How to create a Parametric Cell with Variations and associated Items, enabling the placed Variations


 Product(s):MicroStation
 Version(s):CONNECT Edition
 Environment:N\A
 Area:Parametrics
 Subarea:General

The purpose of this article is show a method of reporting on the Variations of a placed Parametric Cells within a design.

Background

When placing a Parametric Cell containing Variations a designer can choose the required Variation to place. (For Example, a Parametric Cell of a door may have a variable constraint controlling its width, with predefined Variations for each standard width of door a designer can choose from)
Once the Parametric Cell is placed in the design currently the Variation selected to be place is no longer available in the Properties for this instance, thus when multiple Variations of the same Parametric cell are placed it’s not possible to generate a Report on the various Variations within the design. (For Example, Report on the number of door Variation within a floor plan)
To overcome this an Item Type can be used that is associated to the Parametric Cells Variation, which in turn can be Reported upon

Steps to Accomplish

Steps to edit the Parametric Cell to include associated Item Types

  1. Open the Cell Library containing the Parametric Cell
  2. Open the Model (Parametric Cell) for editing
  3. Open the Item Types Dialog (Drawing > Attach > Item Types)
  4. Create a new Item Type Library if required, this will be attached to the Parametric Cell Variations later. (Doors in this instance)
  1. Create a new Item Type (Single_Door in this instance)
  1. Create a New Property Definition (Size) to be used to Report on later
  1. Save the Item Type
  2. To attach the Item Type to the Parametric Cell Variations, open the Variables dialog (Modeling>Constraints>Variables)
  3. Select the Item Type: created earlier
  1. Select a Variation to show its Properties and under the Item Type properties enter the required values for this Variation. ( In this example Size:826 to match the Variation Name )
  1. Repeat Step 10 for the other Variations
Having edited the Parametric Cell when a Variation of this Parametric Cell is placed into a design, its associated Items Property Definition is also written. Thus, these Items associated with the Variation can be used when generating Reports.
             
             
In the Report preview above the Parametric Cells Item Size property is the same name as the Variation used.

See Also

Item Types - Properties - MicroStation

Introduction to MicroStation CONNECT Edition Reports

How to run a report on location of cells and place as a table

Other language sources

Italian

 Original Author:Carl Myhill