This is my procedure for creating new formats in Creo:
-New, Format (give it a meaningful name & make sure you have a shared directory prepared, for the sake of having some hard numbers I'll describe a b-size, 11"x17") I try to have the size in the name somewhere, metric or std.
-Sketch, Line (sketch a rectangle .5" inside the drawing size, in this case from 0.5,0.5 to 16.5,10.5 (landscape)). I'll also sketch 1/4" "divider" lines at the 1/4 distance of each border line, e.g. 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4.
¡That's your basic border!
To create title blocks where parameters populate you need to create tables. Using an existing printed drawing I'll make logical divisions so the tables are easier to define & handle. Figure about 5 individual tables, e.g.: legal, tolerance, title, company, drawing details; whatever makes sense to you (at this time). Also notice dividing lines & alignment of text within individual tables; this will dictate the number of columns your starting table will need. You'll Merge & Blank lines to get the table to look proper in the end.
Typically the title or drawing details is the most difficult table so I'll cover that then the others will use only parts of what was already done. I'll use my companies format as an example, you have to modify to suit your company's needs.
Our title has 6 rows of texts (customer, 2 lines for description & 3 other lines for drawing info). The columns are where you need to calculate. Our customer & descriptions span the entire table so all the cells in those rows will be merged.
Next 2 rows from left to right are: "scale" with the drawing scale underneath; "sheet" # "of" # , over "units:" units; "dwg. file" file_name. "scale" would be one column. "sheet" # "of" # is 4 columns (sheet is one, # is one, of is one & the other # is one). "dwg. file" is one column & file_name is the last column. A total of 7 columns.
The last row is "do not scale", one column; "created by", one column; drawn_by, one column; "date", one column; todays_date, one column. A total of 5 columns.
This doesn't mean you are making a 6 row, 7 column table! You need to look & decide if you want your formating alignments between rows to match. In my case I added 2 more columns as drawn_by, "date:" & todays_date did not align with text from the rows above; so I created a 6 row, 10 column table.
(This column procedure can also apply to rows depending on horizontal alignments)
Now merge cells as dictated by text alignments not line visibility, e.g. merge all cells in the customer row but do not merge any of the cells in the "sheet" # "of" # although there are no lines there!
Type in your desired text. Any variable text needs to be entered as a parameter! &todays_date, ¤t_sheet, etc are internal parameters. &customer, &description, etc are user-defined parameters and need to be added to the model (either in start_part, mapkey or memory). Do not base alignments on parametric text.
Next select the whole table (usually several RMB clicks) so Line Display is "selectable" & Blank lines as desired.
Save the table in your format directory & correctly place the table you just defined in your format. I like to select the whole table, RMB the appropriate corner then Move Special so the table is exactly placed.
Another item to consider is the height of each table as some tables stack and others go the full height so I will modify row height so the overall heights & the stacked heights match exactly.
Save your format & you now have your first format ready to use.
