Managing multiple part/assemblies links to spreadsheet

[Anonymous]

Hi, I'm just getting started in managing inventor parameters in a linked spreadsheet, which is great. To accommodate the nature of my work (common design with parameter values changing from job to job), I thought that I could create my parts and assemblies linked to a spreadsheet, keep a separate version of this spreadsheet for every job, and just plug in a particular job's spreadsheet to change my design's parameter values. The problem is, if my design contains many parts, each individually linked to a particular spreadsheet, then changing plugging in a different spreadsheet from job to job isn't trivial. Is there some method/trick for that I am missing?

Thanks.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! You can definitely manage parameters via an Excel spreadsheet. Another common way is to create a part and use it as the Master part, which contains all major parameters. Then other parts can link to this Master part just like an Excel spreadsheet.

When you modify the spreadsheet, you want to check a few things. 1) The linked sheet should be the first sheet. 2) There are no empty middle cells in the column. 3) Values should all be valid. 4) Make sure there is no duplicate names.

Many thanks!

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the response.. My question was actually how to manage many part
files linking to a spreadsheet, if you had a workflow that included
regularly changing the name of the spreadsheet. I suppose one way to do it
would be to have a master part file that links to the spreadsheet, and all
the other part files link to the master part file instead of the
spreadsheet, to get their parameters second hand as it were? Then if you
changed the name of the spreadsheet, it would only require a link update in
the master part file, and the parameters would flow down to all of the
other part files that are looking at the master part file for their
parameter values?

[johnsonshiue]

Hi! Either way it should work. The advantage of using derive master part workflow is efficiency. The master part contains all required parameters. But, not every derived part needs all parameters. So, you can pick and choose what to derive. This is a behavior not available if you link a spreadsheet. You will get all parameters on the sheet. You cannot include or exclude.

One thing you want to watch out is the duplicate names. For example, you have a parameter called WIDTH in the spreadsheet or the master part. Then you derive WIDTH into multiple parts or assemblies. Later you derive another part which already have WIDTH in it. The newly derived WIDTH will become WIDTH_1 instead of overwriting the existing one. It can be confusing which is which. Managing unique names is very important.

There is yet another workflow you can consider in the future is to use iLogic rule. iLogic allows you to link or manipulate any parameter at any level from the top-level assembly. Essentially, you can link a spreadsheet or a part with parameters to the assembly. Then you can use iLogic rule to push these parameter values down to individual parts without the need to derive.

Many thanks!