BOM in 2004

There is no conversion from the excell style BOM to the new one. You cannot mix the to in 1 drawing.
But the old style (excell) is still availible.
Johnny

I think he wants to know how the old excel BOMs are transfered to the new BOMs. I also would like to know.
Thanks CAD ROB

They aren't. They stay as an excel BOM. Only newly created BOMs will be in the new table format.
Dave H

Thanks,
Really I was searching for both answers.
Do you see any limitations to the new BOM version?
Steve

Mr. Pickles quipped:
apparently you can't put variables in them either $PRP_Author (or whatever it's called) does not show the author as entered in the doc properties.
i could be wrong tho. haven't played with it enough. (and this refers to rev blocks, assuming BOMs will behave the same.)
-nick e.

I have another question about the new BOM that sort of relates to this topic.
My biggest customer has been wanting me to send him the excell file related to each BOM when I do a design for him. He has been finding a lot of uses for that file. It was really easy to just click on the BOM and `save as' an xls file.
My question is : will we still be able to save the BOM information as an excell file with the new BOM routine- even though it is not related to Excell? If not, will we be able to save it as any other sort of a text file that I can send to him?
TIA,
jk

Just use the Excel BOM instead of the new table. It's still available under the "Insert" > "Tables" menu.
Dave H

If you select the new BOM and the do a file save as the options that you have are SLDBOMTBT, TXT, and CSV. Not sure what CSV stands for.

Although it's true that the new BOMs cannot do formulas, there is a way to do some formulas if you know VBA. I have some custom properties that calculate square inches and others that concatenate (group) several different properties. For example, I have three lines for my description (sheet 1), but I group these three lines together to make a one-line description (sheet 2).
My only beef is with the QTY field. I can't figure out how to get rid of it. I would like to use the BOM table for other types of tables that SW hasn't created, nor could they foresee.

CSV files are (I believe) comma delimited files. They open up smoothly in several programs, especially Excel. They are more flexible than an Excel files because they also open in Word, Quattro, WordPerfect, Notepad, and a zillion others I can't even think of. You could even make labels if you want. Some MRP systems can use them to set up parts in your part systems. Of course, you can forget formulas.

CSV == Comma Separated Variables

I know enought to get into trouble. I'm curious: how would I do this?

Thank you Dave, and everybody else. I am inclined to try the new BOM even though I never had any real problems with the old one. It's also good to know that I can still use the old style if my customers don't like the .csv file.
Not having downloaded 2004 yet, I was asking so that I knew what my options would be when I make the move.
Thanks again,
jk

Basically what your going to do is:
1) Create your "custom properties" in the part/assembly(if you haven't already). You should probably do this in your starter parts and assemblies.
2) Create a form that has text boxes (at least) displaying the value of the "custom properties". Don't forget labels.
3) Extract the current values of the part/assemblies "custom properties" and place them in the text boxes.
4) Then send the values in the text boxes back to the "custom properties".
You could take someone's custom property program and modify it, or start from scratch. I like to let someone else do the typing and debugging. If you want to use someone else's program, you will need to replace the name of their variables with yours. Use find/replace under the Edit pull-down.
Either way, try nhcad.com for some examples.
When you get this far, you can create new properties that have information from several properties. I use "description1", "description2", and 'description3" for each line in my title block. Then I have a property called "description" which takes the three and makes one. Something like: description = description1 & " " & description2 & " " & description3

I see. I didn't think you meant that much VB.