topic Re: Linking properties to general table columns? in Inventor Forum

Linking properties to general table columns?

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 16:22:15 GMT

Hi,

I am trying to set up tables in idw so the information is automatically taken from iproperties.

Is it possible to link up tabs in the iproperties of idw as column in a general table.

Now I see no properties when I click on the column selector after creating general table or from style manager.

Inputs would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

johnsonshiue — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 17:40:19 GMT

Hi! There might be other ways to do that. But, I don't think you can directly reference iProperty value from a given document (part, assembly, drawing) in a drawing table. The most straight forward workflow I can think of is to use Excel spreadsheet as a medium. Essentially, you need a rule to push the iProperties to an Excel sheet. Then create a drawing table linked to the spreadsheet. Let me ping @Curtis_W to confirm.

Hi Curtis,

Does my proposal make sense? Is it how you would do it?

Many thanks!

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

PaulMunford — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 21:52:40 GMT

Isn't this what a BOM/parts list is for?

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

blair — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 22:11:53 GMT

You can set up Inventor to "export" model parameters to the iProperties. Then these values will be shown in the BOM of your assemblies. I've included a PDF on how to set up your Parameters to be displayed in the iProperties.

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 07:30:48 GMT

@PaulMunford wrote:
Isn't this what a BOM/parts list is for?

Yes, agree for technical data, but I was looking for linking administrative data of drawing in the table.

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 07:40:15 GMT

@blair

Thanks for the link! I guess it is applicable to part list only?

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

blair — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 17:42:47 GMT

The part iProperties Description is what comes into the BOM parts list.

The Parts List (BOM) reads the description from each part.

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

Curtis_W — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 17:59:18 GMT

@johnsonshiue wrote:

Hi! There might be other ways to do that. But, I don't think you can directly reference iProperty value from a given document (part, assembly, drawing) in a drawing table. The most straight forward workflow I can think of is to use Excel spreadsheet as a medium. Essentially, you need a rule to push the iProperties to an Excel sheet. Then create a drawing table linked to the spreadsheet. Let me ping @Curtis_W to confirm.

Hi Curtis,

Does my proposal make sense? Is it how you would do it?

Many thanks!

Hi johnsonshiue,

Yes, I think we could use Inventor's API to push the BOM / iProperty information from the assembly to an Excel file, and then have the drawing's general table read that Excel file.

But I'm not sure I understand the use case for such a workflow. I suspect there is a more direct way to achieve the end goal, but we'd need more information to understand that end goal.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

mcgyvr — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 18:02:57 GMT

@hashone wrote:

@PaulMunford wrote:
Isn't this what a BOM/parts list is for?

Yes, agree for technical data, but I was looking for linking administrative data of drawing in the table.

@Anonymous Can you give an example of what you would like to achieve or provide better information..

What is "administrative data"?

What is it you need Inventor to do.. Typically what I would consider "administrative data" is placed in the title block and its easy to included iproperty data in there..

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

blair — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 18:03:10 GMT

After re-reading the initial post, it sounds like the poster is trying to populate a Table with iProperties. Possibly they are confusing the Table in the drawing environment with BOM List.

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 12:23:29 GMT

@Curtis_W @johnsonshiue @mcgyvr

Thanks for your responses, the method described could be used for other purposes and is a bit complicated.

Our intension is just to create custom general table in drawings, digitally filling in infomation as project, engineer etc. from idw iproperties (not to part list). This was thought as of making things easier for the team to just fill in all information at once in iproperties so corresponding table tabs get filled in (as the case with title block in the drawing).

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 12:24:27 GMT

@blair

Yes referring to general tables only not BOMs/Part lists.

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

mcgyvr — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 13:22:53 GMT

@hashone wrote:

@Curtis_W @johnsonshiue @mcgyvr

Thanks for your responses, the method described could be used for other purposes and is a bit complicated.

Our intension is just to create custom general table in drawings, digitally filling in infomation as project, engineer etc. from idw iproperties (not to part list). This was thought as of making things easier for the team to just fill in all information at once in iproperties so corresponding table tabs get filled in (as the case with title block in the drawing).

Based on what detail you have given so far that sounds easy..

You just can't use Inventors general table functionality to accomplish it as its too general (stupid)..

But you can sketch your own table and use prompted entries text or have it pull the data from the custom iproperties..

Simple and done..

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 14:04:03 GMT

@mcgyvr

any references to sketch tables in inventor?

Does that mean adding text boxes to table for linking custom properties?

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

mcgyvr — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 15:00:47 GMT

@hashone wrote:

@mcgyvr

any references to sketch tables in inventor?

Does that mean adding text boxes to table for linking custom properties?

Please don't overthink what I've written here..

Ever made a titleblock in Inventor? Thats all just lines that you sketch and create a table of sorts around the data you want displayed..

"Sketch tables" is not a function in Inventor.. I simply mean to sketch a table or box or border or whatever shapes you want to surround the data you want to display..

If you show me an example (napkin sketch is fine) of exactly what data you want and how you want it displayed then I can provide more help..

I have no idea what your "administrative data is" nor can I see into your head how you want it displayed..

You haven't provided that detail..

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

Curtis_W — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 15:09:33 GMT

@hashone wrote:

any references to sketch tables in inventor?

Hi @Anonymous,

The term you're looking for is Sketched Symbols. What mcgyvr is suggesting is to create a new Sketched Symbol, and in the symbol simply draw out your table, and add the text with a link to the iProperties you want to pull into the table.

About Sketched Symbols:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Inventor-Help/files/GUID-EF6BFD15-804A-4A9B-A002-C75B61ED6E75-htm.html

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

mcgyvr — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 15:09:37 GMT

@Curtis_W wrote:

The term you're looking for is Sketched Symbols. What mcgyvr is suggesting is to create a new Sketches Symbol,

I'm not even suggesting sketch symbols..

I'm not seeing a reason at this point based on the details given to even need that..

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

Curtis_W — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 15:19:05 GMT

@mcgyvr wrote:

I'm not even suggesting sketch symbols..

Ahh, my apologies. I guess I'm the one suggesting a Sketched Symbol then.

I would guess that the "Administrative Information" would be things like Job Number, Client Name, Client Address, and so on.

We just have a spot for that information in our title block, but some places have a separate table at the top of the sheet, or they have a table on the first sheet, so that the first sheet is a 'cover sheet' for the rest of the drawing package.

Anyway, I would think this would be a sketched symbol (added to the template and/or symbol library) so that it can be re-used for each job/project.

But I am making a lot of assumptions here, as it is still not clear what the end goal is to me.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 15:45:36 GMT

@Curtis_W wrote:
@hashone wrote:

any references to sketch tables in inventor?

Hi @Anonymous,

The term you're looking for is Sketched Symbols. What mcgyvr is suggesting is to create a new Sketched Symbol, and in the symbol simply draw out your table, and add the text with a link to the iProperties you want to pull into the table.

About Sketched Symbols:
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/inventor-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/Inventor-Help/files/GUID-EF6BFD15-804A-4A9B-A002-C75B61ED6E75-htm.html

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

Apologies for getting to the solution bit early.

@Curtis_W

Sketched symbol can be a way for doing such linking to custom propertis, as creating a title block.

But we need it in form of a log.

@mcgyvr

I have attached image to show what kind of data I mean.

I forgot to add that it shall be as a log. I guess we fill tables directly from drawing. Unless you guys any more inputs.

Re: Linking properties to general table columns?

mcgyvr — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:07:47 GMT

@Anonymous

What is it you are hoping to gain here?

Simply append new rows to a general table as needed...

Why must you put that data into the iproperties?

The time required to do either is basically a wash..

There are ways though to accomplish exactly as you have shown in your image and that table will be populated by the iproperties but there are some limitations to that..

Here..

I hope you have 2018..

Open drawing.. go to the drawings custom iproperties and modify the value for Client1 or 2 or 3 and see that the table updates to show that data..