T-FLEX Parametric CAD. Fundamentals. 2D Design

Creating and Editing BOM Prototype
Bill of Materials
A BOM prototype is a T-FLEX CAD document, containing only an empty BOM with specific defined
properties. Since a prototype is not an assembly, its BOM does not have any records. The text formatting
parameters and the tables defined in the prototype will drive the graphic shape of the BOM based on this
prototype.
Should a BOM prototype need modifications, it can be opened as a common T-FLEX CAD document and be
edited. One can also create one's own custom BOM prototypes and use them in future.
The files used as prototypes are stored in the folder whose name and path are defined by the command “SO:
Customize|Options”, the tab “BOM”, the parameter “Template Folder”. The default folder setting is
“…\Program\Template\BOM”. The standard BOM table prototypes are stored there upon the system
installation.
To create a custom BOM prototype, use the command “BC: Create Bill of Materials”. In the coming up
dialog box, select one of the prototypes in the BOM list. If the new BOM has just insignificant difference
from a standard BOM, then the most closely matching prototype should be selected. To create a BOM,
whose table differs in a relevant manner from the tables of the standard BOMs, use the “Empty Template”.
Upon selecting a BOM prototype, press the graphic button [Create New Template].
Creating BOM Prototype Based on Existing Prototype
The first step will be defining the name of the new prototype (a new prototype is always created in a new
document). By default, the document is created in the folder defined in the command “SO: Set System
Options”, the tab “BOM” (by default, “…\Program\Template\BOM”). This insures the presence of
the created document in the list of prototypes when creating a new BOM. After that, a window opens with
the new document created based on the selected one.
To make modifications to the table header, open the title block or the BOM title fragment and modify the
names of columns, then number and with as desired. Save the title block under a new name. Returned to the
document of the prototype being created. If the prototype being created is intended for creating a BOM, that
will occupy a separate page or separate document, specify the name of the edited title block in the properties
of the title block fragment. In the case of a BOM prototype for positioning on the drawing page, modify the
fragment name in the BOM properties. If the prototype provides for automatic continuation of the BOM to
the new page, make the respective changes to the subsequent pages of the title block fragment, as specified
in the parameter “Insert Fragment on new Page creation” in the command “ST: Set Model Status”, the
“Preferences” tab.
Upon modifying the title block or the BOM header fragment, modify the properties of the BOM template as
well. In the BOM context menu select the command “BOM Properties…” and enter the necessary changes
(see the section “BOM Properties”). The BOM template will be automatically edited according to the
introduced changes. The same can be done by calling the command “Tools|Bill of Materials|Bills of
Materials…” and pressing the button “Properties”.
The size of the table cells and their contents formatting parameters is done by using the option “Edit
Template”, called in the BOM editing mode.
Creating BOM Prototype Based on “Empty Template”
When selecting the “Empty Template” as the prototype, BOM creation stars “from scratch”, based on an
empty drawing. In this case, the BOM table has to be created manually.
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