Transforming a Schematic Network Object

Schematics Platform Modeler

Transforming a Schematic Network Object

This macro shows you how to transform a schematic network object.

Given a list of independent objects that are connected to other objects, this macros shows how to transform the members accounting for the connectivity.

This macro opens the CAASCH_Network01.CATProduct document.

Through special naming convention (i.e. the word "_network_scale" embedded in the instance name), the macro knows to include the following Schematic component instances in the input list.

V-082_network_scale_instance.

CAASchNetworkTransf is launched in CATIA [1]. No open document is needed.

Special environment must be available to successfully run this macro:

Prerequisites:

RADE must be installed.

CAASchPlatformModeler.edu must exist in CAADoc folder.

Setup:

Build CAASchAppBase.m and CAASchAppUtilities.m, located in CAASchPlatformModeler.edu (RADE is required).

Copy generated DLLs, CAASchAppBase.dll and CAASchAppUtilities.m, respectively, to the run-time environment folder "intel_a\code\bin."

Copy CAASCHEDUApp.CATfct, located CAASchPlatformModeler.edu\CNext\resources\graphic, to the run-time environment folder "intel_a\resources\graphic."

Copy CAASchPlatformModeler.edu\CNext\code\dictionary\CAASchPlatformModeler.edu.dico to the run-time environment folder "intel_a\code\dictionary."

CAASchNetworkTransf.CATScript is located in the CAAScdSchUseCases module. Execute macro (Windows only).

CAASchNetworkTransf includes the following steps:

Prolog
Translating a Schematic component that is connected to other objects
Scaling a Schematic component that is connected to other objects

Prolog

The macro first loads CAASCH_Network01.CATProduct.

    ...
    ' -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ' Open the schematic document
    Dim sFilePath
    sFilePath = CATIA.FileSystem.ConcatenatePaths(sDocPath, _
            "online\CAAScdSchUseCases\samples\CAASCH_Network01.CATProduct")

    Dim objSchDoc As Document
    Set objSchDoc = CATIA.Documents.Open(sFilePath)
    ...

Next, the macro acquires the schematic root object from the document. The schematic root is the top node of the object instance tree in a schematic document.

    ...
    ' Find the top node of the schematic object tree - schematic root.
    Dim objPrdRoot As Product
    Dim objSchRoot As SchematicRoot
    If ( Not ( objSchDoc Is Nothing ) ) Then
      Set objPrdRoot = objSchDoc.Product
      If ( Not ( objPrdRoot Is Nothing ) ) Then
        Set objSchRoot = objPrdRoot.GetTechnologicalObject("SchematicRoot")
      End If
    End If
    ...

Translating a Schematic component that is connected to other objects

This macro provides a private FindNetworkComponent subroutine which searches for specific component instances in the model based on a specific naming convention. Those instances which have the word "_network_scale" as parts of their instance names will be included. FindNetworkComponent populates the two global lists objLCntbl_g and objLGRRl_g that are used as input in calling the CreateNetwork method.

    ...
             '-----------------------------------------------------------------
             ' The following "Sub" will populate objLCntbl_g and objLGRR_g and
             ' objLSelected_g
             '-----------------------------------------------------------------
             FindNetworkComponentInst objSchRoot

             Set objLNetWork = objSchBaseFact.CreateNetwork (objLCntbl_g, _
               objLGRR_g)
    ...

A network object member in the output list: objLNetwork implements the SchMovable interface. This interface provides the Translate method to move all the members in the network accounting for the connectivity.

    ...
      intNbNet = objLNetWork.Count
    ...
       If ( intNbNet > 0 ) Then
          Set objSchNet = objLNetWork.Item (1,"CATIASchMovable")

          If ( Not ( objSchNet Is Nothing ) ) Then
             '-----------------------------------------------------------------
             ' Translate the first network by (50.0, 0.0)
             '-----------------------------------------------------------------
             objSchNet.Translate Db2Vector
    ...

Scaling a Schematic component that is connected to other objects

The SchMovable interface provides the ScaledSelectedObjects method to scale a component that is part of the network. This method also requires a list of "selected" component as input. "Selected" components are those that are found explicitly by FindNetworkComponentInst (through naming convention in this use case) and not those that are inferred from the network analysis done by the CreateNetwork method.

    ...
             '-----------------------------------------------------------------
             ' Scale a component (the one with "_Scale" in its name) that is in
             ' the network. Objects directly connected to this component will
             ' be adjusted according until a route is reached. The latter will
             ' be "reshaped".
             ' objLSelected_g is set in FindNetworkComponentInst
             '-----------------------------------------------------------------
             Dim intSelected As Integer
            intSelected = objLSelected_g.Count
             If ( intSelected > 0 ) Then
                objSchNet.ScaleSelectedObjects objLSelected_g, DbScaleFactor
    ...

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In Short

This use case shows how to transform a Schematic network object. A message logging the status of the critical steps is displayed at the end of the use case.

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References

[1]	Replaying a Macro

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