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Having a few (too many) Problems with Property Tab Builder 2016

Question asked by Rob Edwards on Jun 29, 2017
Latest reply on Feb 5, 2019 by Rob Edwards

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Just upgraded to 2016 and was looking forward to making some better property tabs but...

Working on weldment properties.. I've added some text properties, using a text file to make a list.

Whilst testing on a simple part I can apply the properties, but the tab doesn't read them back,,, the list boxes remain blank, which makes the whole thing reasonably useless. The description and the comment populate back, so it must be something to do with the list.

Here's the setting in PTB

What's worse is when I add my Weldment Cutlist Template into the Weldment Properties so I can see everything there, crashes every time.

Is this the behaviour other people experience or am I doing something wrong? Is there an alternate way that works, I went for separate text files instead of an excel file thinking it would be faster.

Thanks

Kyle Lively Nov 27, 2017 1:29 PM

Correct Answer

I got with Trimech this morning to investigate this issue.

Their response was, "Reproduced issue with SW2017 SP5, issue still exists." "Reproduced issue with SW2018, issue is fixed" "You must update to 2018 to resolve this issue."

I don't understand how DS gets away with selling a finished product with features unfinished within. Then tells you that you must subscribe to receive fixes for their unfinished product.

This is a bug that obviously stems from unfinished software programming. This isn't an enhancement, just a request to finish what they started.

Our company subscribes and will be updating soon. I'm just a bit frustrated with the greed out weighing the innovation and success of companies that invested in DS already.

DS could learn a few things from this billionaire.

Microsoft is not about greed. It's about innovation and fairness.

-Bill Gates

Good Luck!

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Bernie Daraz Jun 29, 2017 8:52 PM

Rob, I have used both Excel files and lists right inside of the CPTB. The big question I guess would be how many you actually have to "list"? The nice thing about Excel is you can use the fields to concatenate multiple text fields. So instead of having a description as "Right Stile" and a long description as "Right Stile 2000 x 100 x 60" You can have "Right Stile" in a single cell and "2000 x 100 x 60" in another cell and concatenate them in another cell to build your long description. That way you might not have to type "Right Stile" twice and only change one cell if the name changed to "Left Stile" for example.

I haven't used separate text lists.

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Rob Edwards @ Bernie Daraz on Jun 30, 2017 9:01 AM

Thanks Bernie

When I re-read my question I can see that I wasn't so clear with my words.

My description is created in the custom weldment profile, so it is already there. SW does a good job of creating it in the cutlist AND populating it to the property tab.

Also the highlighted comment was created in the custom weldment profile but no value set. In the property tab it is just a text box and it works perfectly.. ie displays the correct value of the selected item

My problem is that the properties that are controlled by a list do not populate back into the tab. Properties 14 - 21 were created by the tab, so the lists work great for writing, but are not shown in the tab subsequently - don't work for reading/editing.

If it is not possible to view properties created by a list, then it's quite a limitation in usefulness for me. I was wondering if this is the behaviour other people see with Weldment Property Tabs and Lists or have I got a problem my end? Surely this is not intended behaviour.

Since I posted this I have tried with a manually entered list, same result, so I'm guessing that text file / excel file is irrelevant to my problem, but if I can get this working I would like to see what I can do with Excel to get the benefit you describe.

Thanks again - Hoping I can work something out

Im on SW16 SP3

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Bernie Daraz @ Rob Edwards on Jun 30, 2017 10:17 AM

Rob, I just remembered that I still had an old CPTB file here, it was from when I was just doing precision sheet metal. The material list shown was meant to show the gauge and bend deduction for our shop so it is pretty specific. We also entered a SW material type so the weight or mass was correct. I do recall that I had this in Excel, exported in into a text file where it ended up on separate lines and copy and pasted it into the 'list' in the CPTB. The company heading held our customer list so I most likely shouldn't share the file. (SW 2014 for reference)

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Rob Edwards @ Bernie Daraz on Jun 30, 2017 11:16 AM

Thanks Bernie

I think my problem is with lists in general, not how they are created. I don't seem to recall this happening in 2015, but I'm not sure I ever used them in a weldment tab.

This problem not withstanding I think I like using text files, as if I were to use a spreadsheet I have to specify a static range reference to the spreadsheet in the property tab builder. With a text file it seems more flexible as I can edit the file and the tab will see the difference without any editing

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Bernie Daraz @ Rob Edwards on Jun 30, 2017 11:22 AM

Referring to your comment on using a static range there is a trick for that and I was hoping to hold onto that until my presentation at my local user group in December. After the group meeting I intend to share a pretty extensive Excel based CPTB file here too. Well, I think it's pretty good anyway!

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Rob Edwards @ Bernie Daraz on Jun 30, 2017 12:01 PM

Sounds like a nice Christmas present

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Rob Edwards Jul 4, 2017 2:00 PM

update and bump: The problem described with Lists work perfectly for Parts and Assemblies, just no-go for weldments.

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Kyle Lively Nov 24, 2017 4:58 AM

I have been tasked to set up our engineering department's use of weldments using the custom properties tab. I'm having the same exact problem with lists not populating back. Furthermore if you forget to apply a custom property and you go back and apply just that property leaving the others you already applied blank (because they don't populate back), it will apply blank. Meaning what you did the first time will be erased.

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Rob Edwards @ Kyle Lively on Nov 24, 2017 7:00 AM

Hi Kyle

Are you still on subscription? Unfortunately we're off so I cant raise the issue with our VAR. It would be nice to get an official response. Sure would be useful if it worked

Actions

Kyle Lively @ Rob Edwards on Nov 27, 2017 1:29 PM

I got with Trimech this morning to investigate this issue.

Their response was, "Reproduced issue with SW2017 SP5, issue still exists." "Reproduced issue with SW2018, issue is fixed" "You must update to 2018 to resolve this issue."

I don't understand how DS gets away with selling a finished product with features unfinished within. Then tells you that you must subscribe to receive fixes for their unfinished product.

This is a bug that obviously stems from unfinished software programming. This isn't an enhancement, just a request to finish what they started.

Our company subscribes and will be updating soon. I'm just a bit frustrated with the greed out weighing the innovation and success of companies that invested in DS already.

DS could learn a few things from this billionaire.

Microsoft is not about greed. It's about innovation and fairness.

-Bill Gates

Good Luck!

Actions

Rob Edwards @ Kyle Lively on Nov 28, 2017 7:59 AM

Thanks for the info Kyle,

I'm glad it's fixed in 18 and you gets to upgrade soon - looks like a useful feature to have. Please could you post back to confirm - I can't see any upgrade on my personal horizon, so I'll just look on with envy

Thanks for the quote, it made me google

There's some good ones here too

http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/greed-quotes/

There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.

Mahatma Gandhi

Greed is the lack of confidence of one's own ability to create.

Vanna Bonta

From the first day to this, sheer greed was the driving spirit of civilization.

Friedrich Engels

Actions

Rob Edwards Feb 5, 2019 11:48 AM

I just got to try this out in 2018 and it works so well.. really happy but,

Absolutely gutted there's no way to get it working in 2016.

Looks like we will have to maintain 2 versions of our models, with the final release being converted to 18.

A royal PITA but we need this functionality.

Will have to upgrade, but no money at the mo

Actions

12 Replies

Bernie Daraz Jun 29, 2017 8:52 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Rob, I have used both Excel files and lists right inside of the CPTB. The big question I guess would be how many you actually have to "list"? The nice thing about Excel is you can use the fields to concatenate multiple text fields. So instead of having a description as "Right Stile" and a long description as "Right Stile 2000 x 100 x 60" You can have "Right Stile" in a single cell and "2000 x 100 x 60" in another cell and concatenate them in another cell to build your long description. That way you might not have to type "Right Stile" twice and only change one cell if the name changed to "Left Stile" for example.

I haven't used separate text lists.
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- Rob Edwards @ Bernie Daraz on Jun 30, 2017 9:01 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Thanks Bernie
  
  When I re-read my question I can see that I wasn't so clear with my words.
  
  My description is created in the custom weldment profile, so it is already there. SW does a good job of creating it in the cutlist AND populating it to the property tab.
  
  Also the highlighted comment was created in the custom weldment profile but no value set. In the property tab it is just a text box and it works perfectly.. ie displays the correct value of the selected item
  
  My problem is that the properties that are controlled by a list do not populate back into the tab. Properties 14 - 21 were created by the tab, so the lists work great for writing, but are not shown in the tab subsequently - don't work for reading/editing.
  
  If it is not possible to view properties created by a list, then it's quite a limitation in usefulness for me. I was wondering if this is the behaviour other people see with Weldment Property Tabs and Lists or have I got a problem my end? Surely this is not intended behaviour.
  
  Since I posted this I have tried with a manually entered list, same result, so I'm guessing that text file / excel file is irrelevant to my problem, but if I can get this working I would like to see what I can do with Excel to get the benefit you describe.
  
  Thanks again - Hoping I can work something out
  
  Im on SW16 SP3
  Like • Show 3 Likes3
  Actions
  - Bernie Daraz @ Rob Edwards on Jun 30, 2017 10:17 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Rob, I just remembered that I still had an old CPTB file here, it was from when I was just doing precision sheet metal. The material list shown was meant to show the gauge and bend deduction for our shop so it is pretty specific. We also entered a SW material type so the weight or mass was correct. I do recall that I had this in Excel, exported in into a text file where it ended up on separate lines and copy and pasted it into the 'list' in the CPTB. The company heading held our customer list so I most likely shouldn't share the file. (SW 2014 for reference)
    Like • Show 3 Likes3
    Actions
    - Rob Edwards @ Bernie Daraz on Jun 30, 2017 11:16 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Thanks Bernie
      I think my problem is with lists in general, not how they are created. I don't seem to recall this happening in 2015, but I'm not sure I ever used them in a weldment tab.
      This problem not withstanding I think I like using text files, as if I were to use a spreadsheet I have to specify a static range reference to the spreadsheet in the property tab builder. With a text file it seems more flexible as I can edit the file and the tab will see the difference without any editing
      Like • Show 3 Likes3
      Actions
      - Bernie Daraz @ Rob Edwards on Jun 30, 2017 11:22 AM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Referring to your comment on using a static range there is a trick for that and I was hoping to hold onto that until my presentation at my local user group in December. After the group meeting I intend to share a pretty extensive Excel based CPTB file here too. Well, I think it's pretty good anyway!
        Like • Show 3 Likes3
        Actions
        Rob Edwards @ Bernie Daraz on Jun 30, 2017 12:01 PM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        Sounds like a nice Christmas present
        Like • Show 3 Likes3
        Actions
Rob Edwards Jul 4, 2017 2:00 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
update and bump: The problem described with Lists work perfectly for Parts and Assemblies, just no-go for weldments.
Like • Show 2 Likes2
Actions
Kyle Lively Nov 24, 2017 4:58 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I have been tasked to set up our engineering department's use of weldments using the custom properties tab. I'm having the same exact problem with lists not populating back. Furthermore if you forget to apply a custom property and you go back and apply just that property leaving the others you already applied blank (because they don't populate back), it will apply blank. Meaning what you did the first time will be erased.
Like • Show 3 Likes3
Actions
- Rob Edwards @ Kyle Lively on Nov 24, 2017 7:00 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Hi Kyle
  Are you still on subscription? Unfortunately we're off so I cant raise the issue with our VAR. It would be nice to get an official response. Sure would be useful if it worked
  Like • Show 2 Likes2
  Actions
  - Kyle Lively @ Rob Edwards on Nov 27, 2017 1:29 PM
    Unmark Correct
    Correct Answer
    I got with Trimech this morning to investigate this issue.
    
    Their response was, "Reproduced issue with SW2017 SP5, issue still exists." "Reproduced issue with SW2018, issue is fixed" "You must update to 2018 to resolve this issue."
    
    I don't understand how DS gets away with selling a finished product with features unfinished within. Then tells you that you must subscribe to receive fixes for their unfinished product.
    
    This is a bug that obviously stems from unfinished software programming. This isn't an enhancement, just a request to finish what they started.
    
    Our company subscribes and will be updating soon. I'm just a bit frustrated with the greed out weighing the innovation and success of companies that invested in DS already.
    
    DS could learn a few things from this billionaire.
    
    Microsoft is not about greed. It's about innovation and fairness.
    -Bill Gates
    
    Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/bill_gates_191255
    
    Good Luck!
    Like • Show 2 Likes2
    Actions
    - Rob Edwards @ Kyle Lively on Nov 28, 2017 7:59 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Thanks for the info Kyle,
      I'm glad it's fixed in 18 and you gets to upgrade soon - looks like a useful feature to have. Please could you post back to confirm - I can't see any upgrade on my personal horizon, so I'll just look on with envy
      
      Thanks for the quote, it made me google
      There's some good ones here too
      http://www.wiseoldsayings.com/greed-quotes/
      
      There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.
      Mahatma Gandhi
      
      Greed is the lack of confidence of one's own ability to create.
      Vanna Bonta
      
      From the first day to this, sheer greed was the driving spirit of civilization.
      Friedrich Engels
      Like • Show 0 Likes0
      Actions
Rob Edwards Feb 5, 2019 11:48 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I just got to try this out in 2018 and it works so well.. really happy but,
Absolutely gutted there's no way to get it working in 2016.
Looks like we will have to maintain 2 versions of our models, with the final release being converted to 18.
A royal PITA but we need this functionality.
Will have to upgrade, but no money at the mo
Like • Show 1 Like1
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Having a few (too many) Problems with Property Tab Builder 2016

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