Using the Drawing Format Definition Program Tool To Add, Modify, Remove, and Copy Formats

Formats are the top-level objects that are used to define drawing formats.They can be classified using categories, format ID and Description.

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Creating (Adding) A New Format

To create a new format, select the “Add Format” button on the “Format Definition” dialog, and an empty “Format Definition” dialog will be displayed. (See figure below)

Enter/select the following for the “Format Definition” dialog:

Format ID
Internal identifier used to represent the data required representing a drawing format by usage.For example, “delphiProduct” and “delphiExtProduct” are used to define standard formats for internal and external Delphi use.
Restrictions:
1.Use a unique identifier name to represent usage.

2.No blanks.

3.Use only alphanumeric characters.

4.Use lowercase characters for all but use uppercase for first letter of the second or more joined words.

Category
Format program dialog text used in Delphi Automotive format program as the top-level classification for formats. Used, for example, in the“Add/Replace Format” dialog pull-down category option.For example: “Corporate” is category name that includes all corporate standard size formats.
Options/Restrictions:
1.Be descriptive.

2.Nolimit to the length of the category description, but try to keep it less that about 32 characters.

Description
Used in the Delphi Format menus to describe the type of format.For example, the corporate standard size formats (A0, A1, A2) are classified as one the following:

1.“Internal Cut Sizes” (Component and assembly drawings that are A0, A1, or A2 in size.)

2.“External Cut Sizes” (Outline drawings that are A0, A1, or A2 in size.)Required Block Ids

Required Block Ids
The format ids for the format blocks required defining the format.Blocks in this list will be automatically added.Optional blocks can be added after the format is added.
Options/Restrictions:
1.The required blocks must be previously defined.
Units
Name of units used to define the size of the format sheets.
Options/Restrictions:
1.Metric (mm)

2.English (inches)

Don’t Show In Menu
Toggle to suppress the format option from displaying.
Options/Restrictions:
1.Off (Default)

2.On

Sizes
Used to define/access the data required for each size of format sheet.When creating a new format definition, the “Empty List” option in the sizes pull-down menu is displayed until a format size definition is created.To create a new size definition, click on the “Add” button, and the “Format Size” dialog will be displayed (See figure below).

Enter/select the following for the “Format Size” dialog:
Name
Internal identifier used to represent the format size.For example, “a0” and “a1” are used to define standard A0 (E size) and A1 (D size) formats.
Restrictions:
1.Use a unique identifier name to represent the size of the format.

2.No blanks.

3.Use only alphanumeric characters.

4.Use lowercase characters for all but use uppercase for first letter of the second or more joined words.

Description
Used in the Delphi Format menus to describe the size of format.For example, the corporate standard size formats A0, A1, and A2.
Options/Restrictions:
1.Be descriptive.

2.No limit to the length, but try to keep it simple.

Frame Pattern
The name of the UG pattern file that contains the static geometry and text used to define the size of format.
Options/Restrictions:
1.The pattern file must be in the categories pattern directory.

2.A link must be defined from the $DAFORMAT_BASE_DIR/pattern directory to the pattern in the in the format categories’ pattern sub-directory in the.Example:

ln –s ../../delco_format/pattern/delcomma0.prt .

3.If your site is currently using patterns, a link must be defined from the $UGII_PATDIR pattern directory to the frame pattern file. 

4.Be descriptive.

Size Label
The value for the size label can be used for default value for text fields.This is accomplished when setting up text fields (see below) and setting the “Default Type” to “FrameDescription” in the “Field Definition” dialog.
Frame Layer
This value is used to define the layer number to be used for the geometry and text in the frame pattern when it is added to a drawing.
Options/Restrictions:
1.Layer 254 is the Delphi Design Standards layer for formats.
UG Size Code
This option is used to define the size of the drawing to be created when selected this format size.
Options:
1.A0/A size (Should be “E” size)

2.A1/B size (Should be “D” size)

3.A2/C size

4.A3/D size (Should be “B” size)

5.A4/E size (Should be “A” size)

6.Custom Size

Height
This option is used to define the height of the drawing to be created.
Restrictions/Options:
1.Only used if the “Custom Size” option is selected for the “UG Size Code”
Length
This option is used to define the length of the drawing to be created.
Restrictions/Options:
1.Only used if the “Custom Size” option is selected for the “UG Size Code”
Right Offset
This value is the distance from the right edge of the format to start of the first zone.(The right edge of the paper to the first vertical line on the format.)
Number Horz. Zones
The number of horizontal zones on the format sheet.
Number Vert. Zones
The number of horizontal zones on the format sheet.
Horz. Zone Length
The length of each of the horizontal zones.
Vert. Zone Length
The length (height) of each of the vertical zones.
Horz. Zone Type
The type of horizontal zone designator to be used.

*Numbers

*Letters

Vert. Zone Type
The type of vertical zone designator to be used.

*Numbers

*Letters

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Modifying A Format

To modify a format, select the “Modify Format” button on the “Format Definition” dialog, and a“Edit Format” dialog will be displayed.(See figure below.)

Select the format to edit, and hit the “OK” button and a“Format Definition” dialog will be displayed with the previously enter format definition data.(See figure below.)

Use the directions from the “Add Format” command to modify the values for the format.

Add

Use the add button to add new format sizes to the format definition.

Edit

Use the edit button to edit the selected size using size pull-down menu.

Remove

Use the remove button to remove the selected size using size pull-down menu.

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Removing A Format

To remove a format, select the “Remove Format” button on the “Format Definition” dialog, and a“Remove Format” dialog will be displayed.(See figure below.)

Select the format to remove from the pull-down menu and hit the “OK” button.

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Copy A Format

To copy a format, select the “Copy Format” button on the “Format Definition” dialog, and a“Copy Format” dialog will be displayed.(See figure below.)

Select the format to copy from the pull-down menu and hit the “OK” button.The copy is now available to edit and has the same name as the original with “Copy” added to the end of the copied format’s description.Edit the copy, rename the format id and modify and settings for the new format.

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Last updated on January 18, 2001
Send feedback: steven.l.alexander@delphiauto.com