Custom Templates

GWS50

I have been trying  for a few hours to make a custom template and even when I just alter a text size and then import the .dwt file back into Onshape from Draftsight I keep getting a blank template.
I have followed the several helpful posts on the forum and the help file from Onshape but nothing seems to work.

Is there something I'm missing. I can't seem to attach the .dwt file I'm afraid.

jackson_king

I have the same issue.  I get my template saved out of solidworks and open in draftsight and make my changes.  after saving to .dwt and importing to OS, I get the same blank template.  Also have not had any luck moving the standard text around or trying to replace anything.

I too must be missing something.......

ethan

You must make sure that your model space is blank and the templates live in the sheets, cut and paste the drawing templates from the model space into sheet one and sheet two in draft sight. Do a save as, .DWT and import it into a part studio. You can then right click on the tab you just uploaded and hit "create drawing" to check to see if it worked. It's a tricky process and more training material on the topic will be comping from us in the coming weeks. 

GWS50

Many thanks Ethan, that's got it. It was the Model space that threw me!

jackson_king

Got it too.  the caveat was clearing the model space after copy and pasting the model space to sheet 1.  Thanks! 

Is there a way to get the auto-inserted info from the OS templates to show up on my own templates?

jackson_king

I see I was ahead of the latest update by about 20 minutes;)  Now I can insert the info from a drop down in drawings.  Now I must ask if there is a way to get those fields tied to my drawing template?  So they come in automatically each time....

Thanks OS for the great update!

brucebartlett

I am also about to start playing with the fields on my templates now we have this new update. Hopefully now I'll be about to make a template with logo's.

Do they link back to the part or assembly properties? It did not seem like that on Cody's into video. 

jackson_king

They link to the drawing properties.  Just like their provided templates.  Also wish the drawing view scale would be an option.  But maybe that is just my old habits from SW and having that on every drawing.  Is it really needed/relevant anymore???  There are dimensions on the parts/assemblies that give a sense of scale.  Maybe even better than having a callout on the title block

brucebartlett

jackson_king said:

Also wish the drawing view scale would be an option.  But maybe that is just my old habits from SW and having that on every drawing.  Is it really needed/relevant anymore???  T

Maybe not that relevant anymore but still needed to adhere to drawing standards

brucebartlett

When I add a sheet a second, third or fourth sheet I want to be able to chose a template, ideally to match the first one, is this posible?

Also I can't even seem to adjust page size on the second sheet, is this posible?

jackson_king

brucebartlett said:

When I add a sheet a second, third or fourth sheet I want to be able to chose a template, ideally to match the first one, is this posible?

Also I can't even seem to adjust page size on the second sheet, is this posible?

I added the second sheet in draft sight (layout 2), just copy and paste from layout 1.  Now in OS, adding a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. sheets comes in with what is on sheet 1.  I assume OS looks for layout 1 first every time and then layout 2 every time after that.  So I would imagine that you can have a master assembly kinda layout on the first page and then a layout tailored more to part drawings for all the rest.  Not sure how the properties will come in though.  Since it seems to only pull in what the drawing tab has for properties, you may be forced to manually type the info you want for the latter sheets if they differ from the first.

I think the only way to change sheet size is from an outside source (what the custom template started out for size) and then imported into OS.  My temp/ started life as ansi-A landscape and have left it since as I prefer to do all my prints on A size paper since it prints out so well for almost everyone.  I used to use B-size all the time but finally got a title block figured out for A-size that is really low profile.

brucebartlett

@jackson_king thanks that's some really good info for creating templates.

I have to say drawing template still really confuse me in Onshape or maybe its still just lack of the functionality. Once I have done the hard work on templates I just want to be able to add them to my drawing and don't want have to revisit creation all time. I have kinda put off creating anything until functionality is there. I really want to have the properties come in from which ever part view I desire on the sheet, adding the properties to the drawing tab doesn't make sense to me. I just want properties to appear on the drawing for the part or assy without any retyping. It's easy to create hack drawings where Onshape is now but we still appear to be no where near a productive enterprise ready drawing system. Looking forward to more improvements rolling in each month, sorry for the impatience. 

jackson_king

I agree with you @brucebartlett, drawings has a long way to go.  I am looking at having to bide my time as well with drawings and more importantly for me, SHEET METAL.  I use the drawings as they are since it gets the job done and since most of my clients do not need/desire prints that meet all the standards for drawings.  Many times they inquire about a dimension valve for a part and I refer them to the print....  Almost act if it is the first time they have ever seen such a thing;)

I am confident that OS will get to a point where it really knocks on the doors of SW & catia & others.  Also think that day will will be much sooner than we think.  At the pace OS updates, the next year is going to be very interesting.

brucebartlett

@jackson_king in the same boat here on SHEET METAL, I can't really work without it. Hopefully it will not be long now, Onshape are working on something special here, once again patience is required.

robert_morris

brucebartlett said:

I really want to have the properties come in from which ever part view I desire on the sheet, adding the properties to the drawing tab doesn't make sense to me. I just want properties to appear on the drawing for the part or assy without any retyping.

Absolutely agree 100% with this.
More properties like Material, Finish, etc. would be nice as well.

brucebartlett

@robert_morris  yes material and finish are must have properties, specifying from the part or assembly. At the moment I am getting around this at the part level by adding my material after an underscore in the part name, but this is not ideal.

For Material. I'd like the ability to add with and option to be viewed on a BOM as if it's a part that way I can added properties that will line up perfectly with my ERP or spread sheet BOM. Once a part is created I can chose a stock material from my list with full meta properties details and possibly even a UOM that can be added (linked to length or a variable), this will also specify the material type for mass calculations.  @pete_yodis what do you think.

jackson_king

@brucebartlett  those are all great things for the update queue!  I definitely agree with you that OS is something special.  I think it is awesome that when we request new features or functionality that it is sometimes only a matter of weeks before we see results.  Almost like they realize that since we are paying for a subscription we might want to see the requests we suggest;)

I am eagerly awaiting the ability to have a BOM auto populate for an assembly drawing.  Since I am just getting finished with a design that has 26 assembly prints, it has gotten old having to fill out all the field every time....  Have any of you used OpenBOM at all?  Just curious as it seems to be pretty awesome.  I have spoken with @oleg_shilovitsky there a few times and he really listens to what you have to say about functionality.

brucebartlett

@jackson_king I have not used the OpenBOM app for a project yet but looks good. I defiantly will try it, just waiting for the right project.

I have been using the @lougallo google sheets app very successfully and find this great way to get the properties in.  Still not decided if this the best workflow and sure this will change as more functionality comes into Onshape but I have taken to naming parts "part-number_decription_rev_material" in the part studio part's list, I do it this way as I have a visual reference of the part I am naming and I then use the google sheet app to import the properties from my assembly, use a split to break the part name apart at the _ (underscores) and place the properties in fields with an extra column for materials, then push this back to Onshape to propagate into the onshape properties.  I build my google sheet out with various assemblies tab by tab (can only go 1 deep here as no ability to nest/indent) and I can share this as a google doc with others on the project or to vendors for quotation's. 

jackson_king

Thanks @brucebartlett, I have been using the google sheets app as well and have been pretty happy with it so far.  I create the sheet right after the assemblies are finished (or at least to a good point) and fill out the description, part #, rev. etc. and push it back to OS.  That has worked pretty well for me so far.  I do like your idea of the (_) for getting the material type to travel with the part #!  So I do have G. sheets for most of my OS assemblies & I really like it for producing a single level parts list for an entire TLA.  Where I hit the biggest snag is when I want to get a BOM into the assembly drawing itself.  Now with the ability to import an image in a drawing, I think that I can bring in screen shots of the BOM instead of retyping (or copy/paste) info into the drawing BOM.  That feature does let me change the image and update it per the usual update for an imported tab.  And when I hit "update" in the drawing it brings in the updated image.  And that I think is pretty cool;)

brucebartlett

jackson_king said:

 Where I hit the biggest snag is when I want to get a BOM into the assembly drawing itself.  Now with the ability to import an image in a drawing, I think that I can bring in screen shots of the BOM instead of retyping (or copy/paste) info into the drawing BOM.  That feature does let me change the image and update it per the usual update for an imported tab.  And when I hit "update" in the drawing it brings in the updated image.  And that I think is pretty cool;)

Neat workaround, insert image does give us another tool, I had not thought of that one. But still far from ideal for most. I am looking forward to linked BOM's and ballon's in drawings.  All this work on properties needs to get to drawing sheet seamlessly and push back to the part 3d models as required.  

jackson_king

@brucebartlett, how did you get that thumbnail image to show up on the sheets screenshot you shared?  I know about the OS preview pane, just never got a nice little pic to stay there like that.

brucebartlett

Save as from the preview plane into google drive and then insert image. I was doing this before the preview plane with a screen grab. Maybe if we ask @lougallo really nicely he will add it as a feature, however it might not be that easy.

The new preview plane now makes it easy to see what part your working on which mean's my underscore method is not required quite to the same level.

jackson_king

Got it, thanks!

robert_morris

@brucebartlett, I name my parts "PN# - Description" here as well. That is also the way we named our Solidworks files since it makes life easier when it comes time to find something years down the road.

@jackson_king, I'll have to try that BOM screenshot trick to get it into the drawings, because creating and editing a table manually in the drawings is not fun at all right now.

jon_mcintyre

brucebartlett said:

When I add a sheet a second, third or fourth sheet I want to be able to chose a template, ideally to match the first one, is this posible?

Also I can't even seem to adjust page size on the second sheet, is this posible?

Not yet to either, but these are definitely in our plans. 

A workaround to the first issue is to have your template have a second sheet (or "paper space").  That sheet will be used as the template for all added sheets in your drawing.  If it matches the first, then you'll get what you want.