config files everywhere...

OK I've finally been forced off of WinNT4.0 and I'm up on XP. I thought
I had a pretty good handle on all the config files that Pro/E feeds off
but I guess I missed a few.

So I've got my config.pro under the loadpoint\text and then I created a
directory in my main working directory called PTC_Config and stuffed the
config.win the tree.cfg the search.cfg? and a couple of .dtl files and
pointed the config.pro to them. Since on my system E became D I had to
edit a bunch of search paths. OK, everything works except detailing I
still get comma's in my detailing which I NEVER want to see. I wish that
all of this glop would collapse into one file!

So how do I fix my detailing (where do the .dtl files go?) And how do I
start a part in inches so that the detail will end up in those same
units. AND then be able to switch to metric and have the detail follow.
Is there no automatic way to do this? I could swear I called the hotline
but I guess my call didn't take!?? I knew there was an advantage to
sitting there on hold.

-Dan

 

: OK I've finally been forced off of WinNT4.0 and I'm up on XP. I thought
: I had a pretty good handle on all the config files that Pro/E feeds off
: but I guess I missed a few.
:
: So I've got my config.pro under the loadpoint\text and then I created a
: directory in my main working directory called PTC_Config and stuffed the
: config.win the tree.cfg the search.cfg? and a couple of .dtl files and
: pointed the config.pro to them. Since on my system E became D I had to
: edit a bunch of search paths. OK, everything works except detailing I
: still get comma's in my detailing which I NEVER want to see. I wish that
: all of this glop would collapse into one file!
:
I wish it would collapse into the registry and present itself, internally, as
typical Windows setup pages, with descriptions of options, not bizarre c++
variable names to decipher. And context sensitive help with fuller explanations of
options, how they interact with each other, tips and tricks, etc.

: So how do I fix my detailing (where do the .dtl files go?)

First, the detail file can go anywhere, as long as config.pro's
'drawing_setup_file' option contains the full path to the file.

As far as the comma is concerned, open the drawing options file by selecting
'File>Properties>Drawing options'. If you've set it to show the options by
Category, go to the bottom, under Miscellaneous and find 'decimal_marker'. You
should set this to 'period' or 'comma_for_metric_dual' which gives a period for
either metric or US customary and a comma for metric only when dual dimensioning.

And how do I
: start a part in inches so that the detail will end up in those same
: units. AND then be able to switch to metric and have the detail follow.
: Is there no automatic way to do this?

Here's something I just realized recently. The detail file contains an option
called 'drawing_units' which seems to have the same functionality as 'Setup>Units'
because it gives a list of all available metric and u.s. units. But it does *not*
do any conversion. Drawings and detail files have no control over the units. That
is controlled by the model with 'Edit>Setup>Units'. So, there is no reason, on
that score, to have more than one .dtl file. The only thing that 'drawing_units'
does is set the interpretation of sizes given for the options in the detail file.
For example, with 'drawing_text_height' set to the default .156 and
'drawing_units' set to inch, the text height will be 5/32nds of an inch. Changing
'drawing_units' to 'cm' means that the .156 will appear 2.56 times smaller (ratio
of cm to inch). Any other size value will also change proportionally. If, however,
you are used to working in metric, you'd just change that value to .4 cm or 4 mm
and have equivalent sized text. The detail file, though, does allow customizing
various detailing functions to follow ISO, DIN, or JIS standards. So, if you were
dealing with a German company which was picky about how cross sections were
displayed, you'd probably have a separate detail file with cross section settings
in DIN standard. This you would load, manually, once you were in the drawing
options interface by clicking the file folder at the top and browsing the
location. It's not significant to Pro/e where you keep these files, as long as it
can get to them and it's access to them is unrestricted. There are further
complications and confusions, such as templates and formats, but you don't seems
to be having problems with those. No need stirring the pot.

David Janes

 

The registry is an atrocity. UNIX-style dot-files/configuration files
are the best way to go, especially with complex software. Just look at
SolidWorks which is configured with a bunch of check boxes and pull
downs (presumably stored in the registry) under Tools->Options. The
descriptions are slightly better than Pro/E config options but forget
maintaining any kind of consistency between users or allowing for any
kind of flexibility between projects or standards.

BTW, Pro/E does allow you to set config options through a GUI, which
could stand to be improved.

You don't have to decipher the variable names, they're all listed in the
Configuration Options Manual.

A better help system and simpler configuration would be great though.