Q 1 What is the maximum number of
characters allowed in a Pro/ENGINEER object name?
Thirty one (31) characters can be used in Pro/ENGINEER object names. This
number does not include the extension, i.e., .prt, .asm, .drw, or the object
version number, i.e., .1, .2, .3.
Q2 .Can upper case characters be used in Pro/ENGINEER object names?
Upper case characters cannot be specified in Pro/ENGINEER object file names.
Upper case characters can be specified during object creation, however, the
file will be written to disk using lower case characters only.
Q.3 what is the reason for using a config.pro file?
The config.pro file is used to control the environment in which Pro/ENGINEER
runs. There are over 150 available options which allow control of a variety of
different aspects, ranging from model display to default units to search paths
used to retrieve assembly components.
Q.4 is a default config.pro file created when Pro/ENGINEER is installed?
When Pro/ENGINEER is initially installed, there is no default config.pro file
that is created automatically. However, a large number of the options do have
default values which are used unless the option setting is changed in a
config.pro file. The Configuration Options section of Pro/HELP lists the
default config.pro option values in italics. There are two methods that can be
used to create a config.pro file. The first method is to utilize any text
editor, vi for example, and manually create the file. Each option should have
its own line in the file, with the format being {Option Value}. The second
method is to use the Preferences dialog box within Pro/ENGINEER, which can be
accessed by selecting Utilities, Preferences... When you exit the dialog box,
the config.pro file will be written to your local directory. See the Suggested
Technique for Using the Preferences Dialog Box for a detailed description of
the functionality for this new dialog.
Q.5 Where does Pro/ENGINEER look for config.pro files?
Pro/ENGINEER looks for config.pro files in 3 different directories in the
following order:
1) load point/text
Config.pro files residing in load point/text will be read first.
2) The user's home directory
With UNIX systems, Pro/ENGINEER will read the config.pro file in the user's
home directory. This is most commonly used for specifying user customized
config.pro options such as colors and mapkeys.
3) Working directory
The directory in which Pro/ENGINEER starts is searched for a config.pro file.
If the same option appears in more than one config.pro file, the one that was
read last will be utilized by the system.
Q.6 After config.pro is edited, why aren't the changes reflected?
After config.pro is edited, the Add/Change and Apply buttons must be selected
in the Preferences dialog box in order for the modifications to be reflected in
the Pro/ENGINEER session, or Pro/ENGINEER can be restarted. Be aware that some
config.pro options require Pro/ENGINEER to be restarted in order for config.pro
modifications to be reflected.
Q.7 After config.pro is edited, is it necessary to restart Pro/ENGINEER?
After config.pro is edited, the Apply button must be selected in the
Preferences dialog in order for the modifications to be reflected in the
Pro/ENGINEER session, or Pro/ENGINEER can be restarted. Modifications to the
following config.pro options require Pro/ENGINEER to be restarted.
Q.8 what is the difference between config.pro and config.sup?
There are two main differences between config.pro and config.sup.
Unlike config.pro, config.sup can only be located in the load point/text
directory.
Config.sup options cannot be overridden by options found in any other
config.pro. Also, items contained in the config.sup can only have one entry per
option. Keeping this in mind, it is important that items which can have
multiple entries, such as "mapkey", "search path", and
"def_layer" are not specified in config.sup.
Q.9 Is there a limitation on the number of characters that can be included
in a config.pro entry?
Ans: Each line in config.pro is limited to 80 characters. Environment variables
can be used to specify config.pro "search_path" values containing
more than 80 characters. Refer to Configuration Options in Pro/HELP for
details.
Q.10 Where are Pro/ENGINEER objects stored when File, Save is selected?
By default, Pro/ENGINEER objects will be stored to the current working
directory. If the working directory is changed using File, Working Directory,
Pro/ENGINEER objects will be saved to the new directory. If a Pro/ENGINEER
object is retrieved from a directory other than the current working directory,
Pro/ENGINEER will save the object back to the directory from which it was
retrieved. If the user does not have write permission in that directory, the
object will not be saved unless the config.pro option
"save_object_in_current" is set to "yes".
Q.11 What does File Save As do?
File - Save As will make a copy of a specified Pro/ENGINEER object using a new
name. List the object that is to be copied in the Model Name space in the Save
As dialog box, the current object being the default. In the New Name space, a
new file name should be specified. Pro/ENGINEER will create this object in the
current working directory.
Q.12. what does File, Backup do?
File, Backup can be used to save Pro/ENGINEER objects to a specified directory.
The object will be saved in the specified directory using the original
filename(s).
File, Backup in Assembly, Drawing, or Manufacturing modes will save all related
objects to the specified directory.
Q13 what does File, Rename do?
File, Rename is used to change the name of Pro/ENGINEER objects in memory and
on disk. Pro/ENGINEER will rename all versions of the object being renamed.
When renaming an object that was retrieved from directory other than the
current working directory, the renamed object will be saved in the directory
from which the object was retrieved.
Q14 what does File, Erase, Current do?
File, Erase is used to clear the specified object from workstation memory. This
functionality will not remove objects from disk. Objects referenced by an
active assembly or drawing can not be erased. A list of objects in the current
model will then be displayed. Only the current top level model (i.e. assembly or
drawing) can be erased, and selected objects as well.
Q15 what does File, Erase, Not Displayed do?
Ans: File, Erase, Not Displayed is used to erase all objects from the current
session, except for those that are currently displayed and any objects referenced
by the displayed objects. For example, if an assembly instance is being
displayed at the time Erase, Not Displayed is selected, the instance, the
instance's generic, and it's components will not be erased. There is a
config.pro option related to File, Erase, Not Displayed called
"prompt_on_erasenotdisp".
yes (default) - a message window for each eligible object in question appears,
asking if you want to first save the object before it is erased.
no - the system will immediately erase all eligible objects.
Q 16 What does File, Instance Operations do?
File, Instance Operations will save a particular instance of a part or assembly
in a separate file called an " instance accelerator file" (suffix
".xpr" for a part, ".xas" for an assembly). This file is
used to retrieve particular instances quickly from disk rather than having to
first retrieve the generic into memory, selecting the particular instance
according to the family table, and then regenerating. Therefore, with this
functionality the amount of time that it takes to retrieve an instance of a
part or assembly from disk can be considerably reduced. The trade off is that
more disk space will be used to store the accelerator files. When File,
Instance Operations is selected, the INST DBMS menu appears with the following
options
InstIndex - create or update the Instance Index file for a specified directory
pdate Accel - create or update accelerator files for all instances currently in
session
Purge Accel - examine each instance accelerator file and delete it if it is not
current with
SaveAccelEnv - brings up the SV INST ACC menu When SaveAccelEnv is selected the
SV INST ACC menu appears with the following options:
none (default) - the system does not save the instance in a file separate from
the model.
always - the system always saves the instance in a separate file
explicit - the system saves the instance in a separate file only. When the
instance is explicitly saved.
The config.pro option "save_instance_accelerator" can also be used to
control instance accelerator files. The values for this config.pro option are
also none (default), always, explicit. When you bring up the SV INST ACC menu,
one of the options will be highlighted to reflect the last setting. That
setting could have been either loaded from a configuration file or selected
previously from this menu.
Q 17 Does Pro/ENGINEER over write existing objects when saving to disk? What
does the object version number indicate?
Ans: Pro/ENGINEER will not overwrite existing objects while saving to disk.
Objects are saved to disk with an object version number after the file
extension. Pro/ENGINEER will create a new object file each time the object is
saved, monotonically increasing the version number each time.
The object version number indicates the number of times the object has been
stored. Objects are saved to disk with an object version number after the file
extension. Example: A part called valve.prt will be initially written to disk
as valve.prt.1. Subsequent storage of this object will result in the files
valve.prt.2. valve.prt.3, etc. If the directory is purged, the object with the
highest version will remain.
When a top-level object is retrieved (for example, an assembly drawing), it
always retrieves the most recent version of the assembly and its parts.
Therefore, the version of the drawing does not necessarily have to have the
same version number as the part or assembly. This will frequently be the case
when several different users are working on the same files.
This wouldn't cause a problem unless a user deletes or redefines a feature that
is used as a reference by some other object. For example, if a feature is
deleted from a part that is used for assembling another component in an
assembly, then that component will fail placement when the assembly is
retrieved, and must be redefined. Another example is when planar surfaces are
used to orient the model in a drawing view, and the feature is then deleted or
suppressed. This will result in the message, "model geometry for drawing
view is missing", and the view will revert to an isometric orientation,
and must be re-oriented (using the default datum planes to orient the views
whenever possible will help to prevent this).
The best method for avoiding these situations is to use a database management
product that will manage revision changes made to parts/assemblies/drawings.
Without a system like this, any user can change any model, regardless of what
other users are doing.
Q 18 Does Pro/ENGINEER offer an auto-save function?
Auto-save functionality is not currently implemented in Pro/ENGINEER. The
"prompt_on_exit" config.pro option can be utilized to prompt the user
to save objects in session before exiting Pro/ENGINEER.
Q 19 What happens if I run out of disk space while saving my objects?
If available disk space is depleted during storage, Pro/ENGINEER will issue the
message: object name could not be saved: Check disk space or write access.
Error in storage. Check previous message (then press Enter):"Pro/ENGINEER
will not save any portion of the object to disk. Disk space must be made
available before the object can be saved.
Q 20 What is the difference between File, Erase and File, Delete?
File, Erase removes the object from workstation memory. The object is not
removed from disk. File, Delete removes either old versions or all versions of
the object and all associated objects from disk. It is recommended to approach
this menu selection with a great deal of caution. Creating backup copies of
Pro/ENGINEER objects is considered good practice and can reduce the effect of
accidental removal of data.
Q 22 Why is the following message given: "PDM database object must be
renamed by Pro/PDM application"?
By default, Pro/ENGINEER will not allow Pro/PDM objects to be renamed within
Pro/ENGINEER. The config.pro option "let_proe_rename_pdm_objects" set
to "yes" will allow Pro/ENGINEER to rename Pro/PDM objects.
Warning: Objects renamed in Pro/ENGINEER will be considered new Pro/PDM objects
when submitted back to a Pro/PDM database.
Q 23 Why aren't part files saved when File, Save is selected in Sketcher?
While in Sketcher, the File, Save functionality will save the section to disk
rather than the part file. This functionality allows sections to be stored to
disk for future use in feature creation. Section files are saved to disk with a
.sec file extension. Once Sketcher is exited by either completing the feature
creation or quitting, File, Save will save the part file to disk.
Q 24 How is family table instances stored to disk?
All family table instance information is stored within the generic
model.Pro/ENGINEER does not save a unique object file to disk for each
instance.
Q 25 How can copies of a part be created?
Ans : The File, Save As functionality allows copies of part files to be created
using the following technique: Select File, Save As. Pro/ENGINEER will open a
Save As dialog box. The current object in memory will be the default object to
copy (in the Model Name section of the dialog). The name of the new object is
specified in the New Name line in the dialog.
Q 26 Does Pro/ENGINEER save all components each time an assembly is saved?
Ans : By default, Pro/ENGINEER does not store all assembly components to disk
upon each File, Save operation. Instead, Pro/ENGINEER will save the assembly
file and only components that have been modified. By setting the config.pro
option "save_objects", this can be changed. By using this option,
Pro/ENGINEER can be instructed to save all dependent objects, save only the
objects that were modified, or save modified objects and objects specified by
the user.
Q 27 Where does Pro/ENGINEER save part files that are assembled from a
directory different than the current working directory?
Ans : By default, Pro/ENGINEER will store objects that are assembled from other
directories back to the directory of origin. If the user does not have write
access to the directory, Pro/ENGINEER will not store the objects in the current
working directory, unless specific config.pro options have been set. The
config.pro options "override_store_back" and
"save_object_in_current" allow greater control over this type of
situation.
Q 27 What happens during storage of an assembly if its dependent part files are
located in a write-protected directory?
Ans : By default, Pro/ENGINEER will only store modified objects and will always
store objects back to the directory from which they were retrieved. Therefore,
if a part from a write protected directory has been modified and File, Save is
selected, Pro/ENGINEER will not be able to save the object unless the
config.pro options "override_store_back" and
"save_object_in_current" are utilized.
Q 28 Why can't an assembly be retrieved after clearing it from memory or after
starting a new session of Pro/ENGINEER?
During assembly creation, it is possible to add components to the assembly that
are located in directories other than the current working directory. When the
assembly is saved, the assembly file is saved to the current working directory
while modified components are saved back to the directories of origin. If the
assembly is cleared from workstation memory by either exiting Pro/ENGINEER or
by selecting File, Erase, and selecting all the objects in the ERASE dialog box
and then retrieved, it is possible that Pro/ENGINEER will not be able to locate
certain components. The config.pro option "search_path" can be used
to specify directories which Pro/ENGINEER will search for objects. The
config.pro file must contain a separate "search_path" option for each
directory to be searched. Refer to the Configuration Options section of the
Pro/HELP for details.
Q 29 How does File, Save As function in Assembly mode?
In Assembly mode, the File, Save As functionality allows any or all members of
the assembly to be copied.
By default, after selecting File, Save As, a dialog box will appear with the
name of the assembly to be copied specified next to Model Name. The new
assembly name is specified on the next line (New Name). After selecting OK, a
check mark can then be placed next to each assembly component to be copied or
Include all subcomponents can be selected to copy all assembly components.
If a check mark is placed next to any of the components or if Include all
subcomponents is selected, Pro/TABLE will be displayed where new component
names can be specified in the cell adjacent to the original.
If OK is selected without selecting a component or Include all subcomponents,
Pro/ENGINEER will create only a copy of the assembly which references the
original components.
The config.pro option "model_rename_template" is used to create a
user defined renaming scheme.
Refer to the Configuration Options section of the Pro/HELP for further
information.
Q 30 Why do parts intersected by assembly features require renaming before they
can be stored?
Ans : Assembly features which intersect assembly components alter the
geometrical intent of the original object. When the assembly is in session, the
component exists in memory in two different states. When Pro/ENGINEER tries to
save the assembly, it is unclear which state of the component is to be saved.
Pro/ENGINEER will prompt the user to save the object with a new name. This will
create a copy of the object containing the geometric result of the assembly
feature.
Q 31 What does the config.pro option "override_store_back" do?
If the config.pro option "override_store_back" is set to
"yes", Pro/ENGINEER will save objects retrieved from other
directories to the current working directory;
If "override_store_back" is set to "no", which is the
default, objects will be saved in the directory of origin. If the option is set
to "no" and the user does not have write access to the directory of
origin, Pro/ENGINEER utilizes the config.pro option
"save_object_in_current".
Q 32 What does the config.pro option "save_object_in_current" do?
When the config.pro option "save_object_in_current" is set to
"yes", Pro/ENGINEER will save objects to the current working
directory if the user does not have write access to the directory from which
the object was originally retrieved. If the option is set to "no",
Pro/ENGINEER will not save the object at all. This option should be used in
conjunction with the config.pro option "override_store_back".
Q 33 What is the preferred method to make a copy of an assembly?
The File, Save As functionality is the best way of copying assemblies.
Q 34 What is the preferred method to rename assembly components?
The following procedure should be used to rename assembly components:
Retrieve the assembly which contains the components to be renamed
In a sub-window retrieve the component to be renamed
With the component active, select File, Rename and enter the new component name
Select Window, Activate and pick in the window containing the assembly
Regenerate the assembly
Select File, Save to save the assembly which contains a reference to the new
component name.
Q35 what is the preferred method to rename a drawing?
The File, Rename functionality should be utilized to rename a drawing.
Q36 What is the preferred method to copy a drawing and its model?
The following procedure should be used to create a copy of a Pro/ENGINEER
drawing:
Select File, Save As, which will bring up a Save As dialog box
Enter the name of the drawing to copy, the current drawing is specified by
default
Enter the new drawing name, and select OK.
The following procedure can be used to create a copy of a drawing and copy of
the drawing model:
Create a new directory
Select File, Backup from the drawing window, and specify the new directory as
the destination. Pro/ENGINEER will create a copy the drawing and the model
Select File, Erase and clear the current drawing and model from memory
Select File, Working Directory select the new directory as the current working
directory
Retrieve the backup drawing
Select File, Open and retrieve the part to be copied in a sub-window
With the part active, select File, Rename and rename the part
Select Window, Activate and pick in the window containing the drawing
Regenerate, rename if necessary (selecting File, Rename) and save the drawing.
The following procedure can be used to create a copy of a drawing and a copy of
the drawing model, ONLY IF both the model and the drawing have the same name
(i.e.. valve.prt and valve.drw):
Set the config.pro option "rename_drawings_with_object" to
"both"
Retrieve the model and have the drawing either in session or in the current
working directory
Select File, Save As on the model
Enter the new model name in the New Name field in the Save To dialog box.
And a message will appear in the Message Window saying that the Drawing and the
Part were copied to the new name.
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View Functions
General:
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*How can the orientation of the default view be changed?
The default model orientation can be redefined by setting the config.pro
options "x_angle" and "y_angle" to the desired values of
the rotation, in degrees, of the object about the x and y axis. In addition,
the model can be saved in user defined orientations by selecting View, Saved
Views, entering a unique view name, and then Save. The model can easily be
reoriented into the saved view orientation by selecting View, Saved Views,
selecting the saved view name and then Set.
Shading:
*How can the quality of a shaded model be increased?
The quality of the shaded model can be increased be selecting View, Model
Display, Shade. Specify the shade quality between 1 and 10; the number 3 is the
default. Increasing the shade quality to higher values may result in an
increase in shading time. In addition, Small surfaces may be check marked in
order to shade very small surfaces, such as round features, which otherwise may
not be shaded unless the model is zoomed in.
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*When a shaded model is spun, why does it revert back to wireframe?
Pro/ENGINEER shaded models will revert to wireframe if the machine is not
configured for hardware shading capabilities. In order to have the model remain
shaded during a spin operation, the workstation must have an appropriate
graphics card installed, and the "graphics" option in the config.pro
file must be set based on the type of workstation being used. Refer to the
Hardware Configuration Notes on www.ptc.com for specific details.
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*How can a postscript file of a shaded model be created?
To create an encapsulated postscript (EPS) file of a shaded model select File,
Export, Image, change the type to EPS, and then OK. Select Dimensions Size, or
Resolution DPI or Image Depth for additional options and finish by selecting
OK.
Refer to the Hardware Configuration Notes on www.ptc.com for details on EPS
plotter support.
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*Why aren't surface features displayed when the model is shaded?
When the config.pro option "shade_surface_feat" is set to "no",
surface features will not be displayed when the model is shaded.
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Colors:
*How is a color map file stored to disk?
A user defined color map can be stored to disk by selecting View, Model Setup,
Color Appearances, File, Save As, and enter the name color.map in the New Name
field in the Save As dialog box. Pro/ENGINEER will create a file called
color.map in the current working directory.
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*Where does the color.map file need to be located in order for Pro/ENGINEER to
recognize it?
The color map file, color.map, will be automatically loaded if it is located in
the directory that Pro/ENGINEER is executed from. The configuration file option
"pro_colormap_path" can be used to specify the location of a color
map file that is not located in the startup directory.
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*How many different colors can be defined and stored to the color.map file?
The exact number of colors that can be defined will vary, depending on the type
of workstation and the graphics card that is being used. Higher end graphics
cards will typically allow a greater number of colors to be defined.
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*Why is the Transparency menu selection not available?
The transparency functionality is offered only with hardware graphics configurations.
Refer to the Hardware Configuration Notes for other items available with
hardware graphics configurations.
On machines configured to use hardware graphics, the transparency functionality
must be enabled by selecting View, Model Display, Shade, and Enable the
Transparency option.
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*When a color is assigned to a part in Assembly mode, why is the color not
reflected in Part mode?
Colors assigned to parts in Assembly mode do not effect Part mode. This
functionality allows assembly colors to represent a production operation done
after assembling the individual parts, e.g., the application of paint.
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*In Assembly mode, why does the part display with a different color than what
was defined in Part mode?
Colors applied to components in Assembly mode will override colors defined at
the Part level. To unset an assembly color, retrieve the assembly and select
View, Model Setup, Color Appearances, Component, select the component in
question and then Unset.
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Exploded Views:
*Why does a subassembly explode when the top-level assembly is exploded?
By default, subassemblies explode when the top-level assembly is exploded. The
top-level assembly can be modified to specify which subassemblies and which
parts within the subassembly to explode by selecting Modify, Mod Expld, Expld
Status. Select Toggle Expld from the EXPLD STATUS menu and pick the components
in the Model Tree that are not to be exploded (changing the value to
Unexploded).
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*How can exploded views show the axes of the explosion?
This functionality is not currently implemented in Pro/ENGINEER. However, datum
axes can be created using one of several available methods. The type of datum
axis to use will depend on the specific situation.
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*How can an exploded view be saved to a named view?
Exploded views can be saved to a name by exploding the assembly, then selecting
View, Saved Views, and then Save a new name. When an exploded view name is
retrieved, the assembly can be unexploded using View, Unexplode.
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Misc Operations
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*What is the File, Working Directory menu selection used for?
The File, Working Directory menu selection allows the Pro/ENGINEER working
directory to be changed. After selecting Working Directory, Pro/ENGINEER allows
navigation through the directory tree structure.
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*What is the Window, Open System menu selection used for?
When Window, Open System is selected, Pro/ENGINEER will execute a system shell.
The current working directory for this shell is the Pro/ENGINEER working
directory. The Pro/ENGINEER session will be suspended while the system window
is active. Exiting out of the system window will allow the Pro/ENGINEER session
to continue.
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*Why do the Pro/ENGINEER windows become inaccessible after Window, Open System
is selected?
The Pro/ENGINEER session will be suspended while the system window is active.
Exiting out of the system window will allow the Pro/ENGINEER session to
continue.
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*What is the Help, Customer Services Info menu selection used for?
The Help, Customer Services Info menu selection will open a Pro/ENGINEER
information window giving the active Pro/ENGINEER config ID number, the
Revision and build of Pro/ENGINEER, and almost all information about your
system's configuration. This information is specific to your site and used by Parametric
Technology Technical Support as a means of determining your software
configuration and licensing.
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*What else does the Help, Customer Services Info menu selection provide?
The Help, Customer Services Info menu selection will open a Pro/ENGINEER
information window providing the following information:
Licensing Information - Software Version
- Configuration Id
- Pro/ENGINEER loadpoint directory
- License Configuration (Locked or Floating)
- All included Pro/ENGINEER options
Machine Information - Hostname - Username - CPU id - Pro/ENGINEER machine type
- OS name, release, and version - Pro/ENGINEER graphics type
Installation Directories and Command Information
Configuration Information - Configuration files read
Auxiliary Application Information (includes floating option information if
available)
Parametric Technology Information - Important phone and fax numbers - WWW home
page address - Internet e-mail address - technical support address
This information is specific to your site and used by Parametric Technology
Technical Support as a means of determining your software configuration and
licensing. This information is written to a support.inf file in the current working
directory of Pro/ENGINEER.
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*What is the Utilities, Mapkey menu selection used for ?
The Utilities, Mapkey menu selection is used to create a mapkey by recording a
series of menu picks and assigning these picks to a keyboard key or keys. The
created mapkey can be stored in the config.pro file for use in other sessions
of Pro/ENGINEER or be specified to be used in the current session only.
When Utilities, Mapkey is selected the Mapkey dialog box appears with the
following options.
New - Create a new mapkey and starting recording picks.
Modify - Modify the highlighted mapkey.
Run - Execute the highlighted mapkey.
Delete - Delete the highlighted mapkey.
Save - Save the current mapkeys to a config.pro file.
See the Suggested Technique for Creating Mapkeys using the Mapkey Functionality
for more information on the Mapkey functionality.
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*In which directory does Pro/ENGINEER create trail files?
Each time Pro/ENGINEER is executed, a trail file is created called trail.txt.n;
where n represents the file version number which monotonically increases with
each new file. By default, Pro/ENGINEER trail files are written to the current
working directory. The config.pro option "trail_dir" can be used to
specify a directory to which the Pro/ENGINEER trail files are to be written.
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*Why is Pro/ENGINEER unable to execute a trail file with the file name
"trail.txt"?
Pro/ENGINEER does not allow trail files to be executed having the file name
"trail.txt". The file must be renamed since Pro/ENGINEER creates a
new file "trail.txt" each time the software is executed. Trail files
must be in the format filename.txt; where filename represents a string other
than "trail".
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*What would cause a trail file to go out of sequence?
There are many possibilities that would lead to a trail file going out of
sequence. Before executing the trail file, the Pro/ENGINEER environment must be
exactly the same as it was during initial creation of the trail file. For
example, if the trail file retrieves a part and makes modifications to it, the
same version of the part must reside in the same location as it was found
initially. In addition, the same config.pro options must be utilized. If, for
example, the display of datum planes was modified, this could cause an out of
sequence error. If a trail file does go out of sequence, the user will be
notified of the line number that could not be executed. To troubleshoot this
type of problem, copy the original trail file to a backup name, then edit the
original trail file by removing all the lines after the one that caused the out
of sequence error. Also remove five to seven lines before the point of failure.
At this point, rerun the edited trail file, then manually walk through the menu
selections by viewing the backup trail file. By doing this, it will be clear
what is causing the problem.
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*Is there a way to force the trail file to stop after each menu pick?
With the config.pro option "set_trail_single_step" set to
"yes", a trail file will stop after each trail file step. Entering a
carriage return will allow the trail file to proceed.
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*Is there a way to force the trail file to pause after each menu pick?
The config.pro option "trail_delay" will force a trail file to pause
for a specified number of seconds between trail file steps. The value for the
"trail_delay" option is the delay period specified in seconds.
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Q How can the size of the Pro/ENGINEER working window be controlled?
The default size of the Pro/ENGINEER working window can be controlled using the
config.pro option "windows_scale". The window scaling factor is
specified as the value to the "windows_scale" option ranging from 0.5
to 1.0. The default value for the "windows_scale" option is 1.0.
Pro/ENGINEER must be restarted in order for modifications to the value of
"windows_scale" to appear.
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*How can the fonts used in the Pro/ENGINEER menus be changed?
There are several config.pro options that can be used to change the
Pro/ENGINEER menu fonts.
The configuration file option "default_font" option is used to change
the font used by Pro/ENGINEER for items other than the menu bar, menus and
their children, and pop-up menus. For Unix machines, this must be the name of a
font available at the X-server running Pro/ENGINEER. The "xlsfonts"
command can be used to list available system fonts. The standard default font
for Unix systems is helvetica, regular,12. The standard fonts for Windows NT
and Windows 95 are inherited from the system settings made with the Control
Panel. The "default_font" format should be:
default_font name, style, point_size
Spaces are acceptable and the values may be in any order. Example:
default_font courier, italic, 12
In addition, the configuration file options "menu_font" and
"popuphelp_font" can be used to separately control the font of the
menus and pop-up screens. Pro/ENGINEER must be restarted in order for these
modifications to appear.
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*How can the default location of the Pro/ENGINEER working window be changed?
Pro/ENGINEER does not currently allow the default location of the Pro/ENGINEER
working window to be redefined, however the scale of the working window can be
modified using the config.pro option "windows_scale".
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*Is it possible to prevent the second column of menus from overlapping the
Pro/ENGINEER working window?
With the config.pro option "menu_horizontal_hint" set to
"right", Pro/ENGINEER will place the second column of menus to the
right of the primary menus i.e. the ENVIRONMENT menu will appear to the right
of the MAIN menu instead of overlapping the Pro/ENGINEER working window. Be
aware that the working window may require a scaling factor using the config.pro
option "windows_scale" to provide ample screen space for the
secondary menus to be displayed.
Pro/ENGINEER must be restarted in order for modifications to the value of
"menu_horizontal_hint" to appear.
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*How can a separate icon be made of each individual working window rather than
iconifying the entire Pro/ENGINEER session?
With the config.pro option "iconify_entire_pro" set to
"no", individual working windows can be iconified. The default value
for "iconify_entire_pro" is "yes".
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Mapkeys
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*What would cause a mapkey to not work properly when it is executed?
The mapkey functionality allows a series of Pro/ENGINEER menu selections and
keyboard input to be executed by a keyboard command. If a mapkey will not
execute properly, check the following:
If the mapkey was defined during a session of Pro/ENGINEER, verify that the
config.pro file has been loaded into the Pro/ENGINEER session using Utilities,
Preferences...
Verify that the mapkey syntax has been specified correctly in config.pro.
Verify that the first menu selection defined in the mapkey is displayed in an
active Pro/ENGINEER menu.
Verify that each Pro/ENGINEER menu selection that the mapkey is calling is not
"grayed out". In other words, a mapkey will fail if a menu selection
can not be interactively picked with the mouse pointer.
Verify that the definition of the mapkey in config.pro does not exceed 80
characters. It if does, continue it to the next line using a "\" at
the end and then continue the definition on the next line.
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*Where is the mapkey functionality documented?
The mapkey functionality is documented in the Pro/HELP Online Documentation,
under the topic To Define Your Own Mapkeys.
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*Is there a limitation in the number of characters that can be included in a
mapkey?
All lines in config.pro are limited to 80 characters. Mapkeys containing many
characters may be nested together to define a single operation:
Refer to the Pro/HELP Online documentation for further information.
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*How can a mapkey be defined to turn datums on and off?
The display of datum planes is a toggle function in Pro/ENGINEER. One mapkey is
used to toggle the display:
MAPKEY dtm #ENVIRONMENT; #Disp DtmPl
Or, as of Release 20, there is a Toolbar icon which can be unselected for each
of the datum features.
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*Why are mapkeys not recognized in the config.sup file?
Only the first mapkey defined in config.sup will be recognized in Pro/ENGINEER,
per the definition of config.sup.
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*Can keyboard function keys be used in a mapkey?
Function keys may be used for mapkeys and should be defined as follows:
MAPKEY $F2 #FEATURE, #CREATE, #COSMETIC, #SKETCH, #NO XHATCH, #DONE
The "$" sign tells Pro/ENGINEER that F2 is the function key
"F2" and not the alpha-numeric characters "F"
"2". For NT machines, F10 is predefined as an NT utility and cannot
be defined for a mapkey. For more information refer to the Pro/HELP Online
Documentation.
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*How can a mapkey call another mapkey?
A mapkey may execute another mapkey. This is called nesting mapkeys:
MAPKEY param #set up; #parameters;
MAPKEY string %param; #part; #create; #string;
This example has the first mapkey "param" making the menu selections
to shade the model. The second mapkey "string"
executes the first mapkey "param", defined by %param, and then
creates a string parameter. For more information refer to the Pro/HELP Online
Documentation.
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*How can keyboard input be included in a mapkey?
Keyboard input can be entered during the execution of a mapkey by selecting
Pause for Keyboard Input during the mapkey creation. Then, when making the menu
selections that will be included in the mapkey, Pause must be selected to allow
the mapkey to stop, so that keyboard input may be entered. For example, to
create a mapkey that will automatically create a new part, with a user-defined
name, consisting of a default set of datum planes, refer to the Suggested
Technique for Creating Mapkeys using the Mapkey Functionality . In this case,
the mapkey would pause and wait for the user to input the name of the model,
then continue on after the user presses the Resume button to create the default
datum planes.
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*Can a mapkey prompt for a screen pick, then continue?
A mapkey may prompt for a screen pick, however it cannot continue once the
selection has been made. An alternative technique is to define a second mapkey
which will continue once the screen selection has been made.
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Customizing menus using menu_def.pro
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*Where is there detailed documentation on the menu_def.pro file?
Detailed documentation can be located in the Suggested Technique for
Customizing Pro/ENGINEER menus using menu_def.pro .
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*Where does Pro/ENGINEER look for menu_def.pro files?
Similar to config.pro, menu_def.pro file can reside in any of 3 directories.
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*How can a menu pick be removed from a menu?
The default Pro/ENGINEER menu selections may not be modified or removed.
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*Why doesn't a menu_def.pro menu selection work when it is picked?
If the added menu selection aborts prematurely, check the following:
If the menu_def.pro file was created within the Pro/ENGINEER session,
Pro/ENGINEER must be restarted in order for the modification to be recognized.
Verify that the menu syntax has been specified correctly in menu_def.pro.
Verify that the first menu selection defined in menu_def.pro is displayed in an
active Pro/ENGINEER menu.
Verify that the each Pro/ENGINEER menu selection that added menu selection is
calling is not "grayed out", in other words, an added menu selection
will fail if a menu selection can not be interactively picked with the mouse
pointer.
Verify that the definition of the menu selection in menu_def.pro does not
exceed 80 characters.
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*How can a new menu selection be placed at the top of a menu?
All menu_def.pro menu additions will be displayed in the bottom of the target
menu.
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*How can menu_def.pro be used to create a new menu?
A menu_def.pro will not allow a new menu to be created. Only new menu
selections can be added to existing menus.
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Family Tables
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*How can the names of family table items (features, dimensions) be changed so
that the names that appear in the column headings are more descriptive?
To change the name of a feature, select Set Up, Name, Feature, select the
feature, then enter the new name for the feature. To modify dimensions, select
Modify, Dim Cosmetics, Symbol, then enter in the symbol to replace the
dimension symbol, "d#".
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*Is there a limit to the number of rows and/or columns that can be included in
a family table?
There is no limit to the number of rows and/or columns that can be included in
a family table. The size of the dialog box may have to be expanded, in order to
see a large number of rows and/or columns at one time.
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*How can negative dimension values be entered in a family table?
In order to enter negative values, the dimension symbol must be preceded by a
"$" sign when added to the family table.
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*What does it mean to have nested instances?
Nested instances refer to instances created within other instances.
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*What are .ptd and .idx files? Can they be deleted?
A .ptd file is a text file containing all the information found in the family
table, including all instance names and their current values. The .ptd file is
created by selecting File, Export Table, and selecting Pro/TABLE as the type of
file to export. This file is not required for part retrieval and can be
deleted. However, the .ptd file can be used to edit the family table outside of
Pro/ENGINEER. If an instance is deleted by modifying the .ptd file, subsequent
retrieval of the generic will ask the user if he or she wishes to clean up the
family table, at which point any modifications made to the .ptd file will be
reflected in the internal family table. In addition, as soon as the generic is
stored, the internally stored family table.
