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freeform schedule

Pedro Serra
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Hi,

I'm trying to extract quantities from a model where I created a few freeform solids to which I applied parts and datagroup information. I am able to extract the quantities with the quantify tool according to the part's report rules. However if I create a schedule the freeforms do not have any information concerning quantities. I am guessing that the form is not "intelligent enough" to link its quantities to the respective datagroup definition.. Is there any way to accomplish this?

Is it possible to create datagroup definitions that work somehow like the report components of the parts?

Also, is there any way just to make a freeform a little bit more intelligent when reporting quantities, like a height or a length?

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  • 0 Offline
    Pedro,
    Which version of ABD are you using? In SS5, I am able to place a slab form, linear form & free form, then add a Family/Part to each and finally add DataGroup Instance Data to each. With this, I am able to have it report the quantities in the Structural Quantity Report, Quantify tool & DataGroup Explorer schedules.

    The key to it showing up in the Datagroup Explorer schedules is that it the Catalog data that you have added to the form must have an appropriate data schema. For Linear Forms the instance data added must include the Wall_Application.xsd and Wall_Quantities.xsd definition files. For Slab Forms and Free Forms the instance data that is added must include the Slab_Common.xsd and SlabQuantities.xsd definition files. To see this try adding Wall Instance data to a linear form or Slab Instance Data to a slab form.

    Note that Slab Forms are preferred over Free Forms if possible.

    -Travis



    Answer Verified By: Pedro Serra 

  • 0 Offline in reply to T_Wollet

    By the way... I just noticed that these definition files are not in the same folder as the others (they are in the Program Files (x86) instead of Program Data) and that they do not appear in the definition editor. I tried copying the .xsd files to the Program Data folder where ABD is reading the other definition files but they still do not appear in the definition editor. Is there any way to take a look at this files through the editor and maybe change some stuff?

    Also, what exactly are the .xml files? I was under the impression that these were the actual objects defined by the datagroup, to which we would add definitions (the .xsd). But when I attach a definition to a datagroup object I have to choose a destination file that can be any of the xml files that exists.  

  • 0 Offline in reply to Pedro Serra
    Pedro,
    Some definition files are "system-level" definitions and their display is masked by default to prevent users from making unnecessary changes to them. If you want to be able to see and edit these definition files you need to have the config variable _USTN_DISPLAYALLCFGVARS = 1 . When the variable equals 1, you will have two options available from Building Designer > DataGroup - Building Components:
    - Open Definition Editor
    - Open Definition Editor - Systems

    Open Definition Editor - Systems will display all XSD files in the editor. Be careful in what you are editing though. You should not delete definitions or definition properties as you can create mismatches in the schemas of existing models.

    Regarding the XML files... These can be containers for any number of different types of information. We store DataGroup Catalog Items in XML's (typically in datagroupcatalogs folder). We also store Display Names, Enumerated Lookup Lists (list values for DG Properties) and Product Filters (used in DG Catalog Editor). We also record the creation of a DG Catalog and the association of a definition file to a particular catalog. DataGroup Catalogs must be in XML files in a path defined by the variable DG_CATALOGS_PATH, while most of the other types of info should be in the path of DG_PATH. Some types of info can reside in the path of either variable.

    I hope this helps clear things up for you.
    -Travis



    Answer Verified By: Pedro Serra 

  • 0 Offline in reply to T_Wollet
    Very good, it worked just fine. Now... I wanted to have access to this properties because I'm creating some new objects and I would like to assign them some properties that belong (for example) to the SlabQuantities.xsd. However I don’t need all of the properties defined in this .xsd but only 1 or 2 that are more relevant like the volumes and the top area. I was hoping that by accessing these files through the editor I could find out how they are set up so maybe I could reproduce them in an .xsd file of my own and then use them as I wish in my new objects. Can you tell me if what I'm trying to accomplish is possible? I only wish to create objects with not so much "noise" to make it simpler to handle after.

    Regarding the xmls... I think I understood, I’m just not sure about the way Bentley organized the information in the .xml files. It seems a little bit confusing. Do you have any guidelines on how to organize our new data (definitions and objects) that you can point me to?
  • 0 Offline in reply to Pedro Serra
    Pedro

    The XSDs are a great way to make sure that the same properties are used every time you call them, for example Manufacturer or Fire Rating, and they are intentionally kept small so can add just the groups of properties that you need, but sometimes elements ends up with a few properties that they don't always need.

    By any chance, have you downloaded the Ss6 early adopter version? It has a ton of new schema management tools that help clarify where everything is coming from.

    Ss6 also introduces the concept of user-defined catalog types for walls, slabs, and profiles, which would let you define your own special kind of slab and use if for whatever you want (plus tools to help you create the catalog type, complete with a minimum schema required for each catalog type to work with its related tools).

    -Tom



  • 0 Offline in reply to TomWaltz
    Hi Tom,
    No I haven't, where can I find the download? Is it available as a trial or something like that?
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