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Use Value/Text Expression Inlieu of Evaluated Value

Question asked by Josh Killalea on Apr 4, 2013
Latest reply on Jan 12, 2016 by Igor Fomenko

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i am doing a heap of library parts at the moment and i have notice SW (quite annoyingly) takes the evaluated value instead of the value/text expression of custom properties when opening the design table. is there a way to change this?

the work around i am using is to do all the values on Sheet 2 in the spread sheet and link the cells to Sheet 1 but this is only good if you remember to switch back to sheet 1 and update the cells being referenced before closing.

is there a better way of ding this?

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Josh Killalea Apr 6, 2013 12:36 AM
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Anyone? or is there a reason it does this that isn't obvious?
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Richard Laflamme Apr 9, 2013 9:30 PM
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Can you give an example? What is the difference between the evaluated value and the value/text expression, is it something like 1" (evaluated value) vs "dim1@sketch1" (value/text expression)? And why do you need the value/text expression instead?

Richard
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- Josh Killalea @ Richard Laflamme on Apr 9, 2013 10:01 PM
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  your example is correct richard.
  
  i would like the text expression in the table as i am using the value of a driven dimension in my discriptions. so i put my parts into an assembly, constrain the part driving sketch to the driving sketch of the new assembly and then when i do a drawing with the modified parts int it, i put a leader on the part, link the text to the discription and it gives me the driven dimension in my leader note. so if i go back and change the assembly driving sketch it updates all my drawings and notes for me.
  
  so for example i have done some standard bend pipe spool assemblies and i have set the confiurations in the bend part and flange part for each size and material type that the spool comes in. i then add config. specific props. for size, material, angle of the bend (from the driven dimension) and description. the description is driven by the other properties and laid out as follows, <SIZE> <MATERIAL> <ANGLE>. then when i use the pipe spool in a drawings for each spool piece, instead of filling in these details in each one of my drawings in a leader (as is the requirement of my client....don't ask.) i can link the properties and it does it for me. then if the engineers change their minds and the line size/material changes or we change our minds about how we will run it, all my drawings update.
  
  the problem somes in when i have to go back and change something in the design table and solidworks updates everything for me back to the evaluated values. i then have to go back get the value i need and back to the table, fix that and then fix whatever it is i went to fix in the first place and if i haven't fixed it, then back again and so forth. as i am only learning to do all this in solid works i find myself going back and forth a LOT and it has been really annoying! i find my work around (mentioned above) works ok, but if i forget to swap sheets before saving and closing the table i am stuffed again. if there was a way i could take the text iit would mean i don't need the work around and everything would be asier.
  
  all that said it makes no sense at all to me that it would work this way given that what you ALWAYS want is the text value in the table anyway (even if it is just a number). as the evaluated value is just that, the EVALUATED version of the text expression. Solidworks should refer to the evaluated expression to drive dimensions and properties anyway. so shouldn't it be more interested in taking the text values to the design table as they are really what is driving the evaluated value? or do i have it round the wrong way?
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  - Richard Laflamme @ Josh Killalea on Apr 9, 2013 11:01 PM
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    I think the reason you're having a problem is because you are concatenating you're description in you design table, try doing it as a custom proproperty.
    
    example:
    
    DESCRIPTION = "SW-Material@Part1.SLDPRT" Cube"D2@Sketch1@Part1.SLDPRT"x"D1@Sketch1@Part1.SLDPRT"x"D1@Boss-Extrude1@Part1.SLDPRT"
    
    looks like this in my note: A36 Cube 4"x2"x3"
    
    If you decide to change any one of the three dimension to being driven or change configurations you will get an instant update whitout having to open the DT.
    
    Hope this helps
    
    Richard
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    - Josh Killalea @ Richard Laflamme on Apr 9, 2013 11:20 PM
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      i can't think of it off the top of my head, but i am sure there is a reason the custom property wasn't working for me in this for me. i have a feeling it pulls the discription from the upper most assembly and not the part it is attached to. i will have a look when i get a chance and get back to you.
      
      thanks for the tips and help.
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Igor Fomenko Jan 12, 2016 3:27 PM
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Dear Josh.
I met the same situation with excel based BOM.
In excel BOM I saw property expression instead of it`s value for WeldMass property but value for MatMass.
After this I noticed difference between SW internal variable SW-Mass and my equation driven variable.See picture.
And I`ve solved this bug by adding second @ sign before name of configuration in cong.specific property.
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Use Value/Text Expression Inlieu of Evaluated Value

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