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Balloon quanity question...

19 REPLIES 19
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Message 1 of 20
34mark713
2035 Views, 19 Replies

Balloon quanity question...

Hi,

Using Inventor 11...How do I change change the balloon (item 40) to read qty of 2? There are 4 total in the assy, but this particular balloon only shows where 2 are, and another item 40 balloon will show where the other 2 are. I guees I just want to be able to overwrite the qty, but can't seem to find out how.
see attached pict.

Thanks in advance for any help

Mark
19 REPLIES 19
Message 2 of 20
andrewiv
in reply to: 34mark713

The quantity is controlled by the parts list. You have to override it there in order to change it in the balloon. At least that's what works in IV2009. Don't have IV11 so I can't test it out.

Andrew In’t Veld
CAD Administrator

Message 3 of 20
34mark713
in reply to: 34mark713

Thanks for the reply, but I do not want to override the total quantity, because there are 4 screws in the assy, I just want to change the quaintity in that one balloon because it is only pointing to 2 of the screws.
Message 4 of 20
andrewiv
in reply to: 34mark713

Right, I understand that. I just don't think that there is a way to do it. I think you have to live with the quantity showing 4 or else creat a duplicate item in your parts list, basically have another line showing the same thing with a quantity of 2.

Andrew In’t Veld
CAD Administrator

Message 5 of 20
34mark713
in reply to: 34mark713

Andrew,

Sorry about that....Thanks again for the answer, It would seem to me that there should be a way, I just wanted to know if I was missing something.

Thanks again....

Mark
Message 6 of 20
Joonoo
in reply to: 34mark713

Hey Mark,

I'm having the same problem. Just wondering if you've found a solution for it? Please let me know.

Thanks,
John
Message 7 of 20
harco
in reply to: 34mark713

You should be able to RMB edit balloon and just type in the qty you want in the Override qty box.
If you change the Item column the change will be reflected in the part list, which you don't want.
Unless that only applies to part nos. and descriptions?
I don't often do it and not for a while so I'm not sure as I don't have Inventor on this machine to try.

The above paragraph method doesn't work
This was bugging me so I went and had a bash at it.
Here is the workaround I found to work.

1. Copy standard balloon style with 2 properties, item & qty.
2. New balloon style only has qty property.
3. Place balloon, set to new balloon style.
4. Edit balloon, edit override to your qty.
5. Now set balloon back to standard style.

I have tried this on 2009 and it seems to work as you require, Inv 11 can't say yea or nay you'll just have to try yourself. Edited by: harco on Jan 15, 2010 8:25 PM
Message 8 of 20
34mark713
in reply to: 34mark713

Hi,

I didn't find a solution. I reverted back to the regular baloon style and added 2X as text next to the baloons that required it.

Don't know if that helps...but I couldn't find another way to do it.

Mark
Message 9 of 20
Standing1
in reply to: harco

1. Copy standard balloon style with 2 properties, item & qty.
2. New balloon style only has qty property.
3. Place balloon, set to new balloon style.
4. Edit balloon, edit override to your qty.
5. Now set balloon back to standard style.

The above does not work in Autodesk Inventor 2012.

Message 10 of 20
joncdem
in reply to: 34mark713

Worked for me Inventor 2013 64bit

Message 11 of 20
msklein
in reply to: 34mark713

 Do it this way text is not attached to Balloon, try this instead us leader text attach arrow to far side of balloon, keep leader completely inside of balloon. Add desired text, next edit arrow type to none then text is at least attached to the associated item number always.

MSK

Message 12 of 20
Standing1
in reply to: joncdem

joncdem,
Could you please explain your steps and what the results were?
Message 13 of 20
harco
in reply to: msklein

Sorry to jump in but as I originally suggested the workaround and you mentioned it didn't work I was concerned that I had given poor advice or that Inventor had been rewritten to remove the ability.

 

I tried it again in Inv 2011 and still works as I hoped.

Joncdem seems to be happy it works in Inv 2013.

 

I'll have a stab at where it might be falling down with you.

 

1. Copy standard balloon style with 2 properties, item & qty.
2. New balloon style only has qty property. ( make sure the item property is removed to leave only qty)
3. Place balloon, set to new balloon style.
4. Edit balloon, edit override to your qty. (make sure it is only override cell that is edited, not the qty cell as this will be reflected in the part list)
5. Now set balloon back to standard style.

 

Steps 2 and 3 are possible problem areas.

If it still doesn't work come back and we'll try to find out why.

 

mskleins leader text is another good way to keep things sticking to balloons.

Always keep in mind that neither solution is going to update with any bom so the leader text might be handy and more noticeable that there is an override you need to look out for.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Message 14 of 20
Standing1
in reply to: harco

 harco,

Thank you for explaining this very well. Your idea and method works great.

Message 15 of 20
swallowsc
in reply to: 34mark713

Here's my solution to the fix. Unfortunately, it's the fix for a lot of other random things I can't do with this program.
Message 16 of 20
Standing1
in reply to: swallowsc

swallowsc,
What you are doing with the 1X is what we used to do for quantity. Until we started using harco's idea. The problem we found with the 1X is that if you add a part to an assembly or moved the view the 1X did not line up with the balloon.
Message 17 of 20
swallowsc
in reply to: msklein

Yes, his idea did work.  But it's so labor extensive if you have to do it multiple times. My smart-**** remark makes awareness that this should be an out of the box solution like any other CAD program.  Problem I run into A LOT with this software.

 

The text will follow the balloon because it's a feature in SolidWorks.  Don't know if you got the program I was showing in the picture.  It's kind of a common sense feature that people are going to put a qty...ref...ect....by the balloons. Why would you even want to put a total qty by every balloon if you already have it in the BOM anyway?  Espically when you have to reference back to see the item number.

Message 18 of 20
swallowsc
in reply to: Standing1

Standing1,

 

Other than my smart **** solution to the problem...this is my best workaround.  This applies if you are entering a "hand-jammed" entry text to follow the balloon.

 

  1. Create a sketch symbol with just text.  You can make the text a specific entry if it will be redundant such as REF or specify it as a prompted entry option if you are throwing in random qty's.
  2. Insert the sketch symbol from the Annotations>User Symbols ribbon icon.  You can't just pick it out of the folder in the feature tree because there are some options that you need to set before bringing it into your drawing.  First option in the Symbols options window you need to check leader for the symbol in the box. Then below that you will want to un-check the visible option box.
  3. Hover your cursor over the balloon.  Note it's very important you select the lines on the balloon.  You will know because you will get a particular symbol showing your leader is snapping to the balloon.

And that's it.  The sketch symbol will have a leader, but you just say to make it invisible.  So when you move the balloon the text will follow it.  Hope that helps.  It's the best workaround for me so far.

Message 19 of 20
Standing1
in reply to: msklein

swallowsc,
Your method is a very good idea. We used your idea for our REF balloons. We have everyone trained in harco's method that I hate to change now. Our Engineers will change if needed, but really don't like changing much.

Message 20 of 20
Cadbear
in reply to: harco

Thanks for this tip. It is much faster doing it this way rather than fiddling with the parts list. But Autodesk should have made provisions for the qty. override. Maybe next release???

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