Elegant way to incorporate MS Excel w/ SE

[zissou]

Is there a fairly elegant way to use MS Excel to drive variables in SE. I looked the CHM files on the subject - and they mention that the associated documents must be opened in a specific order, else the world will collapse in on itself - or something along those lines.

I believe the order is this...

To successfully edit the linked Solid Edge variables from the spreadsheet later, you must open the Solid Edge and spreadsheet documents in a specific order:

You can open the spreadsheet document first, then open the linked Solid Edge document.

You can open the Solid Edge document first, then click the Edit Links command on the Variable Table shortcut menu when a linked formula is selected. You can then use the Open Source option on the Links dialog box to open the spreadsheet document.

All I can think of doing to make this as transparent as possible is to use a simple VB program to open MS Excel first, then SE? Does anyone have a better idea?

I'd like to make it as easy as possible as we have draftsmen w/ differing degrees of SE competence here.

Thanks and all the best.

 

[zissou]

As an additional thought, what about a MS Excel "button" that is labelled "Make Changes" or some such thing that opens the SE document and then shuts it immediately? I think that would be the easiest... especially if you were to include a image of the part w/ the dims shown for reference in the MS Excel document?

 

[fredericmenage]

Hi,

The first question I would ask myself is : do I really need Excel for that task ? you have the variable table, you can also create bas files if necessary.

If the answer is yes, I just have a few advices:
- use the revision manager
- name the cells in Excel before creatin the link
- open Excel before the SE file

Fred

 

[fwc]

There's a macro that may interest you, it's located at directory C:\Program Files\Solid Edge Vxx\Custom\Bearing