macro help with part length

[Anonymous]

Good Day -

Fairly new user- looking for a simple macro (or another good way other than the iFactory) to change the length of specific channel extrusions.

The issue is we buy 12ft lengths of Unistrut and need every increment of measurement from a few inches to the entire 12ft. Also I may want to change the height of the profile (extrusion)and the slot sizing (occurrences), if at all possible. I should point out I have no experience writing macros and haven't really found anything out there already helpful. 

[Eddimeister]

Hey,

This sounds like you could just publish a custom profile to use within the frame generator rather than using a macro...

Create an ipart with varying profiles and slots , then in the Author tab look for Structural Shape to publish this to a Custom Library within the Content Centre that is utilised by the frame generator... I've managed to publish specific profiles such as purlins, castellated beams etc with typical bolt hole connections this way...

This maybe more versatile then writing code to manipulate the profile and slots and you can always expand on it should he need arise in the future...

Is there a reason for wanting to write a macro for this...? 

Manipulating Parameters via VBA is fairly straight forward but altering the 3D model to redraw etc could be overly convoluted...

[Anonymous]

Ed- thanks for the reply - a co-worker put it in my ear that macros may be the way to go here. I will try out what you mentioned and let you know the results - thanks

[mdavis22569]

Have you not looked at iLogic?

[mcgyvr]

I second the ipart.. (used with Frame Generator or not)..

You can simply set the length column to a custom parameter and during placement type in the exact dimensions for the length as you need or similar..

But yes depending on the specifics of how you use this unistrut ilogic code could be an option too.. But I'd certainly try iparts out first before going down the ilogic road..

[Anonymous]

I set up the ipart factory, I see the key in option, seems to work great - the only issue is see with the custom parameters is how to capture the custom lenght in the BOM parts list. I need to reflect each induvidual length created in the BOM. As it stands each length of the same extrusion is just added together becaseu it carries the same part number- Is there a way to capture lenght input in a stock number part number (example Unistrut P 1000 - 455 mm Long)? Sorry if these are remedial questions.

[mcgyvr]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
I set up the ipart factory, I see the key in option, seems to work great - the only issue is see with the custom parameters is how to capture the custom lenght in the BOM parts list. I need to reflect each induvidual length created in the BOM. As it stands each length of the same extrusion is just added together becaseu it carries the same part number- Is there a way to capture lenght input in a stock number part number (example Unistrut P 1000 - 455 mm Long)? Sorry if these are remedial questions.

---

A couple ways.. here are a few..

First.. any reason you don't just make the part numbers different and include the length in them?

Second.. Are you putting the length into the "description" if so then in the bill of materials you can click the "part number row merge settings" and have it not merge those into the same line item.. 

Third.. Export the "Length Parameter" (check box in parameters dialog).. Then rebuild all then generate members then add the custom iprop for the lenght into the bom table and then include that in your parts list..