Configuration Editor - Options

Overview

New March 2024: iPropWiz versions 7.23 and later now include an optional description generator for structural shapes placed from the Autodesk Inventor Content Center. This includes shapes placed by the Frame Generator and also manually placed custom content center parts that originate from any of the Structural Shape families in the Content Center. Each iPropWiz configuration contains a unique setup and the functionality is turned off by default. Features of the Structural Shape Description Generator (SSDG) are:

No user interaction is required once the SSDG is activated. An iPropWiz administrator sets up the generator, and parameter exporting and formatting is completed automatically when a structural shape is placed in an assembly.

All structural shape families are available for inclusion in the SSDG. The administrator selects the families commonly used, and applies formatting rules to any of the key content center parameters for that family.

iPropWiz Custom Property Format Rules (CPFRs) used for formatting other exported values are used to format the content center parameters.

The mass per unit length (lb/ft or kg/m) for the shape is also made available as a custom property. The units for this value are included in a separate custom property.

A modified version of the iPropWiz Expression Editor enables easy, error free creation of a the custom description for the placed custom content center component. The description can incorporate property values that are populated by Inventor (i.e., Stock Number), and can be completely custom values incorporating the exported content center parameters (i.e G_H or G_L) combined with administrator defined string values.

The description can be assigned to either a custom property (a default property is created), or to a range of standard Autodesk Inventor iProperties, including the Description iProperty

	Activate Structural Shape Description Generators
	Turn on to enable structural shape description generators when this iPropWiz configuration is active.

Create xml file from Content Center

Loads key information from all structural shape families in the content center to an xml file, ContentCenterData.xml. This file is stored in the folder containing the iPropWiz configuration file. The large volume of data in the content center makes direct access very slow. Loading key data from all families in the Structural Shapes content center folder to a xml file provides fast access when setting up the descriptions for your chosen structural shapes. This is only required once. The xml file is automatically used when available. Creating the xml file typically takes 10-30 seconds.

Note: Users do not require access to the xml file. The iPropWiz configuration contains all information required for automatic structural shape description generation.

	Refresh xml File from Content Center
	If the data from the content center has been loaded to the xml file, the Load CC Data button is disabled. If your content center data changes, click the refresh button to reload the information. The existing xml file is overwritten with the newly loaded data.

	Structural Shapes with Custom Description Generators
	This is a read-only view of the current structural shapes participating in automatic description generation.

	Edit Structural Shape Descriptions
	Click this to open the Structural Shapes Description Editor.

Workflow

Prior to implementation of the SSDG, plan the formatting required for the various dimensions in the various structural shapes you use. The table below provides some typical formatting suggestions. Create the iPropWiz CPFRs required and use descriptive naming and/or descriptions to help identify a specific rule quickly.

1.	Gather information on structural shapes that will be included in the SSDG.
2.	Open a part that was generated from one of the Structural Shape families in the Content Center. You will not be able to edit structural shape descriptions if this file is not the active document in Inventor.
3.	Create Custom Property Format Rules (CPFRs) for exported structural shape dimensions such as Height, Width, Thickness, and Length.
4.	In the iPropWiz Configuration Editor, click the Structural Shapes Options page. Turn on Enable Structural Shape Descriptions.
5.	Load the family data from the content center to the xml file.
6.	All added rules are displayed (read-only) in the options page. Click Edit to open the structural shape description editor.
7.	See the illustration below for information on creating and editing structural shape descriptions.
8.	Save the iPropWiz configuration. With this configuration active, the structural shape descriptions are generated and formatted automatically.

Editor

The Structural Shape Description dialog manages the structural families included for automatic descriptions and provides tools to create and edit the generator for each included family.

Manage Active Families

Add a New structural shape family, and Edit or Delete the selected family in the List of Active Families.

List of Active Families

The list of structural shape families that will be considered for automatic description generation when placed from the content center, You can sort the list by Stds Org, Type, and Family. Select a single family to enable editing (double-click the row to edit the family) the Edit and Delete tools. The description expression for the family is displayed in the last column of the grid.

Structural Shape Description Editor

Activates when you add a new family or edit an active family from the List of Active families. See the image below for more information.

Standards Org Filter

All structural shape families are included in the Content Center Family drop-down list. Apply a filter first to see only families associated with the selected standards organization. The filter is disabled when editing an existing rule.

Content Center Family

Select the desired family. Families are grouped by type in the drop-down (i.e. Channels, I-Beams). The content family drop-down is disabled when editing an existing rule. For a new rule you must select a family that is not already included in the Active Structural Shape families list.

Family Type

The general structural shape type of the family is displayed here.

Exported Family Parameters

On selection of a family, the content center family table is reviewed and all extracted size parameters are listed here. You can choose to export any or all of the parameters as text based custom iProperties (check the Export check box in the row). In the above image, only the G_H and G_L parameters will be exported as custom iProperties for structural shapes from this family. Finally, select a Custom Property Format Rule to format that parameter when it is exported as a custom iProperty in the Inventor document. Some examples are shown in the following table. A review of the content center table for the structural shape should be completed to find the range of possible values for a parameter prior to selecting the CPFR for that parameter. The actual parameters exposed will vary per family and shape type.

Parameter Example	Format Rule Considerations
G_H - Typically the primary size designation, the nominal height of the shape.	Zero, one, or two decimal places, trailing zeros not shown
G_W - Typically the secondary size designation,often the width of the shape.	Zero, one, or two decimal places, trailing zeros not shown
G_T - A thickness parameter, often web thickness.	Decimal places to suit, trailing zeros not shown
G_T1 - A thickness parameter, often a leg thickness.	Decimal places to suit, trailing zeros not shown
B_L - Base length.. This is the initial length of the placed component. (Selected line length in Frame Generator)	Units and decimal places to suit, trailing zeros not shown
G_L - Dynamic length parameter. Updates to show current length (trims, end cuts, etc. included)	Units and decimal places to suit, trailing zeros not shown

Note: Some older content center libraries contain parameters that use names other than the typical G_x format. The following table summarizes additional parameter names you may see in the list.

Parameter Name	Details
b	Typically the primary or secondary size designation.
ParH	Typically the primary size designation.
ParT	Thickness parameter.
Diam	Diameter (typically outer diameter) for round bar and tube families.

Mass per Unit Length

The content center table typically contains a column with mass per unit length information. Two custom iProperties are added to each placed structural shape component in an assembly ( ipwSsMpL and ipwSsMplUnits ). These custom properties (both text type properties) hold the mass per unit length and the mass per unit length units. The default units for the family are initially shown in the Units drop-down list. You can optionally select either of the two available units (kg/m or lb/ft).

Custom Description

The property expression defined for the current family can be assigned to any of the properties listed in the Apply To drop-down list. The ipwSsDescription custom property is always added to the placed component, and it is the default property for the description property expression. You can optionally select from a variety of standard iProperties in the Apply To drop-down list. The custom property expression for the description of the placed structural shape is displayed here. Click the Expression Editor button to edit the expression.

Expression Editor

The structural shape description editor is similar to the iPropWiz Expression Editor. The structural shape description editor enables you to quickly create a custom property expression that includes references to other properties containing content center derived information as well as the exported content center parameters. An overview of the editor is shown below.

	Custom iProperties From Description Generator
	These three custom iProperties are added to each component placed from one of the active structural shape families. The ipwSsDescription property will not have a value if it is displayed here since it is used only as the default property for the property expression.

	Exported Structural Shape Parameters
	All of the exported content center parameters are available to be used in the property expression.

	Property Expression
	You can use drag and drop from the properties list, or double-click a property name to add it at the current cursor position. You are also free to add any hard coded characters at any position in the expression after the = sign. See the iPropWiz Expression Editor page for more information on creating expressions.

	Assigned to Property Name
	The property that will be driven by the structural shape description expression is displayed here.

Accept / Reject Edits

Manage the current editing session.

Results Example

A W 6x15 I-Beam placed with the Autodesk Inventor Frame Generator, using the custom description generator shown in the above images immediately displays the following for the Description iProperty.