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Custom Properties/Notes

Question asked by Aaron Larson on Oct 7, 2008
Latest reply on Nov 16, 2009 by Jesse Hines

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Is it possible to use the note function within sketching to call up a custom property value? For instance I have a custom property named "Tool No." and would like to deboss this number into a face using an extruded cut. When I attempt to enter $PRP:"Tool No." into the text box in the property manager it returns the actual text input of $PRP:"Tool No." in the sketched text.

There MUST be a way to get the desired result no?

1-YJ1IM Oct 9, 2008 1:22 PM

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Here is the macro I promised. I had one for a DriveWorks customer that was specific for him. To make this one generic so that many could use it, there are a couple of requirements. First, the custom property is not a configuration specific custom property. Second, the name of the custom property must be the name of the sketch that has the sketch text and you cannot rename this sketch. I search for all non configuration specific custom property names that contain "Sketch". I have attached a sample part along with the macro.

When I have time, I will look into configuration specific custom properties, but a little concerned about switching between configurations and text rebuilding properly.

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Charles Culp Oct 7, 2008 12:47 PM
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I do not believe there is a way to get custom props into sketch text. In notes, yes, in sketch text, no.

I'm looking forward to someone proving me wrong.
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- Troy Peterson @ Charles Culp on Oct 7, 2008 1:25 PM
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  Yes Aaron, you can link text in this manner in a sketch. Create your text in the sketch then in the FMT under "Text Format" under the degree input there are three buttons click the second button which is "link to property" looks like a hand holding a piece of paper with a chain link at the bottom. If your custom property exists you can pick it from the list. Your property must exist before it will show in the list. Now the value should show in your sketch.
  
  *edit - Make sure View -> All Annotations is selected to see the text in your sketch
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Charles Culp Oct 7, 2008 1:50 PM
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Troy,

That works for an annotation note. How does that work for Tools>Sketch Entities>Text...

More importantly, how do you get the text to deboss on the part?
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- Troy Peterson @ Charles Culp on Oct 7, 2008 2:27 PM
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  My Bad, sketch text has no linking capability.
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  - Aaron Larson @ Troy Peterson on Oct 7, 2008 3:06 PM
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    I hope someone proves us wrong also - this seems to be a pretty basic thing to me. Anywhere you can enter text you should have the ability to link to a custom property or global variable.
    
    -Aaron
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1-YJ1IM Oct 7, 2008 7:34 PM
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It would have to be done through the API.
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- Aaron Larson @ 1-YJ1IM on Oct 8, 2008 12:06 PM
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  Wayne Matus wrote:
  
  It would have to be done through the API.
  
  Wayne - could you elaborate on this a bit? Or anyone else for that matter? I'm not really familiar with API, macros, etc.
  
  Thanks!
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- Aaron Larson @ 1-YJ1IM on Oct 8, 2008 12:06 PM
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  Wayne Matus wrote:
  
  It would have to be done through the API.
  
  Wayne - could you elaborate on this a bit? Or anyone else for that matter? I'm not really familiar with API, macros, etc.
  
  Thanks!
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Alan Stoldt Oct 8, 2008 12:41 PM
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Our reseller had a 2009 roll out yesterday and while speaking about Drive Works Express had a Brass Tag or Nameplate that pulled in Custom Properties and used them in this manner. I don't think it was actually part of DWX though. I have emailed them to find out how this was done.

I think it should be an enhancement request, it would seem simple enough to add the Link Properties into the Dialog Box.
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- 1-YJ1IM @ Alan Stoldt on Oct 8, 2008 1:27 PM
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  Alan, DriveWorks does this by running a macro that finds the sketch text, reads the custom property value and changes the text.
  
  Give me some time and I will write a macro that will do this.
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Alan Stoldt Oct 9, 2008 10:11 AM
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Wayne,

That would be great. Thank you.
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- 1-YJ1IM @ Alan Stoldt on Oct 9, 2008 1:22 PM
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  Here is the macro I promised. I had one for a DriveWorks customer that was specific for him. To make this one generic so that many could use it, there are a couple of requirements. First, the custom property is not a configuration specific custom property. Second, the name of the custom property must be the name of the sketch that has the sketch text and you cannot rename this sketch. I search for all non configuration specific custom property names that contain "Sketch". I have attached a sample part along with the macro.
  
  When I have time, I will look into configuration specific custom properties, but a little concerned about switching between configurations and text rebuilding properly.
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Alan Stoldt Oct 9, 2008 4:11 PM
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Thank you Wayne.
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1-YJ1IM Oct 20, 2008 2:40 PM
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Configuration specific sketch text is more trouble than most of you would want to deal with. It would have to be an add-in or a macro that is running in the background that would monitor changes and edit the sketch and rebuild. It could be done, but lots of work and would slow the model.
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- Jesse Hines @ 1-YJ1IM on Nov 16, 2009 8:29 AM
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  This is now available in 2010.
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Eric Allen Jan 19, 2009 2:06 PM
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I wanted to try this macro, but I don't see a link to download it. Am I missing something?
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- Josh Brady @ Eric Allen on Jan 20, 2009 9:49 AM
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  I have discovered a way to parametrically (sort of - updates with every rebuild) link sketch text to a custom property. It only works in 2009 though. See this thread.
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