Parts lists and tables (overview)

You can place different types of tables on a drawing.

• Create a parts list (bill of materials). For piping and structural frames, you can create a total lengths list or a cut lengths list.

• Create a family of assemblies parts list.

• Create a hole table.

• Generate a bend table on a drawing using this two-step process:

  1. Construct a flat pattern in the sheet metal part document.

  2. On a drawing with a view of the flattened sheet metal model, Place a bend table on a drawing sheet.

• Create a family of parts table for a family of parts. A family of parts is a collection of similar parts in different sizes or with slightly different detailing features. A family of parts table contains the dimensional values associated with all family members.

  1. In the part model, Create a family of parts using the Family of Parts tab in PathFinder.

  2. Create a family of parts dimension table on a drawing.

• Create a user-defined table, for example, to contain drawing notes and revision tables.

• Create a tolerance table to list all fit dimension values and tolerances.

• Create a table from blocks. This captures the information in a schematic diagram or in a block drawing of an assembly in a structured table format, similar to a parts list.

You can place a table on the active sheet, which is the default workflow, or you can create new table sheets to contain the table. New table sheets are inserted, named, and grouped automatically in the sheet tab tray. You can use this workflow to organize long parts lists or tables into booklets for easier printing. To learn how to do this, see Create new sheets for tables.

You can separate individual pages from a multi-page table, and place them on the sheet where the matching drawing view is located. For more information, see Arranging table pages.

Parts lists and most tables are associative to the model from which they are derived. When the model changes, use the Update command on the table shortcut menu to fetch the changes.

User-defined tables are ad hoc tables placed on a drawing.

For all tables, you can use property text to specify content to extract from the drawing view source document and include in a table cell. Property text is associative to the model.

• For more information, see Using property text.

• To learn how, see Create property text.

You can specify the default appearance and formatting of tables and parts lists using table styles, which are referenced by table type when you create a new table. You also can review and change the table formatting by modifying its properties before you click to place it on the sheet.

Using table styles

You can specify the appearance of table lines and table text globally using styles. These changes also apply to any existing tables or parts lists on the drawing that use the modified style.

For more information, see Table styles.

Using table properties

You can modify the layout, content, and formatting of columns, rows, and data types by editing the properties of a table or parts list. You can open the Properties dialog box to do this, or you can edit them directly using the contextual editing frame.

To learn how you can use the Format Column dialog box and the Format Table Cells dialog box to customize the appearance of the header rows and data cells, see Manipulate table rows and columns.

To learn how you can insert or delete columns and rows, move rows, drag columns from one location to another, see Make changes to a table or parts list.

Using the contextual edit frame

After you place a table, you can edit the table appearance and structure by double-clicking it and editing the table directly on the sheet using shortcut commands. For more information, see Editing a table directly.

You can use saved settings to name, store, and reapply a specific table layout and content. First, format the table columns and titles the way you want them to appear, using the various tabs in the Table Properties dialog box. Then you can assign a name to the table layout and the default content using the Saved Settings options on the General tab.