Parts List Quantity Default Formatting?

[Bill.Schmid]

Some of the parts in my assembly have their quantity set to feet.  That way, the Parts List will total all the various lengths of a given part so we have the total required.

Problem is, the Parts List displays SOME of the lengths out to four decimal places.  Not all, just some.  One is 11.5 ft.  Another is 17.5000 ft.  Or 10.8000 ft.  Or 8.833 ft.  Or 13.33 ft.

I can't find any rhyme or reason behind it.  I right-click and pick Edit Parts List Style, then click the Quantity field.  This brings up the Format Column dialog.  I can Use Default Formatting or Apply Units Formatting.

Units vary between Quantity or Feet, so I don't think I want to do that.  But where do you set Default Formatting?

[coreyparks]

I would check the default units setting in the document settings of each part file and see if they units match your list.  Historically this setting has been linked into the idw like this.  Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

Rather than adjusting the Document Settings of each part, you'd probably be better off to edit your Parts List style and choose to use the Item Qty column rather than the default QTY column.

There are 4 qty properties available:

The problem with changing the Document Settings of the parts, is that some parts from Content Center and Frame Generator default to use the length for the QTY, and therefore you'll constantly be having to change them. If you just use the Item QTY in your Parts List you'll always get a count not matter how the parts Base Qty is setup.

[coreyparks]

Thats what we do here but I assumed by his post he wanted the total length in the BOM.  He just wanted it to have consistant formating for all entries.

[Anonymous]

ahh, good point.

[Bill.Schmid · Accepted solution]

Sorry it took a while to get back on this, but I think I have it figured out.

I tried setting the Default Decimal Places in the Document Properties for each of the parts with a length in the BOM.  It didn't seem to be working quite right, but looking at that lead me to some other things that did work.  Here's what worked.

1. Tools tab, Document Settings, Units tab.  Click the Display as value switch.
2. Go to the Bill of Materials tab and pick the dimension that controls the length you want to show up in the Parts List.  I had, in some cases, selected the parameter that controlled the dimension.  That seemed to cause all sorts of problems from varying decimal places to the lengths in the Parts List being flat out wrong.  Using the actual dimension fixed the Parts List quantity and let me do something else (see below).
3. Set the Base Unit to whatever you want (in my case, it was feet).
4. Find the feature that controls the length of the part, right-click on it in the browser and select Show Dimensions.
5. Right-click the dimension that controls the length (same one you used for step 2) and pick Dimension Properties.  Set its precision to the number of decimal places you want to show up in the Parts List.  Click Apply and OK.
6. This part might be unnecessary, but click the Manage tab and Rebuild All.  (Every successful procedure needs that one superstitious step, right?)  Save the part.
7. Switch back to the assembly and rebuild it (the Lightning Bolt icon) before going to the drawing.  Otherwise the assembly won't update and niether will the Parts List.

Now all my channels and conduits are shown correctly in feet with one decimal place.  Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Bill

[Anonymous]

Here is an easier way;

In the drawing file :

Right click on the PARTS LIST in the Model (left hand side of my screen with the tree structure) and choose "Edit Parts List..."

Right click on the "QTY" column header and choose "Format Column..."

Left click on the "Apply Units Formating" in the Format Column: QTY dialog box

Left click on the pulldown arrow in the Pricission field and select the number of decimals.

Left click "OK" to close the Format Column: QTY dialog box

Left click "OK" to close the Parts List:... dialog box

Now you have it.