String Parameter won't reference a Text Config Variable

sam_parsons · June 2020

Hey Guys,

I'm trying to use a custom feature to assign materials to parts. But I'm getting tripped up by the string parameter. I can't seem to configure the parameter using a text config variable? Presumably because "#" becomes part of a string and loses it's ability to signify another variable?

Here is the annotation in FS:

annotation { "Name" : "Core Material", "Default" : "Default" }
definition.coreMat is string;

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Sam

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5022071/uploads/editor/6e/7u956jjbty2z.jpg

mahir · June 2020

Instead of defining the annotation as a string, define it as a field that accepts anything (including variables). As you said, forcing the input to be a string will just use whatever text you enter as is, including the #.

So instead of

definition.coreMat is string

use

isAnything(definition.coreMat)

Keep in mind that this will allow just about anything to be entered - variables, functions, numbers, booleans, and of course text strings. To insure whatever is entered is treated as a string later in the FS, you may need to typecast via toString().

MBartlett21 · June 2020

Alternatively, you can use a little coding to remap the #variable to its value.
See an example function I have for doing that below:


/**
 * This function maps variables denoted by `#variable` to the appropriate variable in the context.
 */
export function remapVariables(context is Context, text is string) returns string
{
    // An optimisation if there is no variable references
    if (replace(text, "#", "") == text)
        return text;

    var variables is map = getAllVariables(context);
    variables[" "] = ""; // Replace "# " with ""
    var out is string = "";
    const chars is array = splitIntoCharacters(text);
    const charsSize is number = @size(chars);
    for (var i = 0; i < charsSize; i += 1)
    {
        const char is string = chars[i];
        if (char == "#")
        {
            if (i < charsSize - 1 && chars[i + 1] == "#")
            {
                out ~= "#";
                i += 1;
                continue;
            }
            const varName = getVarName(chars, i + 1);
            if (varName != undefined && variables[varName] != undefined)
            {
                out ~= toString(variables[varName]);
                i += length(varName);
            }
            else
                out ~= char;
        }
        else
            out ~= char;
    }
    return out;
}

function getVarName(chars is array, i is number)
{
    var out = "";
    for ( ; i < @size(chars) && nonSpecial[chars[i]] == true; i += 1)
        out ~= chars[i];

    if (out == "" && i < @size(chars) && chars[i] == " ")
        return " ";

    return out == "" ? undefined : out;
}

// This uses a function to generate a constant.
const nonSpecial is map = function()
    {
        const chars = splitIntoCharacters("1234567890_qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmQWERTYUIOPASDFGHJKLZXCVBNM"); // All alphabetic characters
        var out = {};
        for (var char in chars)
            out[char] = true;

        return out;
    }();

sam_parsons · June 2020

mahir said:

Instead of defining the annotation as a string, define it as a field that accepts anything (including variables).

Perfect! I'll try this for now.

MBartlett21 said:

Alternatively, you can use a little coding to remap the #variable to its value.

But I can see how this would be useful long term, just not sure I know enough about feature script yet to implement it. Do you just include this in the custom feature code?

MBartlett21 · June 2020

@sam_parsons

If you put the code above in your FeatureStudio, you can then use it in your code just after the end of the precondition:

        definition.codeMat is string;
        // The rest of the precondition
    } // End of precondition
    { // Start of feature body
        definition.coreMat = remapVariables(context, definition.coreMat);
        // Continue the rest of the code

sam_parsons · June 2020

MBartlett21 said:

If you put the code above in your FeatureStudio, you can then use it in your code just after the end of the precondition

ok thanks, I may try this at some point. For now, I've got @mahir 's method working... however... I get the same problem when I insert that part into an assembly, I get the same issue in the change configuration in UI. Any ideas?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5022071/uploads/editor/w3/qqghcshcp9ua.jpg

sam_parsons · June 2020

@MBartlett21 , would your method solve this ^ ?

MBartlett21 · June 2020

@sam_parsons
Unfortunately not

String Parameter won't reference a Text Config Variable

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