Help with Animator and equations with patterns...

I started a project assuming that SW Animator rebuilt between frames,
and therefore would run an equation every time that added one to the
quantity of a patterned part in my assembly.

I have a single part with a component pattern that is in two
directions, and both values are set to 1. There is an equation in the
assembly that adds qty 1 to the pattern instance integers for each
pattern direction.

Now, I'm looking at this part in iso, nearly filling the screen.

The intent was that each frame would render, and then there would be a
rebuild, the equation would add qty 1 to the pattern directions,
thereby making 4 parts, and a view path would zoom out slightly,
showing all the parts nicely centered in the viewport, rendering each
file to Photoworks targas.

This would repeat until there were 50 x 50 parts or more, basically
looking like multiplying rabbits.

It seems SolidWorks won't do this.

I'm on 2003 SP 5.1

My VAR tried it on 2004 with no luck either.

This is a workaround for another plan I had, which was a curve driven
pattern of the same part, on a 2d spiral, starting from the center
outward I was going to drive the curve driven pattern the same way,
and render the animation the same way. This wouldn't carry my
PhotoWorks materials from body to body so I tried another way:

I created a hidden base part with a hole I added to a curve driven
pattern on a spiral, then I was going to use that part in an assembly,
modifying the instances of the curve driven pattern, and the assembly
was to add parts in the new holes with a derived pattern of the parts.
This wouldn't work either.

If anyone has any other ideas, I'd be grateful.

--Matt Schroeder

 

But of course it can! I've gots plenty o' exampos
http://www.mikejwilson.com/solidworks/solidworks_files.htm
You knew that though right Matt?

Check out the following...
Reference Point (2004)
Curve Driven Animation (2001Plus)
VBA in an Equation (2001Plus)

He should have done his homework. Shame shame.

To make the equation animations on my site come to life...

*) Select "Turn on Screen Capture" in your Anim. toolbar
*) Run my "Rebuild Macro" (should be included in files)

Remember, you can use an IIF statement to make the equation
start over, go backwards, loop-de-loop etc so it doesn't keep
counting until infinity.

Let us know how it goes.

Mike Wilson