Solidworks Sequential Numbering
Posted: Wed May 05, 2021 2:26 pm
Most of this was pulled from other sources to credit must go to Marc-Xavier Bilodeau for figuring this out.
Often times you will have an array of holes, features etc that you want marked sequentially. There are a number of manual ways to do this including entering the numbers manually into a Sketch Text, array the text and manually changing each one etc etc. All of this gets rather tedious if you either have a large number of features or have to do this regularly with various combinations. Here is Marc's solution.
1. Make a sketch with two lines or one line and shape you plan your text to placed on or formed with.
2. Dimension the reference line that the text will not be tied to. The units do not matter. The dimension should be equal to the amount you want the markings to index. For instance if you want 1,2,3 you will dimension the line 1.0. If you want .5,1.0,1.5 you will dimension the line .5
3. While still in the sketch create a custom property and name it something reference the index. "Sequential", "Sequence" or whatever you want, name is not important.
4. While in the Value/Expression column click on the dimension you added to the reference line.
5. Place the Sketch Text on the non dimensioned line.
6. Click the "Link to Property" icon and link it to the previously named custom property.
7. Extrude the text. Not sure if this works with Split, etching etc., having tried it.
8. Array the feature created in step 7.
9. Under the array feature select the "Instance to Vary" check box.
10. Select the dimension that you dimensioned in the sketch with the incremental number you wanted in step 2
When you exit the array the numbers should now be sequential.
If you are actually using this technique to mark a grid pattern or set of features you can also tie the two arrays together which will cause the markings to update as the grid pattern or feature pattern is modified.
To make the quantities the same
1) Double click the array you want to match.
2) find the two numbers representing the qty in the array. These are typically ridiculously tiny, on top of each other and at the origin of the seed feature. You will probably have to click one and drag it to get to both of them.
3) click on the number representing the direction you are marking.
4) Copy the sketch name listed in the primary value.
5) Edit the array that you created above marking steps and paste this value into the as ='xxxxxxx' into the quantity field.
To make the feature spread the same follow the same steps as above but click on the dimension between the features rather than the qty number and enter that value in the spacing field.
Doing this will allow you to modify the original feature pattern, spacing or quantity and the marking will update accordingly, 2 features or 2000.
Often times you will have an array of holes, features etc that you want marked sequentially. There are a number of manual ways to do this including entering the numbers manually into a Sketch Text, array the text and manually changing each one etc etc. All of this gets rather tedious if you either have a large number of features or have to do this regularly with various combinations. Here is Marc's solution.
1. Make a sketch with two lines or one line and shape you plan your text to placed on or formed with.
2. Dimension the reference line that the text will not be tied to. The units do not matter. The dimension should be equal to the amount you want the markings to index. For instance if you want 1,2,3 you will dimension the line 1.0. If you want .5,1.0,1.5 you will dimension the line .5
3. While still in the sketch create a custom property and name it something reference the index. "Sequential", "Sequence" or whatever you want, name is not important.
4. While in the Value/Expression column click on the dimension you added to the reference line.
5. Place the Sketch Text on the non dimensioned line.
6. Click the "Link to Property" icon and link it to the previously named custom property.
7. Extrude the text. Not sure if this works with Split, etching etc., having tried it.
8. Array the feature created in step 7.
9. Under the array feature select the "Instance to Vary" check box.
10. Select the dimension that you dimensioned in the sketch with the incremental number you wanted in step 2
When you exit the array the numbers should now be sequential.
If you are actually using this technique to mark a grid pattern or set of features you can also tie the two arrays together which will cause the markings to update as the grid pattern or feature pattern is modified.
To make the quantities the same
1) Double click the array you want to match.
2) find the two numbers representing the qty in the array. These are typically ridiculously tiny, on top of each other and at the origin of the seed feature. You will probably have to click one and drag it to get to both of them.
3) click on the number representing the direction you are marking.
4) Copy the sketch name listed in the primary value.
5) Edit the array that you created above marking steps and paste this value into the as ='xxxxxxx' into the quantity field.
To make the feature spread the same follow the same steps as above but click on the dimension between the features rather than the qty number and enter that value in the spacing field.
Doing this will allow you to modify the original feature pattern, spacing or quantity and the marking will update accordingly, 2 features or 2000.