Specification Builder - Intergraph Smart Isometrics Material Editor - Help - Hexagon PPM

Smart Isometrics Material Editor Help

Language
English
Product
Intergraph Smart Isometrics Material Editor
Search by Category
Help
Material Editor Version
6.2

The Specification Builder consists of a tree view that displays the current specification definition. When you first open the specification builder, the software displays an empty definition.

Tree view

Displays the current specification definition. The tree view in the Specification Builder resembles the one that you see in the main Database window, as well as those you see in the Material Builder and Material Data Browser. The top-most node displays the name of the specification definition. The nodes directly underneath display the individual item codes; each of those nodes are further broken down into individual component types. As you create definitions and modifiers, those items display as nodes underneath the component types to which they belong.

Definition name

Type the name of the specification definition. By default, the software names the specification definition Spec Builder Definition1.

Source

Select the database from which to copy to create the new specification. The list contains the names of all currently opened databases.

Output

Select the database in which the specification builder is to output the processed data. You can use the Specification Builder to create a new database or you can copy the data to an existing database. The list contains the names of all the currently opened databases, excluding that of the source database. The list also displays a new database named New Database 1.

Clear

Resets the specification definition to its original default state.

More

Displays the More Definitions dialog box. You can use the dialog box to load a new specification definition into the Specification Builder, delete or rename a specification definition.

Specification definitions

Lists all the specification definitions that have been previously saved on the local computer. To load a new definition, click its name in the list and then click OK.

Update

Renames the definition selected in the Specification definitions list according to what displays in the Definition name box.

Delete

Removes the definition selected in the Specification definitions list.

Definition name

Displays the name of the definition selected in the Specification definitions list. To rename a definition, type a new name in the Definition name box and then click Update.

OK

Closes the dialog box and returns to the Specification Builder.

Cancel

Closes the dialog box and returns to the Specification Builder.

Save

Saves the current specification definition to the local computer as a .xml file. You can re-load previously saved filters and use them again.

Data

Displays the Material Data Browser.

Build Specification

Runs the currently loaded specification against the source database. After processing completes, the software displays the output databases in the Database window.

Clicking Build Specification in the Specification Builder dialog box processes only items that have not yet run through a build cycle and applies only newly added filters on the source database. To process all items (new and existing), as well as apply all existing filters, you must right-click the tree view and then click Build Specification > All Items in the shortcut menu. For more information, see Create a specification.

Close

Closes the Specification Builder dialog box. If you have not saved the specification definition, the software prompts you to do so.

Using Filters

Filters allow you to limit the number of components that are contained within the specification. While creating your specification definition, you can add, edit, and delete filters using the Filter Builder, which is available by right-clicking on the appropriate item in the tree view and selecting the appropriate command on the shortcut menu. You can define any number of filters for each component. To add a filter, right-click on the component type and then select Add Filter. To create the filter definition using the Filter Builder, right-click the filter icon in the tree view and then select Edit Filter.

Each filter that you define displays as a node under the respective component in the tree view, using the same standard tree view icons as the Filter Builder.

In addition to adding and removing filters as you create the specification definition, you can also apply two special filter states for each component type. Both filter states are available on the shortcut menu when you right-click a component type in the tree view.

  • Filter (Get All) - Copy all the materials within the component type.

  • Filter (Get None) - Copy no materials within the component type.

Using Modifiers

While the numbers of filters you can define are limitless, you can define only one modifier for each component type. Furthermore, you can add a modifier only to a component type that either contains one or more filters or whose filter state is set to Filter (Get All). Unlike filters, you do not have commands to add, edit or delete a modifier. All those functions are carried out by the Modifier Builder, which is available by right-clicking a component type and clicking Modifier Builder on the shortcut menu. To add a modifier, you simply create it using the Modifier Builder. To delete a modifier, you must clear the modifier from the Modifier Builder.

Each modifier that you define displays as a node under the respective component in the tree view, using the same standard tree view icons as the Modifier Builder.

Copying and Pasting Filters and Modifiers

You can copy and paste filters and modifiers between component types. The copy and paste commands are all available on the shortcut menu. When you right-click a filter icon and click Copy Filter, the software places a copy of that filter on the internal clipboard. From there you can perform a simple paste to any other component type.

  • If a component type contains multiple filters, you can right-click the component type and click Copy Filters. The Specification Builder displays a dialog box that allows you to specify which filter or filters from the component type are to be copied to the internal clipboard.

  • If an item group that contain more than one component, you can click Paste Filter (Multiple) and then specify on which component or components the filter or filters are to be pasted.

The technique for copying and pasting modifiers follows closely to that for filters. To copy a modifier, right-click the modifier in the tree view and click Copy Modifier. The software places a copy of the modifier on the internal clipboard so that you can then paste it on another component type.

Interpreting Tree View Icons

The software uses the icons in the tree view to reflect the filter and modifier states, as well as the stages of revision management.

The Specification Builder employs a basic form of revision management. This feature is particularly useful when you are using a step-by-step approach to defining filters and modifiers and need to keep track of which filters and modifiers have been run against the source database.

Filter States:

Icon

Meaning

Copy no materials within the component type.

Copy all materials within the component type. Specification Builder process has completed.

Copy all materials within the component type. Specification Builder process has not been started.

Copy all materials within the component type and then run the modifier. Specification Builder process has not been started.

When one or more of the component types within an item group has changed in terms of its filter state, meaning that either filters have been added or removed since the last time the Specification Builder process was run, the tree view displays a

Revision states:

Icon

Meaning

The component type contains filters that have been run against the source database.

The component type contains both filters and a modifier that have been against the source database.

The component type contains filters that have not been run against the source database.

The component type contains both filters and modifiers that have not been run against the source database.