Project: HiCAD Basics

Variables/Attributes in Title Blocks

• Print variables
• Sheet number, Total number of sheets, Scale
• Combined output of HELiOS and HiCAD attributes

Print variables

The Print variables shown in the table below can be entered in the field as placeholders. The assigned data will be visible on printouts of the drawing.

For example, if you want to insert the user name in the title block, create a 2-D text "@PLON@" and place it at the desired position. The user name will only be visible on printouts, but not in the drawing itself.

Print variables can also be applied outside the title block.

Sheet number, Total number of sheets, Scale

The designation of the active sheet view, the drawing scale, the view scale and the total number of sheets (sheet areas) can also be assigned to the title block texts via corresponding keys, and displayed in the title block by selecting the Complete title block, with attributes .

Use the 2-D Text Editor to place the corresponding variable at the desired position in the title block. The assigning of the attributes to the title block texts takes place via the file SchrFe_ausAttr.dat in the HiCAD SYS sub-directory. For derived drawings the assigning must be made separately, namely via the file wsd_titleblock.dat.

In the drawing, this placeholder is initially invisible. Only after updating of the title block will the corresponding data be displayed.

If you want to display the sheet number or the main scale of the drawing in the title block, proceed as follows:

1. Enter the corresponding variables in the title block.

2. Specify the assignment in the system file SchrFe_ausAttr.dat.

3. Result after selecting Complete title block, with attributes:

Sheet number and View scale

If you want to use the view scale instead of the drawing scale in the title block, you need to change the assignment for the scale in the file SchrFe_ausAttr.dat as follows:

1 s $VIEWSCALE Masstab1.

Please remember that views have different scales. The view scale should therefore only be entered, if all views that are visible in the sheet area have the same scale. Exceptions are views which have obviously been assigned a different scale. These are detail views and automatically scaled axonometric workshop drawing views.

Main scale and View scale

A simultaneous using of main scale and view scale in the title block is possible.

1. Assignment in the SchrFe_ausAttr.dat file:

2. Enter the variables in the title block.

3. Result after selecting Complete title block, with attributes:

Total number of sheets

Please note that the ISD standard drawing frames have no field allowing the indication of the total number of sheets. If you require such a field, you need to expand the frames accordingly.

1. Enter the variable into the title block.

2. Specify the assignment in the system file SchrFe_ausAttr.dat.

Please note:

• All '@*@HIC_@*@' texts are directed past the database, i.e. corresponding entries in the database are irrelevant.
• For derived drawings, the assignments take place separately, via the file wsd_titleblock.dat.

Combined output of HELiOS and HiCAD attributes

As of HiCAD 2013, a combined use of HELiOS attributes and HiCAD attributes in title blocks of drawing frames will be possible. This applies to the Insert drawing frame function with filling in of the title block via HELiOS.

This is possible both for HiCAD drawing attributes and HiCAD part attributes. For the part attributes, the highest BOM-relevant part in the part structure will be evaluated. If no BOM-relevant part exists in the drawing, or if several BOM-relevant parts exist on the same level, no evaluation will take place. Please note that NO error message will be issued.

The strings in the title block must have the following structure:

@*@Length,Source.AttrName@*@

Length
This value defines the maximum number of characters for the output. If floating point numbers are used, you can additionally specify the number of decimal places. If a negative value is specified for the decimal places, non-relevant zeroes at the end of the number will be omitted. For non-floating point numbers of the sources 'S' and 'K' the specification of the decimal places will have no effect. No decimal place must be attached to the previously available sources, such as 'P', 'D', etc.!

Source
This ID determines whether the attribute is a drawing attribute or a part attribute. Allowed entries are S (Drawing) or K (Part).

AttrName
Here you specify the name of the attribute.

A dot needs to be set between Source and AttrName!

Examples of Drawing attributes

• @*@44,S._SZNATTRS06@*@
  Designation1, max. 44 characters

• @*@20,S._SZNATTRS08@*@
  Created by, max. 20 characters

Examples of Part attributes

• @*@10,k.%02@*@
  Item number, 10 digits
• @*@15,K:4.§03@*@
  Length, max. 15 characters, with 4 decimal places

Example of length = 12.2000

• @*@15,K:2.§03@*@
  12.20
• @*@15,K:-2.§03@*@
  12.2

Procedure:

Change title block of a particular drawing frame

1. Load the desired drawing frame. Please note that you need to change the drawing frames with the affix _TS, DINA3_TS.FGA. Right-click on the drawing area and select Insert drawing frame.
2. A preview of the drawing will be displayed, and HiCAD will prompt you to specify the position of the fitting point of the frame in the drawing (=intersection point of the diagonals above the title block). Important: This position needs to be the origin (A 0 0) !.
3. Drawing parts are auxiliary part that are normally not displayed in the ICN. Should the drawing part not be displayed in the 2-D Part strucure tab of the ICN, right-click the name of the drawing, and select  Hide/Show auxiliary parts, ON.
4. On the Information tab , select Text > Show text insertion points . Existing texts are indicated by the small triangles.
5. To edit the text, double-click on the triangle to activate the text. This opens the Text Editor. Enter the desired string and close the Text Editor with OK. (Select 2-D Dimensioning + Text > Text > New to define additional presettings.)
6. Save the title block by right-clicking the name part name and selecting Save part > Save, as 2-D part . The storage location must be the standard drawing directory.

Change title block in several drawing frames

1. Execute steps 1 - 5 as described above.

2. Save the title block by right-clicking the name SCHRIFE and selecting Save part > Save, as 2-D part . The storage location must be the standard drawing directory. The title block saved in this way can also be used like this for other drawing frames.

3. Save the drawing frame by right-clicking the part name – e.g. DINA4Q – and selecting Save part > Save, as 2-D part. The storage location must be the standard drawing directory.

4. Create a new drawing with the scale 1:1.
5. Load the drawing frame you want to change. Right-click the drawing frame and select Insert drawing frame . Delete the old title block SCHRIFE.
6. On the Drawing tab, select Insert part > Insert part, via Explorer .
7. Select the previously created file SCHRIFE.FGA and place the title block at the bottom right corner of the drawing frame.
8. In the ICN, switch the display of auxiliary parts on. Right-click the name of the drawing and select Show/Hide auxiliary parts > ON.
9. In the ICN, drag the title block 2D part below the entry for the drawing frame, to make the 2D part a sub-part of the frame.
10. In the drawing area, right-click the drawing frame, select Save part , and choose the option Save as 2-D part. Do not rename the part and confirm that the existing part should be overwritten.
11. Repeat steps 1 - 10 for further drawings.

Insert Drawing Frame • System Variable • Change Title Block Entries