View and modify family tables

You can modify a read/write family to adjust the sizes to your company standards, modify values for existing family member, add new family members, add new columns to the family table. You can define how the member looks, and what information is in the part file when it is placed into a document.

You use the Family Table dialog box to edit the data for members of a part family. One row in the family table represents each family member, and each column represents one family property.

Notes:

• Only the read/write families can be edited. If you open the Column Properties dialog box for a read-only family, you can view the column properties.
• If you use libraries stored on a Vault server, you must have editing permissions. Log in to your server to perform any of the editing tasks.

Tip: To edit a part family that is contained in a read-only library, copy the family to a Read/Write enabled library. Right-click the family, choose Copy To from the menu, and select a read/write library from the list. After the family is copied, it can be edited. Edits are saved to the read/write library.

General workflow

1. On the ribbon, click Manage tab Content Center panel Editor .
2. On the Content Center Editor dialog box, use the Category View mode or Search to locate the part family you want to edit.
3. To display the Family Table dialog box, right-click the part family and select Family Table.
4. Edit the family data. Use context or toolbar commands to work with the data.
   Note: Blue and black color indicates a value type in the family table. Evaluated expression values are blue, static values (including expression overrides) are black.
5. Click OK to close the dialog box.

Set properties for a column in the table

You can assign an expression and other properties to a column.

Tip: Set Boolean columns that control visibility or suppression of features as custom columns. When Boolean columns are custom, you can change the Boolean value in the Family dialog box before you place the family member. The Boolean value from the family table becomes the default value.

1. On the Family Table dialog box, right-click a column header, and select Column Properties. The Column Properties dialog box displays.
2. Edit the column caption.
3. Select the type of data (available only for new columns) and units.
4. To define an expression, select Expression and Expression Column. Then create the expression in the edit field. Click next to the edit field to add a family parameter to the expression.
5. To create a custom column, select Expression and Custom Column. Click next to the edit field and specify settings for the custom column. See the next procedure for more details.
6. To map the column to a specific Autodesk Inventor iProperty, select a property from the Map to Inventor Property list.
7. Click OK to close the Column Properties dialog box.
8. On the Family Table dialog box, click OK or Apply to confirm changes.

Create a custom column

Use custom family parameters to modify a family member on placement. The following types of custom parameters can exist in the family table: Range of numeric values, sequence of numeric values, or Boolean.

1. On the Family Table dialog box, click Add Column.
2. Insert the column name and caption.
3. Set the type of data as Real, Integer, or Boolean.
4. Select Expression and Custom Column.
5. Click next to the edit field and specify settings for the custom column:
   • To define a numeric column of the Range type: Select the < (less than) sign from the list on the left and specify the Minimum value. Select the > (more than) sign from the list on the right and specify the Maximum value. If appropriate, specify the Default value.
     Note: The Default value displays in the Family dialog box on family member placement. If the Default value is not defined, the Minimum value becomes the default.
   • To define a numeric column of the Sequence type: Select the < (less than) sign from the list on the left and specify the Minimum value. Select the > (more than) sign from the list on the right and specify the Maximum value. Then specify the Increment value. If appropriate, specify the Default value.
     Note: Only numbers that belong to sequence are accepted in the Family dialog box as valid values for the custom parameter. (Example: Minimum, Minimum + Increment, Minium + 2*Increment, and so on.)
   • To define the default for a Boolean custom column, insert 0 or 1 in the Default field.
6. To map the column to a specific Autodesk Inventor iProperty, select a property from the Map to Inventor Property list.
7. Click OK to close the Column Properties dialog box.
8. On the Family Table dialog box, click OK or Apply to confirm changes.

Modify key columns

On the Family Table dialog box, click Key Columns on the toolbar. On the Key Columns Options dialog box, set key columns: To add a table column to the Key Columns list, select the table column and click the right arrow. To remove a key column from the Key Columns list, select the key column and click the right arrow. To reorder key columns, select a key column and click the Up and Down arrows. Click OK to close the Key Columns Options dialog box.

Add a family member

You add a member to the family by adding a row to the family table.

Tip: We recommend that you to copy the data from an existing row to the new row, and then edit the parameters for the new family member.

1. On the part family table, select a row that best matches the new family member. Right-click the row, and select Copy.
2. Select a row in the table, right-click the row header, and then select Insert Copied Row(s).
3. Edit parameters in the new row.
4. Click Apply to verify the new family member.
5. Click OK to close the Family Table dialog box.

Tip: To add more family members at the same time, select several rows, right-click, and select Copy. Right-click a row header, and select Insert Copied Row(s). Then edit parameters for the new family members.

Delete a family member

1. On the part family table, select the row that corresponds to the part you want to delete from Content Center Library.
2. Right-click and select Delete Row from the menu.
3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
4. Click Apply in the Family Table dialog box to save the change in the library.

Suppress a family member

Suppressed parts are not displayed in Content Center, but remain in Content Center Library, and if necessary, can be unsuppressed.

1. In the part family table, select the row which corresponds to the part you want to suppress.
2. Right-click and select Suppress from the menu. The selected part is displayed in gray color in the table.
3. Click Apply in the Family Table dialog box to save the change in the library.

Modify BOM settings for a Content Center family

Use the following procedure to change BOM settings for read/write families:

1. Use Open from Content Center to create a part file for a family member. Save the part file to a location outside the Library folder so the part file can be modified.
2. Change BOM document settings and save the part.
3. Click Manage tab Content Center panel Editor to open Content Center Editor
4. Locate the family.
5. Right-click the family and select Replace Part Template.
6. In the Open dialog box, select the part file you previously created, and click Open. The part file is checked to determine whether it meets the criteria to become the new part family template.

Edit a family table in a spreadsheet

1. Open the family table, and click Edit via Spreadsheet on the toolbar.

   A Microsoft Excel session is started and the family table is exported into a sheet in a new .xls, .xlsx, or .xlsm file.

2. Edit the family table data and then click Save.
3. Close the Microsoft Excel session. Your edits are imported into the family table in Autodesk Inventor. All edited table cells are marked yellow.
4. Review the edits and then click Apply in the Family Table dialog box to save the edits in the library.

Notes:

• When you export the family table in Microsoft Excel, the first row and first two columns are hidden. They include data used to import the table. Do not delete or edit the hidden cells.
• You can add or remove columns and rows in Microsoft Excel. Key columns and columns used in an expression cannot be deleted, and are restored in the table during import. Rows are deleted without any restrictions.
• You can rename columns. If a column name is duplicated, an index is added as a suffix to the column name during import.
• Save your edits before you close the Microsoft Excel session. Not saved edits are discarded.
• If the imported edits are not correct, click Cancel in the Family Table dialog box to cancel the edits and restore the original data.
• A blank row and column border the imported table. If you add a blank row or column inside the table, you change the size of the imported table. Some rows or columns are then removed from the family table on import to Autodesk Inventor.
• You can create a template file CC Family Edit Template.xlt (.xltx, or .xltm). If the template file exists it is used to edit the family tables.