Replacing components in an assembly using Pro/PROGRAM

Question

When replacing components in an assembly that was made by Pro/PROGRAM, how do you manage references and make sure you get rid of references to parts that no longer exist in the assembly?

by Steven Goulet, JTEKT/KOYO

Answered by Gavin B. Rumble, PE
Assuming you are not using Pro/Notebook (Layouts), then you will need to research, understand, and edit/modify as follows in the model (both assemblies and parts):
First, check the Program…Tools tab>Model Intent>Program…which has an INPUT section, RELATIONS section, EXECUTE section, and ADDS section.  Any references to your deleted and/or added model need to be addressed.  The INPUT section really is just a Parameter declaration and is not component specific so it usually won’t cause you problems. The RELATIONS are accessible from either the Program editor or the standard RELATIONS editor. Look for references to your deleted model such as D41 = D18:39.  The EXECUTE section is misnamed…it should be called “pass the parameter”, as it drives parameter values from the current assembly down into a sub-assembly or part.  Delete or re-write these commands to accommodate the model replacement.  Finally, search (Ctrl-F) the ADDS to see if the component has Program code wrapped around it (such as and IF and ENDIF).  These will need to be deleted and later recreated (if required) for the new component.
Now that the Program is “neutered” with respect to the component swap, make your assembly changes as you normally would.
As noted above in step one, re-create the desired Program code to then properly drive the new model(s).
It should be said that the above is not for the faint of heart…it gets very complicated sometimes.
Finally, it should also be said that the Program capabilities themselves can sometimes be used to achieve such a component swap.  Family Tables and Interchange assemblies required.

 

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What are all the capabilities of macros in Creo?

Question

…and, what are the newest macro capabilities?

by Jody Woods, JTEKT

Answered by Gavin B. Rumble, PE
It depends on what you are referring to as MACROS.  Creo can automate tasks using VBA, Toolkit, J-Link, and Web Link, but these are all beyond the scope of a Q&A. You can also automate many tasks using MAPKEYS as follows in your models (both assemblies and parts) by recording command keystrokes:

Select File, Options, then Environment, and Mapkey Settings. Record your commands and keystrokes to a new named Mapkey, then save the Mapkey(s) to a text file in your working directory named config.pro. Next time you start Creo it will read this file and enable this Mapkey. Alternately, you can copy and paste the Mapkey text into a Config.pro file in your Personal User directory or into the Creo loadpoint (typically C:\Program Files\PTC\Creo 3.0\F000\Common Files\text). It is best not to attempt to include graphics screen model picks as they may fail when the model is different or when you resize your screen.

Generally, any command that you can select from the menus and ribbon (and even some older commands that you can no longer find) can be recorded to reduce command steps and clicks.

Be creative, anything you do repeatedly should be considered for a Mapkey.

Record your own…for some reason they are always easier to remember. You can actually “write” a Mapkey in Notepad, but the syntax is very cryptic and prone to failure.

Name the Mapkey with mnemonics like VF for View Front, END for Erase Not Displayed, DF to convert a Dimension to a Fraction, etc. Remember, if you have an existing Mapkey called DF, do not create a new one called DFV (Display Front View?)…the shorter one will always execute first before you can even enter the “V”.

Ask you friends what they are doing…sometimes one Mapkey will make your day more productive. Share yours…Mapkeys should not be kept secret.

I don’t know of any enhancements to Mapkey functionality in Creo…shout out if you do.

 

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PTC Community – Setting Up Email Streams

The article below was originally posted by David A. Haigh of Lawrence Livermore National Lab on the PTC/User Forum site. The article provides helpful instructions on how to set-up email streams on the new PTC Communities. A special thanks to David for allowing us to repost on the Pro/Users of the Carolinas site. Continue reading PTC Community – Setting Up Email Streams

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