To Add a Manual Property Definition to a Property Set Definition

Use this procedure to add a manual property definition to a property set definition. Manual properties are those that must be entered rather than obtained directly from the object. You can define a list of manual property values to use in property definitions. For example, you could predefine the values for paint color or manufacturer to avoid repeatedly typing the information.

When you use real numbers for Type in manual property definitions, you specify only how units are entered and stored for properties of the object or style. How units are displayed is controlled by the property data format.

1. Click Manage tabStyle & Display panelStyle Manager.

   The Style Manager is displayed with the current drawing expanded in the tree view.

2. Expand Documentation Objects, and expand Property Set Definitions.
3. Select the property set definition for which to add a manual property.
4. On the Definition tab, click .
5. Enter the Name for the property.
   Note: If this property is for use with schedule tags, do not enter spaces in the property name.
6. To define a property by using existing properties, select a property from the Start With list.
7. Click OK, and continue working on the property set definition on the Definition tab of the Property Set Definition dialog box.
8. Enter a description of the property, and click OK.

   The default description is the same as the property definition name. This text is for a column header in a schedule table that uses this property.

   Note: The description does not change if you edit the property name. Edit the description separately.
9. Specify the type of data the property contains.

   Select List to associate a list definition with this manual property.

   Changing the data type of a definition for property data already stored in the drawing will set the data to the default value, possibly removing data previously edited.

   For property definitions to be displayed in a matrix column in a schedule table, you can assign multiple values to the same property by using a text data type and separating the values with semicolons. Each value will be displayed in a separate matrix column.

10. Select a property data format to specify how the data included in the property set definition is displayed.

    The format you select becomes the default format of a column when this property is added to a schedule table style. It can be changed at any time. The Example column shows how the default value is displayed using the selected format.

11. Select how units are entered.

    If you assign a type of unit other than the default for Format, an override is applied to the property data format. The type of units specifies how they are stored in the drawing. on the Extended Data tab of the Properties Palette.

12. Enter a default value.

    Values for Default are used in the example fields and as example data for schedule table columns. The Extended Data tab of the Properties palette displays units in the same format as they appear for Example.

    Note: If you create a manual property, it is helpful to enter neutral characters, such as “--,” as the default value. When you create a schedule table, the characters fill the cells for which you have not entered values. You can edit the characters in each cell later. If you leave the default value blank in the property set definition, the corresponding cells are blank. You cannot select and edit blank cells.
13. Clear Visible if you do not want this property definition to appear on the Extended Data tab of the Properties palette.
14. Enter a number for Order if you want this property definition to appear on the Extended Data tab in a particular order.
15. Click OK.
Note: When you attach property set data to an xref drawing or block using RefEdit and the property set includes Auto Increment—Integer or Auto Increment—Character, then you must set the default value to the first number to be used in the xref or block to avoid creating duplicate numbers.