Changing Part Numbers for BOM...

[Anonymous]

Is there an easy way to change the part numbers to our company standards on the standard components that come with ACAD E? Such as a database file that could be opened up and changed... Thanks in advance for any help or direction, Brian

[Anonymous]

The catalog part number database that ships with the product is called default_cat.mdb and installs (default) to the "c:\documents and settings\{your user name}\AutoCAD Electrical 2004\....\Support\AeData\Catalogs" folder. For doing massive changes to this file, it is probably easier to open it up with your own copy of Microsoft Access and edit it. You have several choices: 1) replace the CAT part number column data with your own internal part numbers, 2) leave the existing CAT column vendor part numbers in place and put your internal part numbers in the "USER1" column (which will then show up in the BOM reports along with the original vendor part numbers as well), or 3) carefully cut the existing data in the CAT column and paste it into the USER1 column. You can rename USER1 column to VENDOR or something like that if you want. Edit your internal part numbers into the now vacant CAT column (which must remain in the first column position!). The key is that the position of these columns cannot change. The column that AutoCAD Electrical always uses for the catalog lookup selection pop lists is always going to be this: it expects the catalog part number column to be the 1st column, manufacturer in the 2nd, the middle and right hand selection pop lists tied to the 4th and 5th columns, and the first "USER" field is pulled from the 10th column. In operation, #1 will no longer have any reference to the original vendor part numbers. You will only see your internal part numbers show up in the catalog lookup dialog selection/ pop lists and in the BOM reports. For #2, you'll see the original vendor part numbers show up in the catalog lookup dialog and your part numbers in the large, middle window of this dialog. Both numbers will show up in the BOM report. For #3, you'll see your internal part numbers in the catalog lookup dialog selection / pop lists, the original vendor part number in the large, middle window of this dialog, and both numbers show up in the BOM reports. This file ships in Access 97 format so you'll probably have to use the Access "Tools" > "Database Utilities" > "Convert" to flip it to your current version of Access. Back up your old copy of the default_cat.mdb (just in case!) and overwrite it with the converted version. AutoCAD Electrical should automatically adjust to reading the Access file in whatever format it finds it in. "Brian Gaither" wrote in message news:3ff07ee8$1_1@statler... > Is there an easy way to change the part numbers to our company standards on > the standard components that come with ACAD E? Such as a database file that > could be opened up and changed... > > Thanks in advance for any help or direction, > > Brian > >

[Anonymous]

Nate, Thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed response. It is good to see that Autodesk is aggressively supporting it's "new" product, even during the holiday season! --Brian "Nate Holt (Autodesk)" wrote in message news:3ff18ac6_6@statler... > The catalog part number database that ships with the product is called > default_cat.mdb and installs (default) to the "c:\documents and > settings\{your user name}\AutoCAD Electrical > 2004\....\Support\AeData\Catalogs" folder. For doing massive changes to this > file, it is probably easier to open it up with your own copy of Microsoft > Access and edit it. You have several choices: 1) replace the CAT part number > column data with your own internal part numbers, 2) leave the existing CAT > column vendor part numbers in place and put your internal part numbers in > the "USER1" column (which will then show up in the BOM reports along with > the original vendor part numbers as well), or 3) carefully cut the existing > data in the CAT column and paste it into the USER1 column. You can rename > USER1 column to VENDOR or something like that if you want. Edit your > internal part numbers into the now vacant CAT column (which must remain in > the first column position!). The key is that the position of these columns > cannot change. The column that AutoCAD Electrical always uses for the > catalog lookup selection pop lists is always going to be this: it expects > the catalog part number column to be the 1st column, manufacturer in the > 2nd, the middle and right hand selection pop lists tied to the 4th and 5th > columns, and the first "USER" field is pulled from the 10th column. > > In operation, #1 will no longer have any reference to the original vendor > part numbers. You will only see your internal part numbers show up in the > catalog lookup dialog selection/ pop lists and in the BOM reports. For #2, > you'll see the original vendor part numbers show up in the catalog lookup > dialog and your part numbers in the large, middle window of this dialog. > Both numbers will show up in the BOM report. For #3, you'll see your > internal part numbers in the catalog lookup dialog selection / pop lists, > the original vendor part number in the large, middle window of this dialog, > and both numbers show up in the BOM reports. > > This file ships in Access 97 format so you'll probably have to use the > Access "Tools" > "Database Utilities" > "Convert" to flip it to your current > version of Access. Back up your old copy of the default_cat.mdb (just in > case!) and overwrite it with the converted version. AutoCAD Electrical > should automatically adjust to reading the Access file in whatever format it > finds it in. > > > "Brian Gaither" wrote in message > news:3ff07ee8$1_1@statler... > > Is there an easy way to change the part numbers to our company standards > on > > the standard components that come with ACAD E? Such as a database file > that > > could be opened up and changed... > > > > Thanks in advance for any help or direction, > > > > Brian > > > > > >