Sheet metal defaults

[benjoefoe]

I'm looking for a code or a way for my sheet metal defaults to prompt or "pop up" everytime I start a new sheet metal template. Thanks! 

[CCarreiras]

Hi!

Create templates for every defaults, and open the right one.

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[cwhetten · Accepted solution]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

This isn't too hard to do, actually.  You can edit your current sheet metal template, add an iLogic rule with the following line of code:

ThisApplication.CommandManager.ControlDefinitions.Item("SheetMetalStylesCmd").Execute

Then, go to the manage tab on the ribbon, and find the Event Triggers command on the iLogic panel.  Set the New Document trigger to fire the new rule.

This way, each time you start a new document from this template, the rule will fire and launch the sheet metal styles command where you choose your defaults.

I have attached an example (version 2014).

Cameron Whetten
Inventor 2014

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[CCarreiras]

Hi!

Ok, it saves one click.

Is it worth put some programing lines in a file, that makes it more "heavy" and complex,  to save one click?

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[benjoefoe]

You have a good point "it saves one click". My reason is that I use a program called pronest to layout all my sheet metal parts with multiple thicknesses and materials onto sheets of sheet metal for plasma cutting. Pronest requires that my sheet metal use "face" extruding only and automaticl selects the thickness and material from what was entered in the "sheet metal defaults"  This prompt will help make my sheet metal parts more consistant in using the defaults rather than someone using the extrude comand for a thickness or saving a file with the pre-selected material. 

[cwhetten]

Carlos raises a good point.  Once the sheet metal part is created, the rule doesn't do any good, and it is just useless information in your part files.

To help alleviate this, you could create the rule as an external rule.  You would just have to change your template's event triggers to fire the external rule, then you could delete the rule inside the template.  It would still do what you want, but the code wouldn't be left behind in each part file.

Cameron Whetten
Inventor 2014