and go through the process of checking and understanding palettes a little better than my brief explanation but apart from that I think I've covered the material.
Cheers
Hudson
You make a file with Each of the borders in our case A4, A3...A0. Then you start to set up your drawing template files. The template file contains the pattern which is really a link pointing to the file that contains your drawing border. When you create a new drawing using a template you're effectively working in a copy of the original drawing that you'll later "save as". The system knows this and guides you through the process.
I create the borders in model space but I don't think it matters if you do it in 2D on a drawing sheet. It is important to model the borders with the lower right hand corner at absolute zero. If you plan to allow for a margin offset your drawing frame by that amount. I simply save off one of each and I tend to call the pattern_A# etc... and put them in a separate directory. As a tip include the version of NX in the directory name.
When you save the pattern files check Under Options>Save options turn on save pattern data while you're doing this.
In your ug_env.dat file edit the value of UGII_PATDIR to = the directory where the patterns are going to live. Otherwise the system fails to find the pattern files.
I would start with A3 by adding a title block, and maybe a parts list, revision column and any common symbols.
Fistly I add the pattern so that the drawing has a border. Start by creating a drawing sheet of the correct size in drafting then go Format>Pattern>Retrieve Pattern say OK to the scaling find the pattern file and place it a Absolute zero. Absolute zero always equates to the bottom left corner of a drawing sheet.
I drive the title block using a range of standard attributes, so that I can cut and paste or inherit the data that I need to fill out all the name, drawn by, scale and date fields etc. I place text driven by the attributes in the appropriate spots in the title block, and of course adjust the fonts and text sizes to suit.
If I want to have a parts list the I need to add a part to the drawing to help me set up and check that it is working, and I remember to delete it when I'm done. While you're working make sure all your drafting defaults are set up okay and check they work to your satisfaction.
You can add views to template files if you wish. NX-5 is shipped with some examples (as are earlier versions if you look for them). Most people don't bother because you may be unable to predict the orientation and you'd then be forced to wait for all those views to display supposing you were to add some rather large part to a drawing.
Then I may add a revision block as a table for convenience sake. If I use standard finish symbols and/of user created ones then I add a few of those, but then I delete them because it is just to seed the file.
Obviously I align everything on the page save it off as named for the border size, i.e. format_A#.prt etc and go on to the next on by changing the pattern juggling the alignment using transformation by known amounts and then save as under the appropriate name per border size. Place these in a directory where they're easily located also.
Once I have them all I create a palette .pax file usually by modifying one that comes shipped with NX. No matter what version of NX you run you should be able to find some of these under the installation directories. Usually they're actually named quite unmistakably. You can edit the values to point to different template files (these would be the ones I named format_A#.prt). Then you can add these to your side resource bar under Preferences>Palattes. You should hopefully have no trouble from there on in.
Now if you're running NX-5 or later then you're probably in luck because a few more recent operations make that even easier. You didn't specifically ask about palettes though so I'll leave you to figure them out. Let me just say it really is pretty easy so don't hesitate to experiment.
Once done a lot of the grunt work of drafting disappears and life gets a lot easier. You may need to press F1 for help and go through the process of checking and understanding palettes a little better than my brief explanation but apart from that I think I've covered the material.
Cheers
Hudson
Good explanation, hudson.
I want to emphasize, that based on the OPs procedure, you need to create the pattern first, making sure that under Options-> Save Options that the option of saving the pattern data only is checked.
Save the pattern, insert the pattern into your seed file and continue from there.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
I want to emphasize, that based on the OPs procedure, you need to create the pattern first, making sure that under Options-> Save Options that the option of saving the pattern data only is checked.
Save the pattern, insert the pattern into your seed file and continue from there.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - [small]Thomas Jefferson [/small]
Crocostimpy
Industrial
Hudson, don't you mean that you want to model the border with the lower LEFT hand corner at absolute zero? That would make more sense if absolute zero is always at the lower left hand corner of a sheet.
Mike
Mike
Hi all. Thanks for a very helpful thread.
I happen to be in the process of creating a palette containing all the drawing templates and tables my company will need.
I'm trying to add the border, title block, and title block labels (ie. "unchangeable text") as a palette per Hudson's above description. When I drag and drop a template onto a part file it appears as though it's not finding the palette. When I go format->pattern->update pattern I get a "palette not found" error and I think I know why.
Hudson said, "In your ug_env.dat file edit the value of UGII_PATDIR to = the directory where the patterns are going to live. Otherwise the system fails to find the pattern files."
I've looked for ug_env.dat to no avail. I'm on 3.0.5.3. Is this file specific to some version(s)? Is it named something else in NX3?
I happen to be in the process of creating a palette containing all the drawing templates and tables my company will need.
I'm trying to add the border, title block, and title block labels (ie. "unchangeable text") as a palette per Hudson's above description. When I drag and drop a template onto a part file it appears as though it's not finding the palette. When I go format->pattern->update pattern I get a "palette not found" error and I think I know why.
Hudson said, "In your ug_env.dat file edit the value of UGII_PATDIR to = the directory where the patterns are going to live. Otherwise the system fails to find the pattern files."
I've looked for ug_env.dat to no avail. I'm on 3.0.5.3. Is this file specific to some version(s)? Is it named something else in NX3?
Crocostimpy
Industrial
It will be in a folder wherever you have NX installed. For example on my machine it's in c:\program files\ugs\nx 5.0\ugii.
The line you're looking for is UGII_PATDIR=. Add the path to the folder, restart NX, and you should be good to go. For example again, v:\team\nx_parts\patterns\.
I'm hesitant to point out though, because it's a whole new can of worms, that you might not want to edit the file that's in your install folders. I did lots of reading up on this, and basically you should leave that file alone because when you update the program that file, and others, will be overwritten. Now you could keep a copy of that file somewhere else and then just overwrite it. I ended up making a separate file, with just the changes I wanted to make, on our network drive and have the launch icon for NX point to a batch file that reads that custom file. Like I said, this becomes an entirely differnet animal pretty quickly.
Mike
The line you're looking for is UGII_PATDIR=. Add the path to the folder, restart NX, and you should be good to go. For example again, v:\team\nx_parts\patterns\.
I'm hesitant to point out though, because it's a whole new can of worms, that you might not want to edit the file that's in your install folders. I did lots of reading up on this, and basically you should leave that file alone because when you update the program that file, and others, will be overwritten. Now you could keep a copy of that file somewhere else and then just overwrite it. I ended up making a separate file, with just the changes I wanted to make, on our network drive and have the launch icon for NX point to a batch file that reads that custom file. Like I said, this becomes an entirely differnet animal pretty quickly.
Mike
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