Configuration Editor - Property Expressions

Autodesk Inventor enables you to control the value of text based iProperties with a property expression that references the values of other text based iProperties. iPropWiz simplifies creating and managing property expressions.

In an iPropWiz Configuration you have multiple methods to manage a property expression for a text based property. The following list outlines the tools available:

You can define a fixed property expression for a text based property and assign the expression in the iPropWiz Configuration Editor ( CE ).

You can assign a list to a text based property. Most lists enable you to include property expressions as some or all of the values in the list.

You can allow users to enter property expressions in the iPropWiz Property Editor. This is controlled by settings for the property in the CE.

Similar to a fixed property expression, you can define a property extraction rule for a text based property. This rule specifies the property to extract from, and the group of characters to extract and assign to the receiving property.

Access the Expression Editor

The Property Expression Editor provides a simple yet powerful interface to help you create a valid property expression or property extraction rule. The following list outlines how you can access the Property Expression Editor from the CE.

From the Expression Editor column in the property grid. Text based properties have an edit button to activate the Property Expression Editor. If the property is controlled by a list or is otherwise unable to accept an expression, the button is not visible.

When you edit a list for a text based property, the list editor shows a similar edit button for rows where you can replace the fixed text value with a property expression. See the List Editor - Expressions in Lists page for information on creating a property expression for a list item.

You access the Property Extraction Rule Editor through the Property Expression Editor. It is only available when you are adding or editing a fixed property expression for a text based property. It is not available when creating list elements or from the iPropWiz Property Editor.

Notes: If a property is controlled by a list, the Edit Expression cell is blank.

A property that has a property expression assigned in the configuration cannot be marked as required.

You can only create property expressions and property extraction rules for text based properties.

Managing Property Expressions

When you create an expression for a property, information about the expression is displayed in the the Property Grid.

	Edit expression
	Click the pencil icon in the row to activate the Property Expression Editor.

Driven by information

This column contains a glyph when the property is driven by a property expression. Move the cursor over the glyph to see the property expression.

Properties that are controlled by a fixed property expression (and user expressions are not allowed for that property) are shown as read-only values in the iPropWiz Property Editor. Since the user is prevented from editing the value, the property cannot be marked as Required.

Drives information

If the properties that participate in the property expression are included in the iPropWiz configuration, an icon is displayed in this column indicating their participation in one or more property expressions. Move the cursor over the icon to display a list of all properties that are driven by this property.

An important consideration for expression based properties is ensuring that the properties included in the expression have appropriate values. In most cases this requires that the driving properties be included in the iPropWiz Configuration. A context menu provides a shortcut method to ensure all driving properties in an expression are included in the configuration. If any of the properties referenced in the expression are not currently included in the active property set, they are added at the bottom of the property grid.

User defined expression

This column defines whether users are able to enter a property expression for this property in the iPropWiz Property Editor. Check the check box to enable user expressions for the property.

	Property has no property expression
	If the property is not controlled by a property expression, this enables the user to create a property expression in the iPropWiz Property Editor.

	Property has property expression
	If the property is controlled by a property expression, this enables the user to override the property expression by entering a new expression in the iPropWiz Property Editor. You can restore the original property expression by deleting all text in the Value cell in the iPropWiz Property Editor.

Property assigned a simple text list

New! Version 7.xx.1.113 and later - The allow user defined expression option can now be selected for a property that has a Simple Text list applied to it. The following configuration settings must be selected to enable a user defined expression.

The configuration must have the Allow User Expressions option selected

The list assigned to the property must be a simple text list, and the property must not be marked as "From List Only"

Check the User Defined Expression check box for the property to enable iPropWiz to recognize any user defined expression currently assigned to the property. Previously, the expression would have been removed when the property values were updated from iPropWiz.

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