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Part Properties to Drawing

eichdog

New member
Hi. SW newbie. Tried searching the forum to make sure I'm not repeating a question, didn't see any repeats so I'm throwing this out there even though it's probably a simple answer question....


What I'm trying to do is let the Part Properties (Part Number, Name, Revision, etc) to automatically go into our drawing format when you start a drawing rather than have to manually enter it each time. I can edit our format and get it to read the Part properties, but I'd like to have it do it automatically if possible. Is this something that our document control section could assign to the drawing format once I know how so that it will happen with each drawing or is it a manual task?


Thanks in advance for the help.
 
It should be an automated task. You just need to set up your drawing template correctly.


The format of the callout from the drawing should be $PRPSHEET:"PropertyName". Ithelps to do this from an existing drawing with a part already associated with it:

  1. <LI>Edit Sheet Format.
    <LI>Right click on the text where the property is supposed to appear, select properties.
    <LI>On the right side of the dialog, look for the hand pointing to the sheet with the chain link. This will open the "link to property dialog."
    <LI>In the link to property dialog, select the "model in view specified in sheet properties" radio button.
    <LI>If your specific property is not in the drop down list, you can get a listing of the associated file properties by clicking "file Properties" and making a note of which properties you wish to display on the drawing.
    <LI>Either select the property from the drop down list, or type $PRPSHEET:"PropertyName" where "PropertyName" is the name of your property; don't forget toINCLUDE the quotes.
    <LI>Click OK, OK again.
    <LI>EDITED CORRECTION: Go back to "Edit Sheet" then File > Save As > Select Save as type: "Drawing Templates (*.drwdot)"drawing templatelibrary location.</LI>


The sheet should pull the properties from the part and place them in their designated locations, but it will only do this when a part is associated to the drawing.


I hope this helps.


Peter
Edited by: SSLaser
 
Open up the standard sheet borders that come with SolidWorks. They've done what you're looking for. You can either modify theirs or at least see how they've done it. Essentially, you need to create a note in your format and then link it to the property you want it to display. The properties can be standard or custom; from the drawing or a model/assembly.
 
Thanks for the help both of you. Another quick question with regards to the part description...


I've set that up, but now the part description goes across the page. I tried to break it into two lines like I could in a note, but it won't let me do it in the drawing or the properties field. Is there a special character that I need to put in the field? Also, while I'm thinking about it, is there a special character cheatsheet somewhere for inserting symbols in notes?


Thanks again for the replies!
 
Do I need to use the { } at the end or the " " at the end? When I use the { } at the end I keep getting a double }} on the end of what ever I have such as {PartNo} when it shows up when I edit format with the }} on the end {PartNo}} HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
One word of caution before establishing your system. Study your system, and your needs within the system. Talk to your engineers. See how they currently work. Also, funny enough, I wrote an article on SolidWorks Legion about this topic recently. Check out this articlewhich discusses some of the pitfalls associated with relying too much on custom properties in models for drawing values: http://www.fcsuper.com/swblog/?p=46
 

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