Several standard report types, such as wire run lists, parts list, and connector tables, can be run on a harness assembly.
To create a report you activate the harness assembly to report on, select a configuration (.cfg) file to process the data, and then generate the report.
You can also create your own configuration files or rename and customize the sample configuration files.
When a report is generated, the output file is saved to a specified location, and one or more reports are displayed in the Report Generator document window for viewing.
What is a .cfg file?
Configuration files are used to perform several different tasks within Autodesk Inventor Cable and Harness. For reports, the .cfg file is a file that is used to extract and format specified data from an active harness assembly. Each report type requires a configuration file before the report can be run.
Note: These .cfg files differ in format and operation than the .cfg files used for the Cable and Harness Library Import and Export or the Import Wire List. Do not use the sample configuration files in the Wire List Import or Wire Library folders to generate reports.
Using the .cfg file you can:
- Specify the harness object type to use for the report.
- Set filters for including or excluding certain property name and value pairs.
- Add and remove columns of data.
- Set the properties and property values to include in each column.
- Refine the output format including columns to sort and multiple file handling.
Note: Segments that do not contain routed wires are not included in the report.
Where are .cfg files stored?
Store the .cfg files used with the report generator in a shared location, such as on a server, to provide access for all required users. These .cfg files are not specific to a particular harness or drawing.
What types of reports do the sample .cfg files output?
Several sample configuration files are stored in:
Microsoft Windows 7 and Window 8 operating system:
- Users\Public\Public Documents\Autodesk\Inventor [version]\Tutorial Files\Cable & Harness\Report Generator.
- Parts list report (PartsList.cfg) lists the electrical parts used in the assembly, but does not include the total of each part type. The format is set to include a place holder for repeated part names, and to print the column headers and the text displayed in the Info tab.
- Part and wire BOM (Part_Splice_Wire_Cable_BOM.cfg) outputs the quantity of each part type that is specifically attached by a wire or cable wire in the harness assembly. The report also includes a total length calculation for each library wire and cable type used in the harness. The filter is set to exclude objects from the BOM (denoted by a specific property BOM=FALSE name/value pair), and to use the Part Number to total the number of like objects. Although length is required to total the amount of wires and cables in the harness assembly, the column is not printed. The total amount of wires and cables is included in the Quantity column.
- Wire run list (Wire Run List.cfg) outputs a from/to list for each wire, including cable wires, in the design. It includes the connection, RefDes, and Pin Name at both ends of each wire, as well as the length of the wire in the specified units. The table uses several link types, and the wire lengths include a round-off value that is used before converting the wires to feet. The format is set to sort multiple columns.
- Connector table (Connector.cfg) creates one file for each electrical component or splice with a RefDes value and wires attached to them in the selected harness assembly. The output file lists the Pin Name, Wire ID, and wire color. The filter is set to query only the parts with a part number property. The table is set to include, but not print, the RefDes property. The format is set to output a file for each RefDes, and <RefDes>.txt is used as the default output name. Multiple wires connected to the same pin each appear on a new line, but the pin name is not repeated.
- Segment data (Segment Table.cfg) creates a table with information about the physical characteristics of each segment in a harness.
What checks are done on report output?
A data type consistency check is performed for all properties on every harness object that is associated with the active harness assembly file. For each property used on an object in a harness assembly, only one data type can be associated with the property name. For example, a data type inconsistency can occur when a connector part with a specific property and data type is placed into a harness assembly that has an existing wire or segment with the same property name, but a different data type.
These inconsistencies do not affect the creation of the harness, and only affect the output report under certain conditions. If the data type is text or has no units, or the property value has no associated numerical operations or units, then the report output data is not affected. However, if the value requires units and numerical operations such as conversions, then the data type for a given property name must be consistent among all its occurrences in the harness assembly to ensure data integrity.
The data type consistency check is also performed on all custom properties referenced by the active harness assembly. This check is performed when all configuration files are selected and the output report is set to run.
A log file is created with details on any inconsistencies. The details include the name of the property, and the objects containing the property and the differing data types. Fix any inconsistencies to ensure data accuracy before creating the reports.