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.

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

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.

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.
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