Parameters in Text

[fishpaste108]

There should be some way that you can use parameters in text equations just like you can in inventor. I have to make tools that are very similar to one another and they need to be engraved based on on the dimensions of that tool. It would be a thousand times easier to be able to change one number (the size of the tool) and in addition to the dimension changing, the text changes too. 

Another thing I would like to point out is although you can somewhat constrain text in Fusion, it seems to remove any and all constraints when I just want to change the text property and not things like height and angle, which is a huge pain when trying to center text.

I saw this post here a month prior but it it got no responses so I thought I'd throw it out there again. 

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/ideastation-request-a-feature-or/autofill-text-field-based-on-a-param...

This issue with text is by far my biggest gripe with Fusion 360. Its amazing software but if this was implemented it be the best hands down.

[roambotics_scott]

Support for text in general is terrible (not as bad as scene navigation.. or maybe worse, but not something that is used anywhere near as often).

Here is a simple use case that I want in almost all designs that illustrates a few weaknesses in text that should be addressed [attn @promm]:

1. place a rectangle of fixed (though possibly parametric) height and width at a certain position on a part

2. fill that rectangle with (a) YYYY.MM.DD.HH:MM:SS (b) part name / unique identifier and (c) short but unique identifier for the revision*

3. have text properly centred (or justified) and scaled in that box

4. extrude text by some (ideally parametric) amount (typically say 0.5mm)

5. draft extrusion by some (ideally parametric) amount (typically say 5º)

6. apply a small (ideally parametric) fillet (typically say ~0.1mm) to all sharp edges of extruded / drafted text

7. warn if there are any excessively thin (ideally parametric but typically say < 0.5mm) parts of the extruded text that can't be milled

Assuming all of that works, we would end up with a great way to automatically label 3D printed, moulded, or machined parts [it doesn't take very long to find yourself with a huge pile of stuff and no way to figure out where exactly it came from]

What's remarkable is that at present none of the above steps after (1) are doable within F360**

* if you want to get really fancy, give us a short but guaranteed unique and easily readable identifier [eg: «5ajCn21» ] that we can stamp on every part when it's exported and then punch into F360 or A360 and find the exact model and revision that that exported file was generated from

** save for arguably (4) though even that will break if you change the text even before trying to apply drafting.. but good luck doing a drafted extrusion of text that works and doesn't break when you go back and modify the text

[keqingsong]

Hey there, just to clarify - are you talking about the sketch text tool or auto-populating dimensions and values in a text field within the sketch environment? 

[fishpaste108]

I am talking about auto populating the values in text created using the sketch text tool. So that if you had engraving or something, the value of the text could be a combination of text and dimensions like in inventor. roambotics_scott added on to it with a lot of great ideas I think.

[keqingsong]

Gotcha. I'm marking this as a future consideration since write now a lot of our developers are focusing on sheet metal. We'll keep you posted on when we will get to sketch text enhancements. 

[jasonNUSPP]

I am currently trying to create some items to 3D print that will used to test material strength.  I would like to extrude the thickness (as text) on the end of the test piece.  The easiest way would be to point to a user parameter that drives both the size and the text.  This would allow me to quickly change the user parameter from say 4mm to 5mm and have the text update. 

[j-tucker]

Yes I would like to see text as a variable also.  For example I have some object and a sketch text.  I would like the text to display some parameter of the object; size, position rotation, etc.  Is that possible?

[ururk]

This would be immensely helpful. We 3D print items for use as-is, and I'd like to be able to easily version them. For some things I add a 'v#' text string somewhere, but when I make changes if they are significant enough I'd like to be able to easily bump the number without having to find the original sketch..

[paul]

Here is another use for Parametric Text:

Currently, a drawing table has a Description column that is populated with values you enter into a Component's Properties > Description field.

Parametric text would enable us to use this table as a "cut list" by using parametric text in this Description field instead of manually entering the part dimensions.

     [width]W x [length]L instead of 3"W x 24"L

This would be a huge feature for parametric drawings. Once you update the parameters of the design, you can instantly print a drawing with all the correct dimensions AND a cut list table for all the parts.

[david.lantier]

Any new about this topic?

I would like to be able to use parameters names in sketch text dialog. May be a new syntax rule to recognize plain text from variables names, or just a simple choice in text dialog box: plain text as now, or switch on equation input? 

[jjjmmmhhh]

How about a way to reference the name of a component as a parameter in text so that renaming it will automatically update the text?

[sslupskyLNGS5]

@keqingsong  Any news if this feature is on the roadmap?  For versioning alone this is a very important requirement.

Some ideas regarding automated text:

• file name
• version number
• date code (format can be specified to include year and/or month and/or week and/or day)
• model parameters
• user parameters

[JYZMT]

We could really do with this. Does any one know if a script is possible? just to push a component name into a text string would help?

[rickL3JJC]

I've been kicking this particular can since mid-2016.

(Here: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-design-validate/the-text-in-a-text-object-cannot-be-driven...)

Parameterized text is missing feature that comes up often, but is often an adjunct to other, larger issues. For instance, when you implement nesting for 2D CNC panel breakdown, (an accepted idea with an order of magnitude more votes than this) being able to label the parts in a nest algorithmically, in some situations, gets more urgent. 

This particular issue appears in multiple places; voting is fragmented because of that, as it's hard to find all the individual idea reports and poke them. I'm pretty sure it's also implemented in other Autodesk products, elsewhere in the codebase.

What's the connection between activity here and the product management folks? Is there a way to get more transparency about how votes affect the work that gets done on the product? How are status state changes driven, say from "gathering support" to "future consideration?" Is there anyone with agency to collate and combine parallel idea posts? 

Thanks!

Rick Levine

rick@xoab.us

(303) 589-6700

[rickL3JJC]

Hmm. The link in my last post seems to have been truncated...

Trying again:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-design-validate/the-text-in-a-text-object-cannot-be-driven...

[rossmGPPYL]

Any updates on this feature request??

[blackgun99]

Yes, we need this feature. even simply like "{paramter_name}", it doesn't have to auto-fill. just make a quick dirty solution. 

[r.eichlerXS4US]

We FDM printing a lot of small part revisions for prototyping. I manually add a version number to the parts to keep track of iterations. This really needs parameter to update, and ideally a "magic" variable of the file revision number available by default (and if you want to get fancy, warn the user when exporting parts for e.g. printing or milling if the version variable is in use but the file has unsaved changes).

[rossmGPPYL]

I sent a PM to @keqingsong and asked for an update on progress on this request for feature.

It seems to be a big hole in features for a parametric software package.

I make parts that are driven by some critical ratios, and need to engrave the ratio onto the part when they are made.

As noted by @blackgun99  , a quick solution would make a huge difference. In my case I have two parameters Rise and Run, and these drive angles within the parts. I want to enter something like {Rise : {Run} in the text, and have it engrave the actual ratio of  "4:1" on the part when the parameters Rise=4 and Run=1

I should be able to use parameters in sketch text and be able to extrude the text.

This capability is already available within Inventor - surely it should not be difficult to "borrow" the implementation & use it within Fusion?? The inventor implementation allows the user to select model or user parameters from a dropdown within the Text formatting dialog box.

[JYZMT]

We have gone old skool on this, and recreated a parametric version of mould dials like the ones on the base of ikea plastic boxes. A parameter drives an angle in a sketch. Its simple. Its crude. but it kind of works for now. 

[rodrigo.alvarez]

It would be great to implement parametrizable text. 

In my case It would be even greater if the text could be the FusionFile Version Number.  I am 3D printing an evolving design and it would be great to simply have the exported STLs always have the version number embedded somewhere. 

I recently purchased a Prusa 3D printer and all their 3D-printer parts have an embedded version number.