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Anonymous
September 1, 2006
Question

Importing Points From Excel

  • September 1, 2006
  • 1 reply
  • 4014 views
I am trying to import x and y points from excel and use them and a spline to make a 2d shape. Does anyone know how to do this?

    1 reply

    P
    ptc-33678111-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    September 14, 2006
    There are a couple of things you may do. 1.) To simply import your points, add a z column to you data (ie. z=0), copy and paste only the x, y, z values in a new spreadsheet, and then save your new data sheet as a "Formated Text (Space delimited) (*.prn)" file. Then, close excel, open windows explorer, and find the .prn file you just saved. Now, rename the .prn extension to .pts. It will give you some warning about changing the file extension, but accept it, because this is an unassociated copy of your original data. Now open a new part file in Pro and go to Insert > Model Datum > Point > Offset Coordinate System. The Offset CSys Datum Point window will appear. Now, select the coordinate system in your part file and click "import" at the bottom left of the Datum Point Window. Click on your points file and say open. The points will be given a number from PNT0 - PNT... and the x, y, z values will appear in the Datum Point Window. If everything looks correct click "Ok" and you are finished. If a point looks off check your original value.
    P
    ptc-33678111-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    September 14, 2006
    2.) You may import the points and have Pro run a spline through the data for you. You will have to create an .ibl file. To do this open a new excel spreadsheet (or notepad) and type: open arclength begin section begin curve then copy and paste x, y, z data only below begin curve. The data must be in order for this to work properly, meaning Pro will start the spline at your first point and run it through the 2nd, and so on to the end. You may also type close instead of open in the first line to close the spline. See simple examples below. ------------ open arclength begin section begin curve 1 0 0 0 1 0 -1 0 0 0 -1 0 --------------- or ------------ close arclength begin section begin curve 1 0 0 0 1 0 -1 0 0 0 -1 0 ---------- Now, save out the .prn file and rename it to an .ibl file. Open a new .prt file, and click Insert > model datum > Curve > From File > Done and select the coordinate system. Next the open file window will appear. Select the .ibl file you just created and click open. A spline datum curve will appear on the screen and you are done. Note the the .ibl and .pts files work because the data is seperated by spaces and not tabs! If the data isn't importing check that the file is has spaces and not tabs between the data sets and that the coordinate system has been selected.
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