Linking a Spreadsheet to a .idw Drawing

[Anonymous]

I am using a spreadsheet to control my model in inventor.  I have gotten to a point where the model automatically corrects itself just by filling out the spreadsheet, and I am now working on automating the drawings. 

I'm using an add-in called Attribute Helper to create dimensions automatically in the drawing, but I need my parameters from the spreadsheet to link to the drawing to control which iLogic rules in the drawing will be run. 

Is there a way to link parameters from the spreadsheet to to the drawing?

Thank you in advance!

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Mitchell,

It depends on what you want to do with the linked spreadsheet. You can display it as a table using General Table command. If you want the model parameters, you can retrieve the dimensions from the models in the drawing. I am not aware of an automated way to create annotated dimensions attached to drawing views based on an Excel table.

Many thanks!

[Anonymous]

Johnson,

There is a way to automate dimensioning using iLogic and Attribute Helper (downloaded from mod the machine http://modthemachine.typepad.com/my_weblog/2013/08/attribute-helper-update.html ) but now to control which iLogic rules will run, I need to import the parameters from my spreadsheet.  My plan was to use if then statements to run separate rules. The issue I'm having is that I cannot link a spreadsheet in a drawing the same way that you can link a spreadsheet to a part or an assembly. 

Is it possible to create parameters in a drawing by linking a spreadsheet? The option does not appear in the parameters dialog box (attached: Drawing Parameter Box) on the drawing as it does in the box for the assembly model (attached: Model Parameter Box).

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Mitchell,

I don't think there is a way to link Excel table as drawing parameters. You might be able to do that with iLogic rules. Let me ping Curtis. @Curtis_Waguespack. Do you know if we could link Excel table to drawing parameters in iLogic?

Many thanks!

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

I think I figured this one out.  I don't know if there is a way to link the parameters directly, but in the iLogic rule editor you can reference the excel parameters from the model as seen in the attached image.  @Curtis_Waguespack if there is another way or a better way to do this, I would still love to know, but I think this should work.

[bradeneuropeArthur · Accepted solution]

Hi,

You could do the following:

1. use the spreadsheet in a ipt an import those as userparameter
2. insert this ipt into a drawing
3. make your dimensions
4. hide the dimension value
5. add a reference by edit the text to the userparameter form the ipt.

Hope this will help you.

Regards