MapInternToExtern Problem

[Jonathan3891]

I've recently had to updated MapInternToExtern to show the mectric equilavent of all ASTM shapes but something strange has happened and I cannot figure it out.

Typically when a member is labeled if "Name" is used it will label the member with the internal name and if I want something different I change it to External 1, or 2, etc. 

However after adding all the ASTM shapes whenever a member is labeled with "Name" it defaults to External 1. 

I cannot figure out what's going on.

Here you can see the W14x99 with the corresponding Metric names

Here you can see the member label is set to "Name" buts not using Internal 1

Here I've set it to "External 1"

Just to show the mapping is working I've set it to "External 2" to show the short name

The issue came up when a new project Im working on is a metric projec that wants to use ASTM steel with the American steel names shown.

Has anyone encountered this before or have an Idea of what the issue may be?

[Emanuel.Nestor]

Hi @Jonathan3891,

Thank you for posting on Advance Steel Forum 🙂

I understand that you added mapping rules for profile names. For example, the profile "W14x99" is mapped to "W360x147" from the "External1" field. 

Then this is the "Name" that you get in details. It is the intended behavior, the purpose of the mapping.

It seems that you would want mapping for a project, but not for another project.

Is it so?

If you want to get the AISC section name, one option is to deactivate the mapping entirely when working on a project were you do not want mapping.

(deactivate the default from Management Tools -> Defaults -> General -> General category).

Would that work for you?

Best regards,
Emy

[Flies-Eyes]

Hi Emy,  

Can explain how or when the External2, External3 and External4 parameters work.

[bigcarl5000kg]

Hi @Flies-Eyes,

it works the same way as External1, you need only to call these in drawing / BOM

[Flies-Eyes]

I have only just discovered this functionality so I am still sure what External1 should be used for yet.  

1. How does the system determine which of mapped parameters is used?

2. What can be mapped? The term internal name is used alot in the video I watched. What is defined as Internal name?  

3. Can I Map Camera Types?

4. Some documentation notes a new Token syntax for these fields.  Where can these Tokens be used?

5. Can this Mapping function be used to change the order in which numbers are allocated to objects?  I believe object quantity is the first criteria, although I wish I could turn that off.

How are others using this mapping function? Are there any known limitations?

Can anyone confirm, the steel profile internal name, is this critical or can that be edited?

The parameter StandardName is the default value given to a steel profile and is the one that is changed when mapping is envolked.  StandardName is the second filter criteria used for allocating part numbers after quantity.  

Sorry, a lot of questions I know.  This probably why it is still not clear to me yet.

[iwafb]

Hey murray,

Here's a link to an article on mapping plates (beams are similar).

https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/tsarticles/ts/64Y4V49jeiUnXKsBMvPpaz.html

We use mapping a lot to define a plate name. For example, when using material "RUBBER" on a plate, the material list will call up a plate as 100x10RUBBER and so on...

Then you enable the recoding for material in the defaults

It is a very powerful function and you can pretty much call any object whatever you want. Our strategy is limited to using Grades to modify the object name. As Emy indicated, if you map lots of beam types (for example), then this feature would need to be turned on or off unless it's required all the time. In our case, we use to turn "RD" names (round bars used in bracing AG1/2 macro) to "RMS" so they are consistent with Australian libraries.

Would also suggest you add all your mapping settings in the AstorCurrentAddin database to avoid losing when migrating to a new version...

1) Haven't pushed this too much, but it's a hierarchy. First look for this, then that....

2) The recoding options (in defaults) will tell you what can be mapped. But you can add tokens in the IntExtMapKeyBeam and Plate tables

3) No, just beams and plates

4) See 2)

5) It's only intended to "replace" a token/name with another in a beam or plate

The Internal name is critical. This is what AS "looks" at to map to a different value.

Hope that gets you on the path...

[bigcarl5000kg]

If you have set the mapping rules in Management Tools and the values in MapInternToExtern, then update the database, select the corresponding object in the model and use the LIST command to check whether the preset values ​​for External1, Extnernal2, ... are displayed.

Note: pay attention, from MapInternToExtern the first rule is used that corresponds to the settings in Management tools for mapping ... 

[bigcarl5000kg]

Mapping can only change the description of the object in the drawing / BOM, it has nothing to do with numbering.

You can map every structural element in the model, but not imaginary objects (cameras, model views, ...). For bolts and anchors, it only works for unexploded sets (huge disadvantage / incomplete function)

[Flies-Eyes]

Thank Carl, That narrows my field down as to what it can and can't do.

I am still not getting my testing to work yet.

I am using the SectionName from the steel profile table in my case WB 1200x455

I use WB 1200x455 as the Internal value in the MapInternaltoExternal.

I added the 4 External values to a Drawing Style View Title, but still came out empty. 

Have I missed a step or missed the point completely.  I am hoping the penny will drop eventually.

Edited:-

Interestingly the BOM export has the Gibberish values.

[Jonathan3891]

I use external1 to show short member names. Or in the case of this post, we were using AISC members on a metric job with the metric callout.

Here in the states we show full member names in plan view. If the same member is shown again in elevation a short name is used. 

Its important to mention that in order for mapintertoextern to work, you have to enable mapping in management tools > defaults.

[Flies-Eyes]

This looks like you are able to use External1, External2 for labeling of Beams on the drawing.  I looking to do the same but I am not getting it to work, yet.

Any tricks you found to make this work?

[Jonathan3891]

Edit the MapInterToExtern in "AstorCurrentAddIn"

Enable mapping in MT

Change your label token from "Name" to whichever "External Name" containts the information needed.

[Sebastian_Eiche]

I think the difference is:
@Jonathan3891 is using it for the label lcommand and you want to have it the detail title.
But this is also possible.
My tests with a beam "HEA200":