Macro Components

Set the data for a component that will be added to the component library (for example MACRO_CUSTOM) in the database view. Add a row to the database for the component: right-click to open the context-sensitive menu and select Add Row Before or Add Row After. You can also copy the active row by selecting Copy Row. Edit the fields of the row to match the new component.

Tab: General

Description: Type a description in the text field.
Type: Select a component type from the list, for example 10 Miscellaneous
Set: Select a group from the list, for example STD.
Code: Type a code for the component for material collection.
Form: A component may have variable parameters, for example dimension or code, the values of which can be selected by the user when the component is added. A database view is required for the parameter selection. Database views are defined using Forms. Creating a Form is described in section one of the Vertex System Administrator's Guide.
AutoParamEdit: When this check box is selected, the database view defined in the Form field is opened when the user selects a component with the Vertex Browser. When this check box is not selected, default values defined on the Parameters tab are set for the component parameters, and the component is ready to be added immediately after being selected in the browser. In such a case the database view will not open until the user selects the Editing parameters function. An application development program is required to generate 3D and 2D geometry according to user-defined parameters. The creation of an application development program is described in the Vertex application development tool guide.

Tab: Files

On the Files tab you can define the model and drawing files for a component, or, if necessary, the application development programs that are used to generate the 2D and 3D geometry.

Initializer

A component may have parameters that require certain initial values from the user before it can be defined, for example a dimension of a component can be defined by selecting two points in the model window or the drawing window of a building. The Initializer is required to define initial values. It is an application development program. The creation of an application development program is described in the Vertex application development tool guide. The parameter values calculated by the Initializer are, for their part, required in the application development program that is used to generate the 2D or 3D geometry of the component.

2D Drawing

Select AUTOMATIC from the list to have the program automatically create a drawing from a top projection.

Alternatively, you can create the 2D drawing yourself, and save it in the ../custom/complibs/macro_custom folder. Type the name of the drawing file in the text field, for example komp.vxp. You can also select an open drawing window and save the drawing in it as follows:

Click the 2D Drawing button.
Select Pick file from window and save it to library in the dialog box.
Move the cursor over the drawing window and click the left mouse button. The Windows Save As dialog box opens.
Save the drawing file in the folder ../custom/complibs/macro_custom.

3D Accurate

Type the name of the file in the text field, for example comp_accurate.vxm. The file must have been saved in the ../custom/complibs/macro_custom folder.

3D Coarse

Type the name of the file in the text field, for example comp_coarse.vxm. The file must have been saved in the ../custom/complibs/macro_custom folder.

If you have saved only one model of the component, you can use it as both the accurate and coarse model. You can also use part models and assemblies modeled with the Vertex G4 software.

Tab: Parameters

Additional parameters

If the component is variable, you can define the values of the variable dimensions on the Parameters tab. Type the labels and values of the variable parameters in the Additional parameters field. Separate the parameters from each other using the vertical bar character, for example:

WIDTH=400|LENGTH=600

You can select a dash line 2D-presentation for a macro in the component library using the parameter DASH. Set the desired line spacing as the value of the parameter, for example:

DASH=-50

If the component is a part model or drawing modeled with the Vertex G4 software, you can collect the parameters automatically by typing the following in the text field:

AUTOMATIC=1

If the component is an assembly model modeled with the Vertex G4 software, you can collect the parameters automatically in two different ways. Type either of the following in the text field:

AUTOMATIC=1 - The parameters will be collected in the format #id1/#id2/#idN.parameter, where the id label refers unambiguously to a part of an assembly, even though there would be several parts with the same name in the model.
AUTOMATIC=2 - The parameters will be collected in the format assembly1/assembly2/assemblyN/part.parameter, where the id labels have been replaced with the actual names. The names are not necessarily unambigous. All the parts with same names will have identical parameter values.

Tab: Browser

On the Browser tab you can define the name of the Vertex Browser directory from which the component is selected when it is added.

Browser path

Define the folder from which the component can be selected in the browser. Do either of the following:

Select an already existing folder in the browser
1. Click the Browser Path button. The browser is opened.
2. Select a browser folder by clicking the right mouse button.
3. Select Select folder.
Create a new folder in the browser
1. Type the name of the folder in the text field in format /folder/ or /folder/subfolder/.

Thumbnail ID

Select whether to create a thumbnail image for the component based on the 2D or the 3D drawing.

Browser Upd

When you have defined the component data, click the Browser Upd button to make the program add the directory and the component to the directory tree of the browser and create an image to be used as the thumbnail for the component. Depending on the value of the Thumbnail ID field, the 2D drawing or the 3D model of the drawing opens momentarily in a separate window.

Next time you select the Add Furniture, Symbol, Building Group... function, the program will update the browser and you can select the component from the folder that was defined in the Browser Path field.