Personally I like the idea of creating macros for this type of thing also.
There are things that don't need to be fooled around with. I like seeing
datum planes when I start a part or assembly file. It's like having a
program at a baseball game. REF "You can't tell the players without a
program."

On the other hand this is Pro/E and NOT AutoCad. We can change things to
suit our specific wants and needs. I would certainly want to make sure that
the users are on board with those types of changes.

Michael P. Locascio

D

davehaigh

13-Aquamarine

Actually, you don't need two mapkeys to turn the datums on and off. It's just a toggle. I do it like this:

!=========================================================
!== DATUM VIEWING ==
!=========================================================
mapkey ax @MAPKEY_LABELAxes On/Off;\
~ Command `ProCmdEnvAxisDisp` 1;

mapkey cx @MAPKEY_LABELCoordinate Systems On/Off;\
~ Command `ProCmdEnvCsysDisp` 1;

mapkey dx @MAPKEY_LABELDatum Planes On/Off;\
~ Command `ProCmdEnvDtmDisp` 1;

mapkey px @MAPKEY_LABELPoints On/Off;\
~ Command `ProCmdEnvPntsDisp` 1;

mapkey af @MAPKEY_LABELAll Datums Off;\
~ Command `ProCmdRibbonOptionsDlg` ;\
~ Select `ribbon_options_dialog` `PageSwitcherPageList` 1 `ConfigLayout`;\
~ Activate `ribbon_options_dialog` `ConfigLayout.Open`;\
~ Update `file_open` `Inputname` `P:\\mapkey_configs\\datums_no.pro`;\
~ Command `ProFileSelPushOpen@context_dlg_open_cmd` ;\
~ Activate `ribbon_options_dialog` `OkPshBtn`;\
~ FocusIn `UITools Msg Dialog Future` `no`;\
~ Activate `UITools Msg Dialog Future` `no`;

mapkey ao @MAPKEY_LABELAll Datums On;\
~ Command `ProCmdRibbonOptionsDlg` ;\
~ Select `ribbon_options_dialog` `PageSwitcherPageList` 1 `ConfigLayout`;\
~ Activate `ribbon_options_dialog` `ConfigLayout.Open`;\
~ Update `file_open` `Inputname` `P:\\mapkey_configs\\datums_yes.pro`;\
~ Command `ProFileSelPushOpen@context_dlg_open_cmd` ;\
~ Activate `ribbon_options_dialog` `OkPshBtn`;\
~ FocusIn `UITools Msg Dialog Future` `no`;\
~ Activate `UITools Msg Dialog Future` `no`;

The two configs look like this:
Datums_yes.pro:
=============
display_axes yes
display_axis_tags yes
display_planes yes
display_plane_tags yes
display_points yes
display_point_tags yes
display_coord_sys yes
display_coord_sys_tags yes

Datums_no.pro:
=============
display_axes no
display_axis_tags no
display_planes no
display_plane_tags no
display_points no
display_point_tags no
display_coord_sys no
display_coord_sys_tags no

David Haigh

R

RonGrabau

1-Visitor

OK, I don't do this often but I am going to poke the pig and see what happens.

I am always amazed when parametric users don't use layers to control the display of datums. As a standard rule we put all datums on layers and then save the status as hidden. This way you never have to worry about what the state of the datum display is. I am sure that everyone has turned on the datums to work on a part only to switch windows and get the assembly which can no longer be seen due to the datums. I have no idea how someone can work in this environment. I have to assume that users toggle the display off and then are forced to select from the model tree. I personally find that process unproductive. I don't mean to pick on anyone here and get all the hate mail back but I guess I have a narrow perspective on this subject.

In my personal world I just turn on the datums for the assembly and any current parts that I am working on. I can do this since all models are saved with the datums in a hidden layer status. I would never want to see all the datums of all the parts while I am working on a part.

Some of my users complain that if they try and assemble a part with the layers hidden you cannot select the layer. I find this not to be true. You can switch to the layer tree and pick on the select icon and pick the model being assembled, you can then unhide the desired datums and do your work. When you are finished and save the layer status is still hidden and the next time you retrieve the assembly all the datums are off. You could argue that that process slows down the assembly of the component but I also would think it is difficult to place a component when you cannot see the assembly.

Here is a fairly simple board assembly. Why would you ever want to see this... ever?

[cid:image001.png@01CEF7E5.A7EFDFD0]

I would rather work with a model that looks like this

[cid:image004.jpg@01CEF7F6.47AA9460]

Maybe I am old fashion and just have not learned new tricks. Eventually I will retire and not bother people with my old way of thinking. But until then...

What I do hate is getting models from vendors that have layer names that are different from our standard. I see datums on all sorts of layers and this makes it difficult to work with. This is particularly true with set datums. For this reason I have a toolkit application that deletes all layers, creates the company standard layers and assigns features to the correct layers. You can run in on an entire assembly and it is recommended prior to putting it into our PDMLink system.

If you create layers with rules you get an automatic assignment so you don't have to worry about getting things left off a layer. I use templates for our standard parts, assemblies and drawings just as many of you do. I also have the layer setup file set just in case someone decides to not use a template. My point is that once you set up a standard it makes dealing with all the datums pretty simple.

Yes, I still have mapkeys to toggle datums on and off but I don't use them because I have too many datums showing in my assembly. I just want a picture with no datums or just don't want to see them at that moment. (Yes I know I can shade the model...)

Anyway, just my 2 cents worth of Friday thoughts.

Have a good day and weekend!

Ronald B. Grabau
HP PDE-IT
Roseville, CA
916-785-3298
-<">mailto:->

M

mdebower

18-Opal

No hate mail from me, I agree with you.

In fact, I tried to get this very idea implemented at my company to much gnashing of teeth and rending of cloth. Never did understand the problem with it. I must be an old timer now too!!

-marc
CAD / PLM Systems Manager
TriMark Corporation

D

DonSenchuk

12-Amethyst

I also agree with Ronald's rant. What I've mostly been able to glean is that a lot of people simply can't wrap their heads around how layers work.

D

davehaigh

13-Aquamarine

You don't even have to turn the layers on if you want to assembly via the datums, you can use the search tool to find them. I'm still kind of stuck in the old way of picking off the screen, but those folks that use the search tool, can do this really quickly.

David Haigh

J

jnelson

14-Alexandrite

It takes a brave man to put himself out on the front line, late on a Friday afternoon.

Well done. Well said

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID

"Grabau, Ronald" <-> wrote:

OK, I don’t do this often but I am going to poke the pig and see what happens.

I am always amazed when parametric users don’t use layers to control the display of datums. As a standard rule we put all datums on layers and then save the status as hidden. This way you never have to worry about what the state of the datum display is. I am sure that everyone has turned on the datums to work on a part only to switch windows and get the assembly which can no longer be seen due to the datums. I have no idea how someone can work in this environment. I have to assume that users toggle the display off and then are forced to select from the model tree. I personally find that process unproductive. I don’t mean to pick on anyone here and get all the hate mail back but I guess I have a narrow perspective on this subject.

In my personal world I just turn on the datums for the assembly and any current parts that I am working on. I can do this since all models are saved with the datums in a hidden layer status. I would never want to see all the datums of all the parts while I am working on a part.

Some of my users complain that if they try and assemble a part with the layers hidden you cannot select the layer. I find this not to be true. You can switch to the layer tree and pick on the select icon and pick the model being assembled, you can then unhide the desired datums and do your work. When you are finished and save the layer status is still hidden and the next time you retrieve the assembly all the datums are off. You could argue that that process slows down the assembly of the component but I also would think it is difficult to place a component when you cannot see the assembly.

Here is a fairly simple board assembly. Why would you ever want to see this… ever?

[cid:image001.png@01CEF7E5.A7EFDFD0]

I would rather work with a model that looks like this

[cid:image004.jpg@01CEF7F6.47AA9460]

Maybe I am old fashion and just have not learned new tricks. Eventually I will retire and not bother people with my old way of thinking. But until then…

What I do hate is getting models from vendors that have layer names that are different from our standard. I see datums on all sorts of layers and this makes it difficult to work with. This is particularly true with set datums. For this reason I have a toolkit application that deletes all layers, creates the company standard layers and assigns features to the correct layers. You can run in on an entire assembly and it is recommended prior to putting it into our PDMLink system.

If you create layers with rules you get an automatic assignment so you don’t have to worry about getting things left off a layer. I use templates for our standard parts, assemblies and drawings just as many of you do. I also have the layer setup file set just in case someone decides to not use a template. My point is that once you set up a standard it makes dealing with all the datums pretty simple.

Yes, I still have mapkeys to toggle datums on and off but I don’t use them because I have too many datums showing in my assembly. I just want a picture with no datums or just don’t want to see them at that moment. (Yes I know I can shade the model…)

Anyway, just my 2 cents worth of Friday thoughts.

Have a good day and weekend!

Ronald B. Grabau
HP PDE-IT
Roseville, CA
916-785-3298
-<">mailto:->

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