RECORD FIELD FROM SYMBOL A IS FILLED OUT BY RECORD FIELD FROM SYMBOL B

[ibenjamin.price]

Hi there,

Im looking for any help you can provide on best practice here.

 

I've got a symbol placed in my design layer that has a Record Format (Called Detail Record) with  5 Fields. 

Part Name : 

Part Code : 

Version : 

Status : 

Next Steps : 

 

I've manually populated the field data in this symbol so that all the record fields are full.

Part Name : The Greatest Part Ever

Part Code : 0123456

Version : 001

Status : On Fire

Next Steps : Please add fillet to edges and ensure draft is at 1º on side

 

Now for the trick :

I want the record field information that I populated to show up next to the symbol on the ground plane, so when I fly around in place I can view all of this info. 

BUT I do not want the visible text of the field data to live with the symbol. I want it to be separate, so if i move / rotate the symbol in 3d Space and not have the information move with it...

( I tried attaching text to the record field, but that just adds the text to the symbol and then the text moves with the symbol. )

 

Is there a way to link Symbol A populated field data in Record Format A to Symbol B record data field? 

 

Im thinking maybe I have my symbol with the data, then I have an "info card" symbol, that is reading the information and showing it in the design layer....

It seems I need my "info card" to query the specific symbols record data and auto populate the field...

 

Any help is appreciated!

 

-Ben Price

 

Mac OSX El Capitan, VWX 2017 Spotlight, Late 2013 Macbook Pro

[Christian Fekete]

My guess is that you have to add to your symbol a text field that you link to the record field of the symbol and that should then appear on your instance on the drawing. Let me know if that works.

Best

CF

[Pat Stanford]

How "Live" does this link need to be? Do you change the information on the symbol records often?

 

There are two "scriptable" ways I can think of to do this. 

 

The easiest (from the scripting side) would be a script that would create the new 'Info card" object and copy the data from the symbol into the Info card record and then use Link Text to Record from there. Either the original script or a second script could go through and update all of the info cards in the drawing. The down side to this is that you would need to run the script(s) when the data changes to get the info card updated. The good is that you can move the original symbol all you want without effecting the info card.

 

The second and probably better way, would be to create a Plug-in object that would act as a parent for both the original symbol and the info card. Everytime you modify the PIO instance the data will automatically update. The down side is that you would probably have to include controls in the OIP for all the possible rotations. I don't think I can make an object that will let you use the standard rotate tools on just part of the object. Also, I probably don't have enough free time right now to really make this work in the near future.

 

Do either of these sound like something that would work for you?

[ibenjamin.price]

Hey Pat, 

Thanks for the help. 

 

The updating of the "info card" is mostly for maintenance and status updates after initial setup.

At first we're thinking we would load the record field data for these symbols by copying from existing spreadsheet into a report. 

After that. we would be updating individual symbols to reflect current status, notes or updates from Design, next steps, ect.

 

Both of these approaches sound logical from a conceptual standpoint to me, albeit somewhat beyond my skill set.

The Scripting approach is probably the best place to start. I don't think we have a problem with having to run the scripts each time. 

It would be ideal if we are able to update a single "info card" and also all cards at one time.

 

I appreciate the note about your workload, no worries and thanks for the help. 

Do you know of resources out there that can help me get this scripted? 

 

-Ben

[ibenjamin.price]

Hey Christian,

There are instances where i want to see the text of the record fields for a symbol, like when I'm trying to get feedback on notes or updates or status of things.

But I there are also many scenarios where I don't want to see that info but i want it as a part of the symbol.

Like when I'm building an assembly of something or using this object rotated in 3D space. 

Using the link text to record field automatically adds that text to the main symbol, and it seems as though it cannot be removed from an instance unless you detach the record entirely. 

Unless I'm missing something there?

[Christian Fekete]

Yes, I am not sure I have the ability to help you beyond that. sorry.

[Hippocode]

If you have Landmark or Designer there is a very good label object included, under the irrigation toolset.

Edited November 4, 2016 by Hippocode

[ibenjamin.price]

Thanks for the heads up. I checked these out. Seems that it requires the Symbol to be a PIO in order to work. So that doesn't work for me at this point, because I want to be able to freely rotate and manipulate the object after a label has been attached. Once I convert my Symbol to a Instrument or accessory as a PIO it automatically becomes a hybrid object...