Mapping Variables to Drawings
How to take manual input out of drawing control using SOLIDWORKS PDM.
Moving files through workflows is a great way to ensure that your CAD files and drawings are checked and approved before being released.
On most drawings there is a place to sign and date when approved, this can be a time-consuming process when reviewing a drawing. Mapping variables from the data card to the drawing title block can allow PDM to do the work for you.
- To do this, open an empty drawing which will be used as a template.
- Enter the note in the desired location either on the drawing or inside the sheet format.
- For this example, I will add a note in the checked by box.
- Right click the note and select “edit text in window”
- We use the code “$PRP:””” to pull the custom property from the drawing to the title block.
- For the Checked by property the code we will use Is $PRP:”CheckedBy”
- This will be displayed as blank on the drawing until the custom property has a value.
To push the changes through from PDM to the drawing log in to the administration tool and open variables.
- Add a new attribute if needed to the Checked By variable, this has to be spelled correctly and match the custom property that was put in the note.
- CustomProperty with block name CheckedBy.
- Open the Card Editor and add an edit text box linking the variable to the data card.
- Whilst still in the Administration tool, open the workflow and decide at what stage the information is to be added to the drawing.
- In this instance we are adding the initials to the card after it has passed through approval. Edit the transition and go to actions.
- Enter the variable information and the desired value, making use of drop drowns to ensure correct syntax.
- Save and test out the functionality of the system.
- As you can see the information has been added to the drawing without having to check the files out.
- This can be adapted to show different information for different states the file is in. Another common use is to show a watermark on the drawing stating the state of file and whether it is in pre or post release.
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