The default Raw Data templates supplied with QC-CALC only show rows for the Feature Labels, Nominals, Tolerances, and actual data values. This White Paper will give step-by-step instructions for designing a custom template and adding a row of Characteristic Sources to one of the standard Raw Data templates.
Steps
The directions below will add a row containing Characteristic Sources to the report. This is a lengthy process, but relatively simple to accomplish.
- From QC-CALC Real-Time choose the Report > Design Template menu.
- Choose the DataLand.raw template from the list of files that appears and click Open. The Report Designer now appears on the screen.
Header Lines
- Double-click on the table and the Table Contents window will appear. Select the Header Line tab and look for the “Line Definition Nominal” line.
- Select “Line Definition Nominal” and click the Copy button (
). This line definition gives us a good basis for the Characteristic Source line we’ll add.
- Next, select the Paste button (
) to paste the copied line definition.
- You now have a new Header Line in the list, but the name must be fixed. Right-click your new line definition and choose Rename Table Line. Rename the line definition to “Line Definition Characteristic Source”.
- Choose the Up Arrow button (
) above the line definitions to move the Characteristic Source line definition above the Nominal line definition. This will make the Characteristic Source line appear above the Nominal line in the report.
- Back in the Table Contents window choose the new “Line Definition Characteristic Source” item we just created.
- The very top line of the Line area is the left-most column in the report. At the moment, this is going to print “Nominal.” Double-click that line, and the Edit Table screen appears.
- In the Edit Table screen change “Nominal” to “Char Source” to make the label column correctly identify the values in that row.
- Back in the Table Contents screen, double-click the third line in the Line area (it starts with “if(Upper$(Char_01_Source_1)=…”).
- In the Edit Table screen, replace the whole line showing at the bottom of the screen with “Char_01_Source.” The text will turn blue after inserting to show that it is a recognized variable. If the first characteristic in the part file you have open has a Characteristic Source assigned, you will see that value at the bottom of the window. Select and copy (Ctrl+C) the Char_01_Source; we’ll use it to edit subsequent lines.
- Back in the Table Contents window, double-click the line right below the Char_01_Source line, paste the contents of the clipboard (CTRL + V), and change the “01” to an “02.”
- Continue this process for all 9 Characteristics, making sure all numbers 01 – 09 are used.
- Click the OK button on the Table Contents window and save your changes to the template.
- You will be asked if you changed the number of Characteristics in the report. Answer
No.
- When you run your report you will now have an additional row in the lines at the top of the report that shows the Characteristic Source value for each Characteristic.
