Sure. Create a configuration-specific custom property, link it to Volume, and then make the header in the design table "$prp@WhateverCustomPropertyNameYouChose". Of course, you can't drive the volume directly from the design table because the volume is driven by the geometry. I'm not sure what benefit you get from pulling the volume into a design table, since if you base any dimensions off a calculation from the volume then the geometry will change, changing the volume.
Handleman,
Thank you for your help. I looked into your suggestion however it seemed that the volume would not update with design changes.
I will give more background for this problem. I am performing an optimization outside of SolidWorks using a linked design table to update geometry. The code changes the design table then opens up SolidWorks and exports to FEA. As with many designs I am trying to minimize volume. Therefore I need the table to update with design changes. I understand that the volume will not update until SolidWorks is opened and updates the table. Any further help will be greatly appreciated.
Rob
The volume in the linked Excel design table will not update unless you open the part in SolidWorks and tell SolidWorks to update the table by right-clicking it in the Design Tree and picking "Edit Table". SolidWorks won't update the design table just by opening the part file.
I tried making a change to the table then reopening it and there was no change to the volume. Could you send me a file that does work so that I can try to find what I have done wrong? My email is my handle @gmail.com. Thank you.
Rob
I believe the problem lies in the fact that you're trying to make a design table do something it's not really intended to do. Design tables are intended to drive changes to part geometry, not report the result of changes. If you are making changes to an external Excel file that a part file is linked to, after each change to the Excel table you will have to:
1. Open the part file and choose the option to update the model based on design table changes. SolidWorks will open the design table, read the changes that drive part geometry, update that geometry, and close the design table. SolidWorks will then rebuild the part, which will update the Mass information.
2. You might then have to do an additional rebuild (ideally using Ctrl-Q) to make sure that the mass information is transferred into the custom property.
3. You will then have to open the design table again to allow SW to load the new mass information into the table.
If I make a file with only 1 design and report on the Default it works. I was trying to do it for multiple designs but that is not needed for the optimization. Thank you very much for your help.
CorBlimeyLimey,
I am using Optimus for the optimization. It like most optimization programs it reads and modifies text files. Optimus can also drive Excel very well. If I wanted to actually have Optimus drive SolidWorks I would have to write a script that could be modified for the changes that are needed. This script would have to be different for each optimization performed. Beta testing also revealed that the script has to be compiled to run in batch mode. To simplify this we wrote a script that opens a SolidWorks file updates from the table and exports as a parasolid. This way the same script can be used for any optimization. I would also like this table to include the volume so that I do not have to rely on my FE program for the volume. With handleman's help I believe that we have a workable solution it is not eloquent but results are what matter. Thank you all again.
Did you rebuild all of the configurations? The only volumes that will update in the design table are for the configs that have been rebuilt. I use this method often, for 200+ configurations, and everything will populate correctly once fully rebuilt.
Steven Danasko, CSWP
SolidWorks 2007 - SP2.2
UG NX3
Pro/Engineer Wildfire 2.0
I'm having an issue with this. I also need to get the volume and the surface area from the mass prop. I need these to do a couple of calculations for casting die design. In a DT I only get the text, not the number useing handleman's method and I can't seem to get the numbers to come in to the equations. What am I doing wrong??!!
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