Custom BOM Balloons and Layers

[jforsyth]

I am using CREO 3.0 M090.

I want to create a Custom BOM Balloon, which I can do.

In the custom BOM Balloon I want it to  display a model parameter, which I can do.

The issue is I want to circle or ellipse that I use to define my custom BOM Balloon to be hidden.

I created the geometry and text for my custom BOM Balloon in a drawing.  I placed the circle or ellipse on a hidden layer.

I then created a new symbol and selected the drawing geometry.  The circle or ellipse shows up in my symbol definition window.  I save this symbol in Windchill.

I am going down this path so that I take advantage of the Merge Balloons option in the Table tab.

I want to be able to Balloon several parts and then use the Merge Balloons command to remove all leaders except for a single leader.

When I take this custom BOM Balloon and use it in another drawing the circle or ellipse is visible, even though I have the same hidden layer.

Am I missing anything?

Thanks,

John

[Chris3]

I have spoken with PTC about this in the past. It is not currently possible to hide the circle. The best you can do is to make it really small.

[MartinHanak]

Hi,

please can you explain why do you add a circle into custom BOM symbol and then hide it ?

[jforsyth]

Martin,

Good question.

Using the default BOM Balloons I can merge several balloons together which removes all of the leaders except for a single leader.

I am trying to duplicate that by creating a Custom BOM Balloon that displays a model Parameter instead of the rpt.index.

Since I have to have some kind of circular element in order to create a custom BOM Balloon, I don't want the circular element to be visible. 

If I can get this to happen then I can have custom BOM Balloons without the circular element displayed and still take advantage of the merge feature.

I am trying to be able to automatically create something like the attached pic while still using the BOM Balloon features.

I hope this explains what I am trying to accomplish.

[MartinHanak · Accepted solution]

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@jforsyth wrote:

Martin,

Good question.

Using the default BOM Balloons I can merge several balloons together which removes all of the leaders except for a single leader.

I am trying to duplicate that by creating a Custom BOM Balloon that displays a model Parameter instead of the rpt.index.

Since I have to have some kind of circular element in order to create a custom BOM Balloon, I don't want the circular element to be visible. 

If I can get this to happen then I can have custom BOM Balloons without the circular element displayed and still take advantage of the merge feature.

I am trying to be able to automatically create something like the attached pic while still using the BOM Balloon features.

I hope this explains what I am trying to accomplish.

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Hi,

if I understand you well you use circle to enable users to position merged balloons properly.

I think you can replace circle with very small lines located at proper places in symbol definition. Because they are "almost invisible", you do not have to hide them.

Example:

[jforsyth]

Martin,

thanks for the suggestion.

I will give it a try

John

[jforsyth]

Martin,

That seems to work.

I will have to play with the length of the lines to have it look like we want.

Thanks for your help