Installing The Program---

Installation

  1. Download the latest version of the program from ftp://ftp.drd.gmeds.com/pub/da_format to a directory on a NFS mounted disk available to all users.

  2. Example: /appl/ugsite/16.0/da_format, etc.
  3. Un-compress using gunzip
  4. Un-tar the TAR file
  5. Edit the DAFORMAT_BASE_DIR variable in the config/da_format.env file to this directory.
  6. Source the config/da_format.env file in your UG startup process. Look at the start-ug script for a example.
  7. If running GM Toolkit or GMPDL, add the following line to the TOP of the ${UGPDL_BASE_DIR}/config/ugpdl_custom_dirs.dat file:
    1. #include $DAFORMAT_BASE_DIR/config/search_dirs.dat
      NOTE: This MUST be the first non-comment line in the file. Also, edit the start_ug.ksh script and go to the function.
  8. Set_shared_lib_env() and add the line :
    1. ${DAFORMAT_BASE_DIR}/${OS}/lib/ \ right after ${UGII_BASE_DIR}/ugii/libs
  9. If you are not using the GM Toolkit, uncomment UGII_CUSTOM_DIRECTORY_FILE line in config/da_format.env file.
  10. The program should now be available in production UG.

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Configuring Program

Edit config/da_format file. This is the configuration file for the format program. See the comments in the file for further instructions.

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Running the program

  1. Go into Drafting application
  2. Select Drawing->Drawing Format...


or press the drawing format icon to run program.


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Setting Up For Site Defined Formats and Blocks

  1. Create separate directories for divisional and customer format definitions. Each directory should contain the following sub-directories:
    • application
    • config
    • format_defs
    • pattern
  2. Determine the grouping of the formats that you would like to add using the “Category” field in the “Format Definition” dialog.
  3. Use any logical method. I have defined Delco’s format categories based on internal and customers like Ford, Honda, Toyota.

  4. Examples:
    • Corporate
    • Corporate Roll
    • Ford
    • Toyota
    • Honda
  5. Determine the sub-grouping of the formats within each category using the “Description” field in the “Format Definition” dialog (See Figure #2). Use any logical method.

  6. Examples:
    “Internal Cut Sizes”, External Cut Sizes”
    “Assembly”, “Chart”, Outline”
  7. Divide each format represented in each of the “Description” sub-groups into respective blocks for each element of the format.

  8. Examples:
    Title block
    Revision column
    KPC Block
    Format border (One for each size of format)
  9. Record location of the lower left point of each block relative to 0, 0 of the formats. (X-y locations for all sizes required like A0, A1, A2, etc.)
  10. Copy geometry and text from your present format file that will be used to define blocks into separate part files in the appropriate divisional or customer’s pattern directory defined in step #2. (Note: the geometry can be in drafting or modeling space. I prefer modeling.)
  11. Open each block definition part file.
  12. Translate the block data from the lower left corner of the “block” to 0, 0.
  13. Resize window to fit the format data.
  14. The pattern data must be saved. Set the File->Options->Save Options->Save Pattern Data option to “Pattern Data only” and save the part file.
  15. Determine the location, size relative to 0, 0, font, aspect ratio, color, layer for notes in each block.
  16. Determine default initial values for each text field. The values can be:

  17. Variables defined in the format categories’ da_format file
    Format Example: DPH_Angle = 1
    Pre-Defined Part Attributes
    Strings
  18. Create a new UG file in the appropriate divisional or customer’s format_defs directory to store the definitions for new format categories, format ids, and blocks.
  19. Execute the UFUNC da_editdef.uf to setup the format and block definition. The program is in one of two directories depending on what platform you are running:

  20. da_format/hp/application/da_editdef.uf
    da_format/sun/application/da_editdef.uf
  21. The “Drawing Format Definition” dialog is displayed.
  22. Refer to the documentation for adding, modifying, removing, and copying formats and blocks to complete this task.
  23. Save the catagories’ format definition file(s) in their repective format_defs directory.
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Last updated on January 23, 2001
Send feedback: steven.l.alexander@delphiauto.com