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OneSpace Designer: ME10 Dynamic Drafting MI Interfacing


Simple Properties (#~41)

The Simple Properties section contains information on:

The major difference between the Setup section and the Simple Properties section is that the Setup section has no entities. The Setup section does not need entities, because the information in the Setup section applies to the whole model.

ASSP (Associated Text Property)

Associated text is used for marking a drawing element with information that can be used by a system. For example, some CAD systems are able to perform operations on all elements having the same associated text. It gives the information associated with the element, as described in the Layers and Infos chapter in the ME10 User's Guide.

Associated text is not the same as text that you display on your drawing. Displayed text is described in TEX in Composite Annotation Section (#~72).

Pointer Tree


Figure 21. Pointer Tree for ASSP

Identification Data

ASSP Entity Type.
n+ Entity Sequence Number.

Attribute Data

No Attribute Data.

Property Data

No Property Data.

Parameter Data

n+ String Count. Number of associated text strings. In ME10, the string count is always 1. So if an element has more than one line of associated text, it will have one pointer for each line, each pointing to a different ASSP entity.
STRING First Associated Text String.
: 
STRING Last Associated Text String.
|~ End of Entity.

The following associated text strings are predefined:

DAF (Dimension Arrow Format)

This entity describes the appearance of the terminator that is drawn at the end of a dimension line.

Each dimension entity must reference a DAF for each terminator type. In general the dimension entity will reference the same DAF for both dimension line terminators. Several dimension entities of different types may reference the same DAF.

If a dimension entity does not reference a DAF, ME10 will make a reference to a default DAF entity created with the parameters listed below.

Pointer Tree


Figure 22. Pointer Tree for DAF

Identification Data

DAF Entity Type.
n+ Sequence Number.

Attribute data

No Attribute Data.

Property Data

No Property Data.

Parameter Data

5 Parameter Count.

n+ Arrow Head Type Code. This indicates the type of arrowhead used:
  • 0 = No arrow head
  • 1 = Closed triangular arrowhead
  • 2 = Dot
  • 3 = Slash
  • 4 = Reversed closed triangular arrowhead
  • 5 = JIS


Figure 23. Types of Arrow Heads used in Dimensions

  The default arrowhead code is 1.

n+ Arrowhead No Fill Flag. This indicates whether dot and closed terminator types are filled or not:
  0 = Fill
  1 = No fill
  The default value is 0.

n+ Arrowhead Relative Size Flag:
  0 = False (arrow size remains constant)
  1 = True (arrow size remains proportional to dimension text size)
REAL Arrowhead Length Parameter.

  If the Arrow relative size flag is set to true, the arrowhead is drawn in a fixed ratio to the main dimension text size given by the length parameter.
  If the arrow relative size flag is false, the length parameter gives the absolute length of the arrowhead in units specified in the Setup Section of the MI file.

REAL Arrowhead Width Parameter. This indicates the width of the arrowhead. This parameter is also affected by the relative size flag in the same way as the length parameter. ME10 use the following default arrowhead lengths expressed in percentages:

Arrow type Percentage size
1 26%
2 100%
3 100%
4 141%
5 54%

|~ End of Entity Marker

DDA (Dimension Display Attributes)

This entity describes the appearance of the dimension. Each dimension entity must referece a DDA. Several dimension entities of different types can reference the same DDA.

However, such information is not always available from other systems and file formats. So dimension entities that do not reference a DDA will have the reference to a DDA made for them by ME10. The values for this default are specified below.

For an explanation of the terminology used in dimensions, refer to ME10 User's Guide.

Pointer Tree


Figure 24. Pointer Tree for DDA

Identification Data

DDA Entity Type.
n+ Entity Sequence Number.

Attribute Data

No Attribute Data.

Property Data

No Property Data.

Parameter Data

1 Parameter count.
[0,1] Display flag.
 0 visible.
 1 Invisible (Only the ME10 system can set this flag).
|~ End of Entity Marker

DLA (Dimension Line Attributes)

This entity describes the relationship between dimension lines and dimension text and the geometry being dimensioned.

The individual dimension entities (refer to Composite Annotation Section (#~72)) contain enough information to be drawn. The DLA entity referenced by a dimension specifies how the lines of the dimension will behave when the dimension is modified.

However, such information is not always available from other systems and file formats. So dimension entities that do not reference a DLA will have the reference to a DLA made for them by ME10. The values for this default are specified below.

For an explanation of the terminology used in dimensions, refer to ME10 User's Guide.

Pointer Tree


Figure 25. Pointer Tree for DLA

Identification Data

DLA Entity Type.

n+ Entity Sequence Number.

Attribute Data

No Attribute Data.

Property Data

No Property Data.

Parameter Data

10 Parameter count.
n+ Dimension Text Relative Position Code. This indicates the position of the dimension text relative to the dimension line:

  0 = Above the dimension line
  1 = Below the dimension line
  2 = On the dimension line

n+ Dimension Text Relative Orientation Code. This indicates the orientation of the dimension text relative to the dimension line:

  0 = Parallel
  1 = Perpendicular
  2 = Horizontal (irrespective of dimension line orientation)
  3 = Vertical (irrespective of dimension line orientation)

  The default value is 0.

REAL Offset Point. This is the gap between the end of the extension line and the geometry point. This parameter is not used by the DRAD or DDIA dimension entities.
  The default value is 0.

REAL Arrow Gap. This is the gap between the arrow and the extension line.

  The default value is 0.

REAL Gap between the Dimension Text Box Side and the Dimension Line.

  If the dimension text relative position code is 0. The gap between the dimension text box and dimension line will be measured from the bottom of the text box.

  If the dimension text relative position code is 1, the gap between the dimension text box and the dimension line will be measured from the top of the text box.

  The default value is 0.

REAL Gap between Dimension Line and End of Text Box.

  This value applies to the gap between the broken ends of the dimension lines and the text when the text is positioned on the dimension lines. (dimension text relative position code = 2).

  The default value is 0.

REAL Arrow Line Offset. This is the distance between the dimension terminator and the end of the extension line.

The default value is 0.

n+ Dimension Line Color Code. This is the color used for the dimension lines and arrows. Refer to Color, Line Type, and Line Width in Attribute Data.

The default value is 3 (yellow).

REAL Dimension Line Width. This is the width used for the dimension lines and arrows. Refer to Color, Line Type, and Line Width in Attribute Data.

The default value is 0.

n+ Connect Flag. This flag indicates whether or not the dimension line is broken or continuous for linear dimensions.

0 = Not connected or no center line.
1 = Connected or center line.

|~ End of Entity Marker


Figure 26. Different Text Directions for Dimensions


Figure 27. Different Text Locations and Offsets for Dimensions

DTA (Dimension Text Attributes)

This entity describes the appearance of dimension text. It is referenced by other entities in the MI file.

Each separate component of dimension text, such as main dimension text and main dimension tolerance, will reference a DTA.

Each text character in ME10 can be thought of as being drawn on a grid inside an invisible character box. Each text string is surrounded by an invisible text box.


Pointer Tree


Figure 29. Pointer Tree for DTA

Identification Data

DTA Entity Type.
n+ Entity Sequence Number.

Attribute data

No Attribute Data.

Property Data

No Property Data.

Parameter Data

10 Parameter count.

STRING Primary 1-Byte Text Font Name. This parameter contains the name of a text font.
STRING Primary 2-Byte Text Font Name. This parameter contains the name of a text font.
STRING Secondary Text Font Name.
  These are the names of the fonts describing the form of each character. In general, each will be the name of a text font file. Text is drawn in the primary font until an ASCII shift-out character is encountered, subsequent characters are drawn in the secondary font until a following shift-in character is encountered. The shift-in character has an ASCII value of 14__10__. The shift-out character has an ASCII value of 15__10__. In ME10 the default text font is hp_symbols. See the section on text fonts for further information.

  It is assumed that a system loading an MI file will recognize the text font name. Otherwise it must use a font of its own based on the following data:

REAL Character Slant Angle. This is the angle from the text box edge to the first upright of the text characters. Positive angles are measured clockwise. The permissible range is:

  -80° <= angle <= +80°

  The default slant angle value is 0.

n+ Size flag

  0 = False: the character size is absolute and is measured in current units.

  1 = True: the character size remains in a fixed ratio to the dimension main text height.

  The flag will always be false for main dimension text.

REAL Character Height. This gives the relative or absolute text height in current units.

REAL Character Height-to-Width Ratio. This is the height of the character box divided by its width.

  The default value is 1.

n+ Text Color Code. This parameter holds the value for the text color. For a list of color codes and the corresponding colors, refer to "Attribute Data" in chapter 2, "Entities, Attributes, and Constants".

  The default code is 3 (yellow).

n+ Bracket flag

  0 = False: dimension text is not enclosed in brackets, e.g.: <--- 180.0 --->.

  1 = True: dimension text is enclosed in brackets, e.g.: <---[180.0]--->.

  The default value is 0.

n+ Character fill flag

  0 = False: dimension text characters are not filled.

  1 = True: dimension text characters are filled.

  The default value is 0.

|~ End of Entity Marker

DTF (Dimension Text Format)

This entity describes the format of dimension text.

Pointer Tree


Figure 30. Pointer Tree for DTF

Identification Data

DTF Entity Type.

n+ Sequence Number.

Attribute data

No Attribute Data.

Property Data

No Property Data.

Parameter Data

4 Parameter Count.

n+ Dimension Unit Code. These are the units that the dimension value is measured in. 1 to 9 apply to linear dimensions. 10 to 13 apply to angular dimensions.
  • 1 = millimeter
  • 2 = centimeter
  • 3 = meter
  • 4 = kilometer
  • 5 = decimal inch with unit abbreviation "
  • 6 = fractional inch with unit abbreviation "
  • 7 = feet and fractional inches without unit abbreviation
  • 8 = feet and fractional inches with signed notation (' ")
  • 9 = feet and fractional inches with text notation (FT, IN)
  • 10 = degree in decimal notation
  • 11 = degrees, minutes, seconds
  • 12 = radian
  • 13 = gradian (grad)
  • 17 = micrometer

  The default value for linear dimensions is 1.

  The default value for angular dimensions is 10.

n+ Sign and Zero Suppression Code. This is the sum of the following values.

0 = Trailing zeros are displayed
 or

1 = Trailing zeros are suppressed
Plus:

0 = Leading zeros are displayed
 or

2 = Leading zeros are suppressed

Plus:

0 = plus and minus signs (+, -) are not displayed
 or

4 = plus and minus signs (+, -) are displayed

The default value is 0.

n+ Fractional Resolution. If the dimension is in fractional units, this parameter represents the value of the fractional denominator.

  If the dimension is in decimal notation, this parameter represents the maximum number of digits after the decimal point or decimal comma.

n+ Radix Marker. This denotes the character used for a radix marker.

  0 = Period
  1 = Comma

  The default value is 0. The decimal comma is not supported by ME10.

|~ End of Entity Marker

HAPP (Hatch Pattern Property)

A Hatch Pattern Property contains the parameters for setting up the appearance of hatch lines.

Pointer Tree


Figure 31. Pointer Tree for HAPP

Identification Data

HAPP Entity Type.
n+ Entity Sequence Number.

Attribute Data

No Attribute Data.

Property Data

No Property Data.

Parameter Data

n+ Block Count. This gives the number of occurrences of a set of hatch lines that can be overlaid within the same hatched area. Each block can have different parameter values. For example, cross hatching can be obtained by overlaying two hatch blocks with a different Hatch Offset Angle.

 If the block count is greater than 1, the following items are repeated for each block.
REAL Normalized Offset. The Normalized Offset is defined as the perpendicular distance from the hatch line to a reference Point, divided by the Hatch Line Distance.
  • The reference point is given in the Hatch entity (HAT). If the Normalized Offset is 0, a hatch line will pass through this reference point.
  • The Hatch Line Distance is used to calculate the perpendicular distance between hatch lines (see next item). The Hatch Line Distance is specified in the Hatch entity (HAT), in the Annotation Elements section.
REAL Hatch Distance Factor. This allows overlaid sets of hatch lines in the same hatch area to have different spacing.
  The perpendicular distance between the hatch lines corresponding to this block is given by the Hatch Distance Factor multiplied by the Hatch Line Distance.
  The Hatch Line Distance is specified in the Hatch entity (HAT), in the Annotation Elements section.
  The Hatch Distance Factor varies between 0 and 1. The value is 1 for the most widely-spaced set of hatch lines within the same hatch area.
REAL Hatch Offset Angle. This allows overlaid sets of hatch lines within the same hatch area to have different angles.
  The angle of a set of hatch lines is defined as the sum of the Hatch Offset Angle and the Hatch Line Angle, both measured in a positive direction from the X-axis.
  The Hatch Line Angle is specified in the Hatch entity (HAT) in the Annotation Elements section.
n+ Hatch Line Color. This value is used to specify the color of hatch lines. Refer to "Attribute Data" in chapter 2, "Entities, Attributes, and Constants".
n+ Hatch Line Type. Line type codes are given in "Attribute Data" in chapter 2, "Entities, Attributes, and Constants".

|~ End of Entity

LTP (Line Type Property)

Each line type pattern definition is defined in 3 lines and is defined as follows:

n+ StyleIdx. This is positive integer number greater than 27 (e.g. 28, 29, ...). It represents line pattern style index. This number is relative to ..MI file.
STRING Name. This is string that represents line pattern name.
STRING Gap1,Gap2,....GapN. This is string composed as sequence of numbers. Each pair of numbers represent line pattern gap. First number in each gap define length of line (in pixels), the second number defines the length of space (hole). There can be a maximum of 5 gaps (10 numbers) for each line pattern definition.

Example:

#~41 Start of entity ~41
LTP Start of LTP entity
8 Entity sequence number
2 Number of line pattern definitions
28 Line pattern style index. 1-st line pattern definition starts here
MY_LNPATT Line pattern name
20,5,12,5,6,5 Line pattern definition
29 Line pattern style index. 2-nd line pattern definition starts here
MY_PATTERN Line pattern name
10,5 Line pattern definition
|~ End of LTP entity

This example defines two new line types:

Identification data

LTP Entity Type
n+ Entity Sequence Number.

Attribute Data

No Attribute Data.

Property Data

No Property Data.

Parameter Data

n+ Line Type Pattern count. This number gives the count of line type pattern definitions that follows this data line.
  First line type pattern definition.
...  
  Last line type pattern definition.
|~ End Of Entity.

PSTAT (Part Status Property)

PSTAT is referenced by pointers from one or more Assembly Hierarchy entities.

It indicates if the corresponding part definition contains original geometry, a detailed view, or a perspective view. This information is required for dimensioning purposes.

For example, a detailed view is dimensioned by measuring the original view and displaying the dimension text on the detailed view. The size of dimension text will remain unchanged to ensure that a drawing containing original and detailed views will not have dimension text of different sizes.

Using ME10, you can produce a perspective view by creating geometry in a shared part. Then use MODIFY ISOMETRIC from the screen menu. If you use dimensions, the dimension text is transformed to fit the perspective view.

The Part Status Property entity also contains information about whether or not the contents of a part should be scaled when the drawing scale is changed for plotting. For example, if you create a drawing containing symbols, you may wish to change the drawing scale while keeping the symbols the same size. In this case all the symbols could be placed in a part that is not affected by scaling. Such a part is called a symbol part in MI, and a scale invariant part in ME10.

Pointer Tree


Figure 32. Pointer Tree for PSTAT

Identification Data

PSTAT Entity Type.
n+ Entity Sequence Number.

Attribute data

No Attribute Data.

Property Data

No Property Data.

Parameter Data

[02] Usage Code.

  0 = Part contains original geometry and is not a detailed or perspective view. This is the default value.

  1 = Part contains a detailed view of geometry.

  2 = Part contains a perspective view of geometry.

[0,1] Scale Invariance.

  0 = Part will be scaled when the drawing scale is changed, for example when geometry is scaled for plotting. This is the default value.

  1 = Part will not be scaled when the drawing scale is changed.

|~ End of Entity.


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