Modify the CAD Configuration File for Data Standard

Note: This topic applies only to the Data Standard add-in for Inventor and AutoCAD.

This CAD configuration file for Data Standard defines the following:

• Which fields and properties are available in Data Standard
• Where the file is saved
• The file name
• If Data Standard is loaded automatically.
• If the Vault Check-in dialog is displayed.

There is a unique configuration file for AutoCAD and for Inventor.

Configuration File Details

There are two CAD configuration files for the Data Standard Add-in.

• Inventor.cfg
• AutoCAD.cfg

You can find both of these files in C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Vault 2014\Extensions\DataStandard\CAD\Configuration

File Elements

The configuration file is an XML. Use a text editor or an XML editor to modify element values in the file.

AutoCAD TitleBlock Definition

In the AutoCAD.cfg file, you will find an element called <TitleBlock>. Add the names of the blocks that you want to synchronize with Data Standard. You can have multipe block names, all separated by commas. For example: ISO_TITLEA,ANSI_TITUS

FileNameDefinition

Defines how the file is named. The definition can be a mix of plain text or variables. The expression is evaluated every time the user enters or changes data. The file extension is omitted but is automatically attached by Data Standard.

Samples

<FileNameDefinition>{Prop[TITLE].Value}</FileNameDefinition>

The file name is generated out of the value of the property title.

<FileNameDefinition>{Prop[YEAR].Value}_{Prop[NUMBER].Value}</FileNameDefinition>

The file name is generated out of the combination of the properties YEAR and NUMBER with an underscore between.

PathDefinition

Defines where the file is saved. The definition can be a mix of plain text or variables. The expression entered is evaluated every time the user enters or changes data. The closing back-slash is not required. The supported variables are

• {Workspace} ... this will contain the path to your workspace
• {Prop[<nameofproperty>].Value} ... this is the value of your property which will change as soon the user enter data</nameofproperty>
• plain text ... this is simple text, like the back-slash symbols or some solid path pieces

Samples

<PathDefinition>{Workspace}\{Prop[PROJECT].Value}</PathDefinition>

In this sample, the path generated by Data Standard is the workspace folder set in the application plus the project name selected or entered into the Data Standard dialog. As the workspace will not change, this part is fixed, while the project path changes depending on the user data.

PropertyDefinitions

Contains lists of one or more PropertyDefinition elements. The PropertyDefinition is the core of this configuration file and lets you define one or more properties.

All the fields that will be accessible in the Data Standard dialog as a property must be defined here. The name of the property is also the name of the file or title-block property. If the property name matches an existing file property, such as title, then this file property is used. Otherwise a custom property is created. The only exception to this rule is AutoCAD. When AutoCAD synchronizes properties, it does so from Data Standard to the title-block attributes, not to the file attributes.

The available attributes for a propety definition are:

Property	Required	Description	Supported Values
PropertyName	Yes	the name of the property	characters and numbers
DataType	Yes	defines the data type	text, date, number, double, boolean
InitialValue	No	defines which value should be filled the first time	any text
RequiresValue	No	defines whether the field must contain a value or not	true, false
Regex	No	defines a regular expression for controlling user entry	regex syntax

ShowCheckinDialog

Set to True or False to indicate whether the Vault check-in dialog is displayed.

SkipForProperties

The SkipForProperties element can be added with a comma-separated list of property names that Data Standard should skip. This means that the Data Standard dialog does not display once it encounters of the property names listed in this tag. One usage scenario is to skip showing the Data Standard dialog for third-party content center parts (e.g.,Cadenas content center generated parts).

Sample

<SkipForProperties>CDN_B</SkipForProperties>

SupportedFileTypes

Defines which file types are supported by Data Standard.