Ortho BOM Table style.

[Anonymous]

When creating the Ortho BOM table, i can't stop the BOM updating the table style to the set blue text in cells.  If i set up table in Ortho template, then the first instance the table style is correct, but subsequently updating the BOM from the point it reverts back to blue text in the cells. It seems to pull the table style for adskiso table style, but i cannot find the origin of this table.

Has anyone been able to set a table style for the Ortho BOM an it holds settings? 

[Snomatic_Autocad]

Not sure what you need, the ortho dwt?

Wouldn't you need the whole project setup?

When I edit the Ortho template to look like what I want it works on the first run of Bill of Materials.

The issue manifests when you edit the 3d drawing and then run update BOM.

Below is what the BOM should look like.

After hitting the update button it looks like the second image.

The third column thinks its the description field width rather than a Sch/Class column.

You can test this by just editing one of your demo projects ortho templates and adding a column such as my below layout.

I have consulted with our reseller and his tech folks. This is a know issue that has not been addressed in any of the releases.....

[Anonymous]

I will post a video.

[Anonymous]

Video here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GYbaO3Q8oI&feature=youtu.be

Thanks

[KenFauver]

Andre,

A couple things need to happen here. First, you need to insert the table on the appropriate layer. Second, highlight the table record as shown below. In the properties window you will notice the Cell locking property is set to Content and Format Locked. Set it to Unlocked then change the Text color property to ByLayer. Set the Cell locking property back to Content and Format Locked.

See how that works you.

[Anonymous]

Ken,

Sorry you are wrong, as explained many times, it doesn't work, you can change this BOM table all day in the dwt, it doesn't matter, the text colour changes back to blue.  Maybe just try it yourself??  if you use the Update Bill of Materials button after you have created the BOM for the first time.. it will revert back to a default table text colour of blue, not the custom text colour used in the custom table as edited in dwt.  Not sure if this is now clear? 

But more than I'm happy to discuss this over the phone or WebEx with you and Peter Corrie, our customer success manager.  As this has been on-going issue for some time. 

Regards,

Cameron

[KenFauver]

I have tried it. I never respond unless I have tried it. I will do it again to make sure. 

Let me back up a minute. Is everyone using the same version of Plant 3D? Also, have all the updates been applied. Want to make sure I'm using the same version.

[Snomatic_Autocad]

Ken,

Not to pile one but, the issue is the changes do not "stick".

While you can edit the template, tables, xml files etc.

The table reverts back to default settings after the first BOM update.

It's like the table is hard coded somewhere in the app.

I suspect we all have the service packs installed.

This phenomena has been prevalent in at least the last three versions.

Crossing fingers it does not in the latest...

The easiest way to repeat the issue is to add a couple columns to the table template, modify the widths.

Run a BOM (GTG) then edit your 3d model and run again.

it will revert to default widths and colors.

[Anonymous]

Typically what I have to do, which I think is quite redundant, is to use the BOM template I have in the dwt, and once I run the BOM command, it puts everything in the BOM template like I have, with the correct font, text height, ect. but the issue is, when I go back and edit the model I'm working with, say, add a new ball valve and add the new tag number, and then go back to the Ortho drawing to update my view, if I don't highlight the whole BOM that I originally created and make a copy next to it, it will revert back to the original text height, cell height, and text color. If I highlight it all, copy, and paste, then delete the original, it breaks the link between the table and the Ortho drawing itself, and I am free to go about updating my views without ruining my BOM. However, this will help save the style of the table and contents from being reverted to the program original, but you will have to manually add new columns and manually input the new features you added. If I could figure out how, I would create a video for you to show you step by step what I mean, but I can't figure out how to do that.

[KenFauver]

Hi All,

I was able to finally reproduce the issue. I will pass this along to the development team. Sorry for any all misunderstandings. Thanks for your patience.

[Snomatic_Autocad]

THANKYOU!

This has been hugely frustrating.

New version is out so am interested in seeing if fixed.....

[jason.drew]

Sorry to jump in here. After some testing, we now have a good understanding of what occurs when the ortho views update and what it's doing on the tables; specifically the table styles. It's reverting back to the 'AdskIso' table style each time the views are updated. That is hard-coded somewhere and I have not yet identified where it's pulling that from. OrthoBOMConfig.xml does contain an entry for a table style, but it doesn't appear to have any impact on what is used during the new BOM table creation or view updates.

This is the only workaround I have been able to identify so far. It may be possible to automate this in some way through scripting. This has to be used on each new / existing ortho drawing:

1. Modify the Standard table style with the desired text / color settings, or copy in a table that uses a desired table style, then erase the table you copied in (this will get the table style into your current drawing)

2. Select the BOM table

3. Open the properties palette

4. Change the existing table to use the new table style (or 'Standard' table style)

Note: Each time an ortho view is updated, it will revert back to the 'AdskIso' table style in order to refresh the contents of the BOM. You will need to repeat steps 2 - 4 to bring the custom table style back.

This issue has been documented with the product development team and we will continue working with them on a resolution for a future update.

[Anonymous]

Folks,

I resolved part of my problem by creating a partial CUI, creating a new button that runs the command below.

^C^C_-layer m SYS-KEYNOTES c white SYS-KEYNOTES LW 0.25 SYS-KEYNOTES    PLANTORTHOPLACEBOM

I solved at least the layer color issue by creating the layer with the macro.

I haven't figure it out yet if I can run something inside the macro to unlock the cells and justify them in the desired way.

Thanks

[tsabinas · Accepted solution]

This was a big issue for me on a current project and I wanted to make sure it was fixed before we start phase II  In the 2016 version we created a script to change the color from blue to the color we wanted.  The script was a huge time saver but even with that, it was 5 seconds per sheet every time we updated the view or the BOM.

This issue seems to be resolved in 2018.  One thing to be sure to do (and not to do)

Do Not make the changes by unlocking the content and format.  

In the Project Setup-->Ortho DWG Setting-->Setup Title Block

Click on the Annotate Tab then in the Ribbon Select "Tables"

Set AdskIso as the current table style

Select modify

Under cell styles, select the text style, height, color and angle for data, header and title (and any others you may use).

Set up your BOM table

Place BOM table on the sheet.

Select - "Return to project Setup"

Select OK

Now the set up will stay in place.  

**Warning** If you make changes in to the font via unlocking the content and format, those changes will be overwritten when you update the view or BOM.  All font changes need to be done in the AdskIso table.

I will also say, so far I have only tested this in a test project.  I plan on trying out several things on an actual project soon.  So if anyone tries this and it doesn't work, please post here.

Now, If Autodesk can figure out how to have the bolts in Ortho BOM display the actual number of bolts instead of bolt sets (like it does in the ISO BOM) then we may start to get somewhere with ortho creation in P3D.

[Stormbr]

I followed the instructions and set the format for the cells. It worked well except for the update. If I change the viewport and update the BOM it retains all the old numbering and quantities, even though the items are not in the viewport. If I delete the BOM from the ortho and create a new one nothing happens, no new BOM??

[Anonymous]

If i have to update a Viewport, I simply highlight all of the BOM tables i currently have, move them off the page, and do a copy command and move the copied tables back to where your original was, and delete the original. This will prevent it from updating and ruining your table, but the downside is, if you had to change an actual component, ie. a 6" ball valve, was supposed to be a 8" plug valve, you will have to manually change the 6" ball valve to be an 8" plug valve in the table. I took a screen shot of my table in one of my projects and circled what you would have to manually change after changing your model. Most of the time, this isn't a big deal, I just have to change the sizes of a few features, and "tag" numbers, and some things in the Spec Editor are named something strange, and i forgot to change them in the editor, so I'll have to manually change it in the table.

[tsabinas]

Thanks for the information. I will look into it.

[Stormbr]

I am creating this for a client for several people to use. They do not want anyone making manual changes as the purpose of this is to minimize copy/paste errors. Changing models in the viewports created errors when the BOM wasn't updated properly. They have a rigid policy on descriptions (from their catalog only) & want this as automated as possible.

I now have it updating and can create a new BOM, but it goes back to it's default format (middle center), even though I changed the AdksIso table format and it shows all data rows as left center justified. The cell text style has changed but not the justification. A new ortho has the table and all justification correct but after an update it resets it back to middle center. I want to set the cell height, width & justification and keep it that way.

I created a new ortho with the table in it (from the title page) and changed the justification on the first data row and it worked. After a viewport update it put the justification for all data rows back to middle center.

[tsabinas]

Stormbr

On the project where this was an issue, since we were too far along, for the changes I recommend.  So we created a lsp routing to basically unlock the cells, apply the formatting overrides, lock the cells and then done.

I already had a script to do some drawing clean-up items, so I added a line to the script to run that lsp routine.

[Stormbr]

This is what I have and what happens.

table setupupdated table

[tsabinas]

As I understand it from Autodesk, each time the BOM is updated in the ortho, the ADSKIso table style is deleted and then reinserted.  The problem is, no one knows where the ADSKIso table style comes from when it's reinserted.