Mass property from a drawing macros

I have put a couple more macros on the KCSWUG website and here is a link to
each.

www.kcswug.com/programs/macros/MassOfSelectedViewCopyToClipboard.swp
www.kcswug.com/programs/macros/MassOfSelectedView.swp

They both perform a function that I think should be standard, and that is to
retrieve the mass value of the model in a drawing view. The current method
is usually RMB on a drawing view to open the model, go to the correct
configuration, ask for the mass properties, write down or remember the
value, close that box, go back to the drawing, double-click a note (in our
case in a block) in the drawing, highlight the value portion, and type in
the number - if you remember it.

Now it's a bit simpler. Select the proper drawing view. (If you don't, it
will tell you to pick a view first.) Then run the macro. For simplicity, I
have assigned mine to <SHIFT>W hotkey as we haven't already used it for
anything, and "W" can stand for "Weight." (Slick, eh?) Or, you can assign it
to a button on the macro toolbar.

Either way, run the macro. The program looks at the referenced model in the
selected view, opens the proper configuration, and gets the mass properties.
It will then put a box up on your screen that gives you 3 choices to copy to
the clipboard - the English value (default), the Metric value, or the mass
property string.

Be careful with using the property string because the metric/English units
and the display precision are controlled by the referenced model, not the
drawing. This can lead to lots of decimal places being displayed in the
drawing note where we typically only use one place. It can also display an
incorrectly interpreted value if the part/assy display property is set to
metric and the drawing is English. There may be a way around this, however,
and I will continue to work on it as I get time. I think it's worth pursuing
as then the weight value displayed in the drawing would update as the model
changed.

Now the second macro. On our drawings, we have a block (called PTL) that
contains a note with the weight value in it, and this macro will put the
selected mass value in the selected block.

You can select any number of objects (notes, faces, views, blocks, etc.) in
any order. But when you run the macro, if you haven't selected at least one
drawing view, it will tell you that you need to have a drawing view
selected. It goes through all the objects that you have selected and finds
the first drawing view in your selection order. It goes to that model and
that configuration, gets the mass value, and comes back with the values in a
form. If, during your selection process, you also grabbed a PTL note (or any
other note with a tag name of "Weight") then the program will find the first
selected one and insert your chosen value into it. That simple. Free for the
downloading.

As always, comments are welcome.

WT

 

I'm sorry for not understanding, but you can do this already
with a config specific property. What am I missing?

Mike Wilson

 

The macro automates the process of retrieving the mass of the specific
config in the drawing view. It presents you with the choice of the
property, the English value, or the metric value, and copies the selected
one to the clipboard. To get a better idea of what it does, open a drawing,
click on a view and run the macro.

Also, as I mentioned in the message, the property is somewhat limited in its
usage in that the display properties of it are controlled by the referenced
model, not the drawing in which it is displayed.

WT

 

I just add mass to the model templates..and create a link into the drawing
templates..