Catalog Palette Configuration File - Intergraph Smart 3D - Reference Data

Intergraph Smart 3D Molded Forms Reference Data

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Intergraph Smart 3D
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Molded Forms
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Reference Data
Smart 3D Version
11 (2016)

The catalog palette is a graphic interface to the catalog browser providing quicker and easier access to catalog items than browsing with the traditional hierarchical catalog browser. The software uses the catalog palette with geometric constructions, advanced plate systems, and other catalog items, such as brackets. An administrator can customize the palettes to display the most commonly used catalog items.

Because the catalog structure contains nodes and sub-nodes under the general geometry types, the palette has been provided with tabs to streamline the presentation of the information. You can configure the palette for a node of the catalog. If the node is not a leaf node, then a particular tab in the palette can be configured to point to all underlying leaf nodes, or just to that parent node, depending on your choice. The items under each node are shown on a tab. The configuration is saved in an .xml file located in the [Reference Data Folder]\SharedContent\Data\ShipStructure\GeometricConstructions\Palettes folder or [Reference Data Folder]\SharedContent\Xml\Structure folder.

This is a dynamic interface that is driven by the data bulkloaded into the catalog. For example, geometric construction workbooks must be bulkloaded in order to display geometric construction interfaces or macros in a palette. For more information, see Geometric Construction Workbooks.

Delivered Palette Configuration Files

Each catalog palette is defined using a configuration file.

The software provides the following files in the Reference Data Folder]\SharedContent\Data\ShipStructure\GeometricConstructions\Palettes folder. These files define palettes that directly access geometric constructions.

  • GCCurvePointPalette - Defines GCs used by Profile Knuckle in Molded Forms.

  • GCPointPalette - Defines GCs used by Split Physical Connection in Structural Detailing.

  • GCPointsForPlaneConstruction - Defines GCs used by Insert > Topological Points in Molded Forms.

  • PlateWKnucklesPalette - Defines GCs used by Advanced Plate System in Molded Forms.

  • SeamOrProfilePalette - Defines GCs used by Stiffener Profile System by Projection and Seam by Projection in Molded Forms.

The software provides the following files in the [Reference Data Folder]\SharedContent\Xml\Structure folder. These files define palettes that access geometric construction macros used to create specific objects.

  • AdvancedOpeningPalette - Defines GC macros used by Openings in Molded Forms.

  • AdvancedPlateSystemPalette - Defines GC macros used by Advanced Plate System in Molded Forms.

A configuration file uses the following general format:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<CatalogReaderConfiguration>
<Context Name=" " />
<ImageSize Type=" ">
<ImageHeight> </ImageHeight>
<ImageWidth> </ImageWidth>
</ImageSize>
<CategoryFilters>

<CategoryFilter Name=" " />

</CategoryFilters>

<Categories>
<Category Name=" ">
<Path Recursive=" "> </Path>
<ToolTip> </ToolTip>
<Filter> </Filter>

<IconPathDir> </IconPathDir>

<PreviewPathDir> </PreviewPathDir>
</Category>
</Categories>

</CatalogReaderConfiguration>

General Palette Settings

CatalogReaderConfiguration is the root node of the configuration .xml file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<CatalogReaderConfiguration></CatalogReaderConfiguration>

Context Name is used to set a context for the palette, which helps in retrieving previously used items.

<Context Name="SeamorProfByGC" />

ImageSize type defines the size of the icons on the palette.

  • SmallSize sets the icon size to 32x32 pixels.

  • MediumSize sets the icon size to 48x48 pixels.

  • LargeSize sets the icon size to 64x64 pixels.

  • CustomSize is used to explicitly set width and height.

    • ImageHeight sets the icon height when using CustomSize. It also overrides the height value for SmallSize, MediumSize, and LargeSize.

    • ImageWidth sets the icon width when using CustomSize. It also overrides the width value for SmallSize, MediumSize, and LargeSize.

      <ImageSize Type="MediumSize">

      </ImageSize>

      or

      <ImageSize Type="CustomSize">

      <ImageHeight>60</ImageHeight>

      <ImageWidth>60</ImageWidth>

      </ImageSize>

CategoryFilters correspond to the filters displayed in the Filters box of the palette. Each category filter corresponds to a filter which can be used to display only those tabs and tab contents that fall under the specified filter type.

  • Name specifies the name of the filter to be added to the Filters box of the palette.

    <CategoryFilters>

    <CategoryFilter Name="Points" />

    <CategoryFilter Name="Curves" />

    </CategoryFilters>

Category: Tabs and Items Displaying on Each Tab

Categories correspond to the tabs and tab contents used in the palette.

  • CustomCategory Name specifies the name of the corresponding tab.

  • Path defines the path o f a catalog node, which is used to retrieve and display items under this node in a tab.

  • Recursive – If set to true, all leaf items under the node are retrieved and shown in the tab. If set to false, then the leaf item must be added to the path, and only that item is shown in the tab. A separate path is needed for each leaf item.

  • ToolTip defines the tool tip for the tab.

  • Filter sets the name of the filter to be used for the tab.

    <Categories>
    <CustomCategory Name="CoordinateSystems">
    <Path Recursive="true">Geometric Constructions\

    CoordinateSystems</Path>
    <ToolTip>Coordinate Systems</ToolTip>
    <Filter>CoordinateSystems</Filter>
    </Category>
    .

    .

    .

    <Category Name="Other Curves">
    <Path Recursive="false">Geometric Constructions\Curves\

    Other Curves\CurveByIntersection</Path>

    <Path Recursive="false">Geometric Constructions\Curves\

    Other Curves\CurveByProjection</Path>

    <Path Recursive="false">Geometric Constructions\Curves\

    Other Curves\CurveByImport</Path>
    <ToolTip>Other Curves</ToolTip>
    <Filter>Curves</Filter>
    </Category>
    .

    .

    .
    </Categories>

  • Tabs display in the palette in the order that the categories are defined in the .xml file.

  • The tooltip for a catalog item is its name in the catalog. The tooltip cannot be modified.

The following example shows the relationship between the catalog and Categories in the .xml file:

Graphics: Icons and Previews

Icon and preview graphics are not specified in the configuration .xml file. The software looks for the graphics in the SharedContent\Data\ShipStructure\GeometricConstructions\Images folder. The name of each graphic file must match the Catalog name of the geometric construction.

Icons can be in the .ico or .jpg formats. Previews can be in the .gif or .jpg formats. The icon and preview for a geometric construction cannot be in the same format.

As an example, the PointsAlongCurve geometric construction is found at the Geometric Constructions\Points node in the catalog. It has an icon named PointsAlongCurve.ico, and a preview named PointsAlongCurve.jpg. Both are located in the SharedContent\Data\ShipStructure\GeometricConstructions\Images folder.

Bracket Configuration Files

Bracket Plate System uses a bracket browser defined by a configuration file, such as [Reference Data Folder]\SharedContent\Xml\Structure\BracketPlateSystemPalette.xml. The format of the configuration file is similar to the configuration file described in this section. However, the software creates brackets with rules and symbols, not with geometric constructions.