Cabling - Automatic wire spool creation with .spl/.nwf

[ES_10941506]

CREO 9

I'm trying to create wire spools using an .nwf style format created in excel, based on:

1. An exported file based on a set of manually created wire spools
2. Templates from @BrianMartin 
3. The syntax examples found here: About Neutral Format Wire List (ptc.com)
4. A .spl file written from a manually created wire spool

I've tried the following format:

"NEW WIRE_SPOOL DATA
PARAMETER MIN_BEND_RADIUS 9
PARAMETER THICKNESS 3
PARAMETER UNITS MM"

... as well as variations of it to include "PARAMETER NAME_FORMAT W-###", "PARAMETER COLOUR [COLOUR]", "PARAMETER DENSITY [DENSITY]" & "PARAMETER MASS_UNITS KG" and exclude the "PARAMETER" from every line as per the .spl file.

I've tried including the this text in the .nwf file for my part designation data, and copying the formatted text into Notepad and save it as a .spl file as I don't have access to Creo schematics. However I keep getting the following error message, with the number changing based on how many parameters I'm trying to use etc. Error message:

1 WARNING: Extra characters found at end of line.

...

39 WARNING: Extra characters found at end of line.
40 ERROR: Required parameter NAME is missing.
40 ERROR: Required parameter TYPE is missing.

I've also attached a screenshot or the error when attempting to copy the .spl format, as well as a .txt version of my .spl file.

Is there a different format for .spl files, or why won't it work when I include it in my logical data file? Any help is massively appreciated, thank you.

[Lars_F · Accepted solution]

Hello,

After reading the PTC Neutral (nwf) file ("import logical"-"PTC-Neutral" without any connections) you have to select "Spools"-"Create"-"From Logical" to actually create the spools. You can select which spools (or all spools) you want to create (image). Creo automatically creates the spools if you route connections that exists on the same nwf-file.

Your attached nwf-file is also a little strange looking. The "NEW WIRE_SPOOL"-style nwf is the style that creo creates (which you tried)
Example attached...

Notes:
- I would also use smaller bend radiuses. Routing is difficult with such large radius (unless you really need those).
- Density is something to check also. Creo may use kg/mm (millimeter) for the density.

I believe the .spl file is meant for a single wire spools. Format is very similar to the nwf file (no PARAMETER keywork used). I haven't tried to read multiple spools from a single file... yet. You can read a single spool by selecting the "Spools"-"Read" -command.

Example spool file looks like follows (! are comment lines)

! You may use the help functionality of Pro/TABLE
! to enter pre-defined parameters.
! Spool Name
NAME PWR_24VDC
! Spool Type
TYPE WIRE
! Minimal Bend Radius
MIN_BEND_RADIUS 14
! Wire Thickness
THICKNESS 4
! Units
UNITS MM
OBJ_TYPE WIRE
COLOUR YELLOW
! Mass Units
MASS_UNITS KG
! Wire Density
DENSITY 0.052

Br,

Lars

[AF_mechdesigner]

Hello, you might be interested in this: https://gitlab.com/milanmartikan/nwf-generator

I found it on Gitlab while searching other items.

I also converted the python script into an .exe file, so it's easier to use (see attachment).