Family - Tables in ProE

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables
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Family Tables
Family tables are collections of parts (or assemblies or features) that are essentially similar, but deviate slightly in one or two aspects, such as size or detail features. For example, wood screws come in various sizes, but they all look alike and perform the same function. Thus, it is useful to think of them as a family of parts. Parts in family tables are also known as table-driven parts. Topic Family Table Basics Creating Family Tables Adding Items to Family Tables Working with Instances Saving Family Tables Modifying Family Tables Reviewing Family Tables Printing Family Tables User-Defined Feature (UDF) Family Tables Using Part Family Members in Assemblies Using Assembly Families Other Available Functions
Family Table Basics

The following figure shows a family of bolts.
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Benefits of Family Tables

Using family tables, you can:
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Create and store large numbers of objects simply and compactly Save time and effort by standardizing part generation Generate variations of a part from one part file without having to re-create and generate each one Create slight variations in parts without having to use relations to change the model Create a table of parts that can be saved to a print file and included in part catalogs
Family tables promote the use of standardized components and enable you to represent your actual part inventory in Pro/ ENGINEER. Moreover, families facilitate interchangeability of parts and subassemblies in an assembly; instances from the same family are automatically interchangeable with each other. Family table functionality varies with your Pro/ENGINEER module licenses.
If you have...
You can...
Basic Pro/ENGINEER
Create table-driven parts by adding dimensions to the family table
Pro/ASSEMBLY
Create table-driven assemblies by adding to the family table subassembly and part names, as well as assembly dimensions.
Pro/FEATURE
Create table-driven user-defined groups whose group feature dimensions can be table-driven, invariable, or variable. q Add table-driven groups to a part family table.
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Parts of a Family Table

Family tables are essentially spreadsheets, consisting of columns and rows. You use Pro/TABLE to create and modify family tables. The following figure shows a typical part family table.
Family tables include:

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The base object (generic object or generic) on which all members of the family are based. Dimensions and parameters, feature numbers, user-defined feature names, and assembly member names that are selected to be table-driven (hereafter referred to as items). Names of all family members (instances) created by the table and the corresponding values for each of the table-driven items.
Rows contain instances and their corresponding values; columns are used for items. The column headings include the instance name, and the names of all of the dimensions, parameters, features, members, and groups that were selected for the table. Dimensions are listed by name (for example, d9) with the associated symbol name (if
any) on the line below it (for example, depth). Parameters are listed by name (dim symbol). Features are listed by feature type and internal feature ID. The generic model is the first row in the table. The table entries belonging to the generic can be changed only by modifying the actual part, or suppressing or resuming features; you cannot change the generic model by editing its entries in the family table. Note: Family table names are not case-sensitive. Therefore, any subsequent references to inserted names show them in uppercase letters. For each instance, you can define whether a feature, parameter, or assembly name is used in the instance either by indicating whether it is present in the instance (Y or N) or by providing a numeric value (in the case of a dimension). All aspects of the generic model that are not included in the family table automatically occur in each instance. For example, if the generic model's color is blue, but color is not included as an item in the family table, all instances in the family table will be blue.
Creating Family Tables

All family tables are now considered standard. The custom family table type is no longer used.
How to Create a Family Table 1. Create a generic model for the family. 2. Add the items that are going to be table-driven to a table from the model. 3. Create the family members by adding instance names and values for the items selected in the table. After an instance has been entered in the table, it can be retrieved and used like any other model. For more information, see Retrieving Instances .
Adding Items to Family Tables

You can add items to the table whether you are creating a new table or modifying an existing one. How to Add Items to a Family Table 1. Choose PART (or ASSEMBLY) > Family Tab. The FAMILY TAB menu appears. 2. Select Add Item. The ITEM TYPE menu appears. 3. Select the items to add to the family table. Item types are described in the following sections.
Adding Dimensions
From the model, select the dimensions you want to add to the family table. They can be:
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Regular dimensions Pattern dimensions Geometric tolerances
The dimensions you want to add to a family table are those dimensions that have standard values within the family. When a dimension is driven by a relation, you can still select it to appear in the table. The dimension value used by the family instance is always driven by the relation, but the value you see in the table immediately after modifying the table may not be the correct value. You can automatically update the relation-driven dimension by retrieving an instance that uses the dimension, not the generic model. The value associated with the retrieved instance will be updated. Note: If a negative dimension value is entered in a family table, Pro/ENGINEER interprets the negative value as a flip of direction each timethe feature is regenerated. To avoid this, you should precede the dimension name at the top of the column with a dollar sign ($). For example, use $d20instead of d20. Tip: Good Practice Dimensions appear in the family table in the order in which they are selected. If there are multiple features in the model, select all the dimensions from one feature before proceeding to the next. This makes it easy to add instance values and to maintain the table.
Adding Tolerances to Dimensions

To add tolerances for a particular dimension to the family table, you must first make the display of dimensional tolerances possible by choosing Display Tol from the ENVIRONMENT menu. Set the dimensional format for the dimensions in question to either Plus-Minus or Symmetric. You must explicitly select each dimensional tolerance to add it to the family table. When dimensional tolerances are present in a family table, and the tolerance format is changed, the tolerance values are the default values set for the model at that format. For dimensions in limits format, the nominal value is entered in the table, regardless of the limit you select to enter in the family table. The instances still use the same limits as the generic, and the tolerances may be changed only through the generic.
Adding Parameters
How to Add a Parameter to a Family Table 1. Choose PART (or ASSEMBLY) > Family Tab > Add Item > Parameter. The OBJ TYPES menu appears. Note: If the object has any top-level parameters (related to the active model--part or assembly) that have not been added to the
family table, the PARAMETER menu appears with those parameters listed. Select the parameters that you want to add and choose Done Sel. 2. From the OBJ TYPES menu (Feature in Part mode; Component or Feature in Assembly mode), select one of the object types. The GET SELECT menu appears. 3. Select the components or features whose parameters you want to add. As each one is selected, the system checks to see if it has any user-defined parameters that have not been added to the family table. If it finds any, it lists them in the PARAMETER menu. Choose Accept to add the parameter. 4. Select Next to get another parameter, or Done if you are done selecting parameters. A top-level parameter (one related to a part or assembly) is stored under its own name only, without any prefixes or suffixes, in the family table (for example, parameter_name). A lower-level parameter (one related to a component or feature) is stored under its own name followed by ``:FID_'' and the feature ID of its parent (for example, parameter_name:FID_fid). Examples follow:
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In an assembly, an assembly parameter called ABC would be stored under the name ABC. In an assembly, a particular component has a feature ID of 10. The associated component parameter DEF would be stored under the name DEF:FID_10. In an assembly, a particular feature has a feature ID of 23. The associated feature parameter HIJ would be stored under the name HIJ:FID_23.
Adding Features
How to Add a Feature to a Family Table 1. Choose PART (or ASSEMBLY) > Family Tab > Add Item > Feature. The SELECT FEAT and GET SELECT menus appear. 2. You can either select the feature on the screen, or choose Sel By Menu and enter the feature name, number, or ID.
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If you give the feature a name, the name appears at the top of that feature's column in the family table. When a feature is omitted, all its dimensions and children are omitted or ignored. If a feature is present, all its parents are present. In cases of conflict, omitted features supersede present features. When dealing with patterns, the system automatically records the parent feature. Also, note that you can include the pattern instance parameter in the table. You can have zero instances by omitting the pattern completely.
In some cases, you may need to suppress some features before making and including others in the table. This makes it possible to include features that may conflict if they are present at the same time, such as a round and a chamfer on the same edge. For example, suppose you have an edge that can be filleted, chamfered, or left square depending on the instance. In this case, you would have to add both the fillet and the chamfer features to the family table; however, you cannot have both features on the model simultaneously. You can, however, create the fillet, add it to the family table, and then suppress it. You could then create the chamfer and add it to the table later.
Adding Components (Assembly Members)

You must have a license for Pro/ASSEMBLY to create family tables for assemblies and to use assemblies. If you are working with an assembly, choose Component. Select the components (parts and subassemblies) that you want to display in the family table, that is, those that may be omitted or replaced in one or more instances of the family. All other components are included in every instance. If there are multiple occurrences of a singly placed member, you can select each instance separately. When dealing with patterns, however, you select the entire pattern; the system automatically records the parent instance.
Adding Reference Models

With the Ref Model command you can add external references to a model's family table. This is useful for a family of assemblies when a component refers to the generic assembly or another component in the generic assembly. Changes in the reference assembly or component can cause changes to the geometry of the component with the external reference. To ensure that the geometry of the component with the external reference is updated, create a family table for the component with the external reference in which each instance has an external reference to the appropriate assembly instance. The assembly family table must also have a corresponding item for the component with the external reference. When you choose Ref Model from the ITEM TYPE menu, the system prompts you to choose the external reference from a menu of the model's external references. The family table includes EXT_REF# as the column heading, where the number sign (#) indicates the order in which the external references were added to the table. The value of the EXT_REF item is the reference model's name. The example in the following figure shows assembly AB, which contains part A and part B. Assembly Component Using External Reference
Part A has a family table that controls the values of its thickness. Assembly AB has a family table as well; each instance of AB includes a different instance of part A. The hole in part B is dimensioned to the outside edge of part A; in different instances of assembly AB, the thickness of part A varies, and so the hole in part B should be located differently. However, since part B has an external reference, its geometry cannot be updated unless it also knows which assembly instance it needs to reference. To this end, a family table is created for part B, in which the external reference to assembly AB is established. The instances of B must also be included in the family table of assembly AB. The family table for part A follows (5 instances). Family Table for Part A
Instance
d2
d3
Generic
3.00
3.00
A01
1.00
1.00
A02
2.00
2.00
A03
3.00
3.00
A04
4.00
4.00
A05
5.00
5.00
The family table for part B follows (5 instances). Family Table for Part B
Instance
External Reference 0
Generic
AB
B01
AB01
B02
AB02
B03
AB03
B04
AB04
B05
AB05
The family table for assembly AB follows (5 instances). Family Table for Assembly AB
Instance
Component
Component
Generic
AB01
A01
B01
AB02
A02
B02
AB03
A03
B03
AB04
A04
B04
AB05
A05
B05
Adding Group User-Defined Features (UDFs)

If you have a table-driven user-defined feature (UDF) that is used in the part, use the Group command to add this feature to the new table. Any table-driven user-defined features present in the model appear on a menu. Select the group you want to include in the table. When you include a group in a family table, you can modify only the group's dimensions for different instances of the family. All of the group's features are present in every instance; features in the group cannot be deleted or suppressed for different instances of the family. However, you can use different UDF instances for different instances of a solid.
Adding Items from Menus

You cannot use the From Menu command to add items to a family table. It may be used to delete unwanted parameters from the table.
Adding Pattern Tables

Pattern tables can be included in family tables, enabling different instances of a family to use different pattern tables to drive the same patterned feature. The generic model must contain all of the pattern tables required by the family instances. For more information on pattern tables, see Table-Driven Patterns in Patterning Features in the Part Modeling User's Guide. How to Add a Pattern Table to a Family Table 1. Choose ITEM TYPE > Pattern Table. 2. To add a pattern, select the patterned feature on the model that corresponds to the pattern table you want to add to the family table. The name of the current pattern table is automatically entered for the generic in the table. The instances also have the current pattern table by default. How to Add an Instance in Which No Table-Driven Features Appear 1. Add the base table-driven feature to the family table. 2. Edit the family table entry for the instance by putting an N in the column for the base table-driven feature.
Adding Items Using Other

System parameters (standard parameters provided by Pro/ENGINEER such as mp_density, for part density) can be added to a family table using the Other command. When you are prompted to enter the symbol, enter its name. Note: Only dimension items of the UDF (group) family table are copied to the part. Therefore, only the dimension values are updated from a group family instance when a UDF is placed on a part.
Adding Relations and Table-Driven Values

You should set the values of parameters in your families using either table-driven values or relations. Be careful not to mix the two methods accidentally for any single parameter. For example, you can use a relation to establish the width of a model and a table-driven value to determine its length, but neither parameter should be determined by both a relation and a table-driven value. If a parameter in a generic model is table-driven and evaluated by a relation, the value produced by the relation overwrites all values for that parameter in the family table. For family instances, however, the table-driven values for the parameter are not overwritten by the relation value until the instances are regenerated. If you must use a table-driven parameter in a relation, make certain to keep the table-driven value on the right side of the operator to keep its value from being reevaluated and overwritten by the relation.
Adding Instances
You can add instances to a family table by editing the table directly or by using the Patternize command to add instances automatically with incremental values. How to Add Instances by Editing the Table 1. Choose FAMILY TABLE > Edit. The family table appears in a Pro/TABLE window. 2. For each instance, enter an instance name that is valid for your operating system. Instance names can be up to 31 characters long. All instance names should be unique, and you should not use the same instance name in different families. 3. For each instance, enter the table-driven value of each item in the table:
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Dimensions--Dimension entries should be numeric. If negative values are to be entered, the dimension names must be preceded by a dollar sign ($). Parameters--The parameter type is that of the generic, so string values are added to the table without using quotation marks. Features --Feature entries should be either Y (the feature is present) or N (the feature is suppressed) in the instance. If you do not know which feature belongs to what ID, use the Show Feat command. If you named your feature, this name appears at the top of the column, making it easier to identify. Components--Assembly component entries are valid interchangeable component names. An acceptable entry could be the name of an object in the assembly, the name of an interchange member, or an instance name from the family table of the component. Y and N are also valid, enabling you to simply use or suppress the generic member. Groups--Group entries must be all from the same family table as the one in the generic.
A wild card character, or asterisk(*), can be used in place of an extraneous entry. For example, suppose both the presence and depth of a particular slot appear as columns in the table; if the slot is to be suppressed, you can use an asterisk instead of a value for the depth. The asterisk can also be used in an instance entry to signify that the value is, by default, the same as that of the parent for that entry. If an entry is missing or invalid, the system returns you to the editor automatically. You can include comments in the table by preceding each comment line with an ampersand(&). Comments appear above the table headers, regardless of where you put them in the table. 4. Choose Exit to store the table and return to Pro/ENGINEER, or choose Quit to return without storing.
Creating Instances by Patterning

Patterning an instance automatically creates other instances that have incremental values for selected parametersor dimensions. The instance used for the patterning does not become a parent; it is used, in effect, as a seed to generate the new family table members. Features, component members, and groups in a family table cannot be patterned, but instances to which they belong can. You can then edit the table to change these items. Note that patterning an instance does not replace the original seed instance with the pattern instance, but instead duplicates the seed and the first instance. You must delete the original instance manually if you do not want it in the table. Patterning an instance can be done with several directions. The first direction is a set of parameters or dimensions that you want incremented together, the second direction is actually a patterning of the first, where you select a parameter that is incremented a
certain number of times for each of the first direction instances. The third direction is a patterning of the second, where you select a parameter that is incremented a certain number of times for each of the second direction instances, and so on. Using patterning can propagate instances quickly. Patterning Example A simple example of a two-direction pattern is a bolt, where there are four different nominal diameters, and for each diameter there are five lengths. In Several Levels of Family Tables, these bolts were created using several levels of family tables. Using patterning, all instances can be quickly created in the same table. To pattern this bolt, make sure that the parameter LENGTH is in the table. Then, follow these steps: 1. Select the parameter NOM as the first direction pattern. Enter an increment of 0.125 and specify four occurrences. 2. Select the parameter LENGTH as the second direction pattern. Then enter an increment of 1.0 and specify five occurrences. A duplicate seed instance is created with a new name, and every instance added after it is incremented by one.
How to Pattern a Family Instance 1. Create a seed instance and make sure that all parameters to be patterned are present. 2. Choose FAMILY TABLE > Patternize. The INSTANCE menu appears. 3. From the INSTANCE menu, select the instance that is the seed for the pattern. The DIMS & PARS menu appears with a list of all the dimensions and parameters in the table.
4. Select one item to be incremented. The system displays the item's initial value, and prompts you to enter an increment. 5. Enter the incremental value. 6. Repeat Steps 4 and 5 for every item to be incremented in this direction. When finished, choose Done. 7. Enter the number of instances for the items just selected. 8. Repeat Steps 4 through 7 for every direction of patterning. 9. When you are finished incrementing dimensions and parameters, choose DIMS & PARS > Done without selecting any items. The instances are created automatically.
Working with Instances

Verifying Instances
The Verify command in the FAMILY TABLE menu enables you to make sure that all of the instances of the current model regenerate properly. The Verify command regenerates all of the instances for the current generic in sequence from the first instance in the family table to the last. As each instance in the table is regenerated, the result is recorded in a file named modelname.tst, where modelname is the name of the current generic model. The .tst file records the instance name, the name of the generic, and the regeneration status of the instance (success or failure). When the instance is regenerated, it is briefly displayed in a subwindow. During this process, a STOP sign icon is displayed in the message area. You can quit the regeneration of instances by clicking STOP. Note that where a family tree has multiple branches, the process regenerates all the instances in the tree. After each instance is regenerated, it is erased from memory; however, those instances that were already in memory (such as instances retrieved using Instance) remain available in memory.
Creating Multi-Level Family Tables

A family table is not restricted to a single level of a table. You can create instances of instances (see the following figure) by retrieving an instance and creating a new table for it. When you should do this depends on what you intend to model through family tables. The Pro/ENGINEER BASIC Library is itself constructed of several levels of tables. Several Levels of Family Tables
You can also add new features or components directly to an instance; this facilitates the construction of multi-level family tables (families with subfamilies or instances with instances). The new feature or component appears in the instance in which it is added and in all subsequent instances of that instance. The feature or component is suppressed in other instances at the same level of the table and in generics at higher levels. In the following figure, the slot is added as a feature to the F-Slotted instance of the fillister head screw. The slot feature appears in the Fillister family table and is automatically suppressed in both the Fillister and F-Phillips instances. Similarly, when the roundhead feature is added to the Round instance, it is placed in the generic family table, but is automatically suppressed in both the generic and the Fillister models.
How to Create a Multi-Level or Feature-Driven Family Table 1. Create a generic model with the desired base features. 2. Create a family table with instances designating the subfamilies to be created. 3. Regenerate an instance and add features unique to its family. Repeat this until all levels of the family are completely defined. When Pro/ENGINEER creates a family instance, only those features that were created in a direct line from the top-level generic may be present. This means that some features may need to be re-created, because the instance is unaware that similar features exist in another (parallel) subfamily of the table. Features from a parallel subfamily can be temporarily resumed within a particular instance and used, for example, as a guide to sketch a similar feature. Upon regeneration, however, the family table resuppresses the resumed features. Similarly, suppression of a feature only lasts until the next regeneration, when the family table resumes it. When you create a feature that refers to the geometry of a resumed feature used in another instance, the new feature belongs to the other instance. It is best to create the sections of features that are common to different branches of the family in Sketcher mode and store the sections for later use. You cannot redefine features added to an instance. If you cannot achieve the desired feature shape by modifying dimensions, you must delete the feature and start over. Modifying or deleting a feature affects all children of the instance, regardless of the instance from which the feature was modified or deleted.
Locking Instances
An instance of a family table can be locked so that table-driven characteristics of the instance cannot be modified. Rows of locked instances begin with a dollar sign($). Locked instances are locked onlywhen you save the table. You can make changes to the file, but when you close the file, the locked values are restored. How to Lock/Unlock an Instance 1. Choose FAMILY TABLE > Lock/Unlock. The LOCKED INST menu appears. 2. Select the instance names that you want to lock (or unlock) from the menu. A checkmark appears next to the selected items. If you are unlocking instances, selecting them removes the checkmark next to them. 3. Choose Done Sel to finish the selection. or 1. Choose FAMILY TABLE > Edit. The family table appears. 2. Insert (or delete) a dollar sign ($) at the beginning of the rows containing the instances that you want to lock or unlock.
Renaming Instances
To rename a family table instance, from the FILE menu, choose Rename while the instance is in session. A message area appears below the model window, prompting you to enter a new name for the instance. Type the new name and press ENTER.
Working with Instance Index Files

Instance index files enable you to retrieve instances by entering their instance name only. An instance index file displays the total number of instances, followed by a column of instance names on the left and a column of their corresponding generic names on the right. The instance index file is named directoryname.idx (where directoryname is the directory in which the file is saved). Saving any generic model either creates a new instance index file or updates the existing one. This file lists the names of all the regenerated instances for every generic regenerated and saved in the same directory as the current generic. The instance names that are listed in the instance index file are only those instances that were regenerated when their generic model was saved. The regenerated instances did not have to be in memory when the generic was saved. For example, the instances could have been retrieved, then erased from the session using the Erase command on the File menu. (The exception to this is for Pro/LIBRARY objects, such as parts from the Basic Library). Storing the generic part automatically adds the names of all of its instances to the instance index file, without the need to regenerate them. This includes the names of instances in subfamilies, such as iinstances that have instances, as well. Instance index files are cumulative, so instances that are retrieved in later sessions can be added to the list. To add new instance names to the file, you must save the generic after those instances have been regenerated; the instance index file is then updated, including the new instances.
You can also create or update an instance index file by choosing InstIndex from the INST DBMS menu. This creates or updates an instance index file for a specified directory (the current working directory is the default). InstIndex creates the instance index file for all generics saved in the specified directory, not objects that are in session or active in the Main Window. You can use the Verify command in the FAMILY TABLE menu to facilitate the process of bringing instances into session so that they can be added to the instance index file. Saving the generic after verification causes the names of all instances that were successfully regenerated to be listed in the instance index file for that directory.
Retrieving Instances
When you open a model that has a family table, the following dialog box appears.
To retrieve the generic, select Generic. The generic model appears in the main window. Note that the model is labeled generic. To retrieve an instance, select Instance. You can then select the instance by name or by parameter.
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To select an instance by name, select the name of the instance in the By Name list box, and click Open. To select an instance by parameter, you must select a parameter and value (if the parameter has more than one).
When you select a parameter and an accompanying value, the name of the instance that corresponds to that parameter and value appears in the Name listbox. To open the instance, select its name and click Open. If you want to restore the entire list of instance names, click Restore.
Retrieving Instances from Generic

If you retrieve a generic model, you can open instance files from the FAMILY TABLE menu. From the PART menu, choose Family Tab > Instance. The INSTANCES menu appears, with a list of all of the family table instances. Select the name of the instance to open and double-click. The INSTANCES menu also has the Show Table and Edit Table commands. Note that if you have an instance open, the Instance command does not work, because you cannot open an instance from an instance file.
Retrieving Assembly Instances

Instances of a family of assemblies may be retrieved in the same way as instances of a family of parts; simply specify or choose the instance name (and generic, if necessary) and all of the necessary components are retrieved and assembled. All components of the generic assembly must be accessible, either by being stored locally or by residing along a search path. Instances of assemblies differ from their generics by the values of their family table-driven items. The item that is specific to assemblies is the member, or component, item. In the instance cell of a component item, in a family table, you may specify the following two categories of values:
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Boolean value, which has the following possible values:

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Y--Resume even if suppressed at the generic N--Suppress even if resumed at the generic *--Whatever in the generic.
Name--a solid name. If that solid is a generic, and it is to be replaced through family table, the solid of the component of the generic). If that solid is not a table-driven solid assembly or part, you can simply retrieve it and replace it in the generic. If that solid is a generic, you are asked if you want an instance of that generic. If that solid is an instance name, the instance index file is searched to determine if that solid is listed there as an instance solid, and if so, it is retrieved.
Note: Pro/ENGINEER refers first to the solids in session, even if they have no solid file, and their instances are visible even if there is no *.idx file."
Speeding Up Instance Retrieval

Pro/ENGINEER retrieves an instance from disk using the following process: 1. Retrieve the generic 2. Copy the generic in memory 3. Change that copy according to the family table 4. Regenerate the copy The generic and the instance are then both held in memory. If, however, you have saved a particular instance as a separate model, then Pro/ENGINEER retrieves it directly without going through the regeneration process--at a considerable savings in time (especially for complex models with many features and/or components). However, the instance no longer has any ties to its former generic.
Instance Accelerator Files

You can reduce much of the time required to retrieve an instance of a part or assembly from disk by saving the instance in a special file called an instance accelerator file, which uses increased disk space. Instance accelerator files have the suffix .xpr for part instances and .xas for assembly instances. Retrieving Instances When you retrieve an instance from disk, the system first checks to see if an instance accelerator file exists for the instance.
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If the instance accelerator file exists, and if the generic has not changed since the instance was last saved, the system retrieves both the generic file and the instance accelerator file. Otherwise, Pro/ENGINEER ignores the accelerator file. If the instance accelerator file does not exist, the system retrieves the generic and regenerates the instance.
Saving Instances
The system's method of saving instances of parts and assemblies is controlled by the Save Instance Accelerator variable. That variable can be set up or modified in the following ways:
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Set the configuration file option save_instance_accelerator. For more information, see Configuration File Options in Pro/HELP. Choose File > Instance Operations > SaveAccelEnv. The SV INST ACC menu appears with the following commands:
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None--The system saves an instance only by saving the generic model and its family table. Always--The system always saves an instance's accelerator file both when you explicitly save the instance itself and when you save the instance through a higher-level object. Explicit--The system saves an instance accelerator file only when you explicitly save the instance.
When you choose the SV INST ACC menu, one of the options is highlighted to reflect the latest setting. That setting could have been either loaded from a configuration file or selected previously from this menu. Other associated commands in the INST DBMS menu are as follows:
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Update Accel (in-session generic only)--Update the generic file(s) and all the existing instance accelerator files. In addition, create instance accelerator files for all of the generic's family table instances listed in the instance index file that do not currently have them. If the Save Instance Accelerator variable is set to None when you choose this command, the Confirmation menu appears and the system prompts you as to whether you want to update the instance accelerator files. Choose Confirm if you want the system to proceed as just described. Otherwise, choose Cancel.
Note: As the system updates each instance accelerator file, it regenerates it. It deletes any file that fails regeneration.
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Purge Accel (in-session generic only)--Check the validity of all instance accelerator files on disk and delete them if they are not current with the generic. InstIndex--Create or update the instance index file. When you select this command, you are prompted to specify the directory for which the index is to be created or updated. The default is the working directory. You are then prompted to specify the directory in which the index file is to be saved (the default is the directory you just specified). You should accept the default. Pro/ENGINEER then creates or updates the index files for the generics that reside in the specific directory.
Tip: Updating the Instance Index File Use InstIndex in the source and destination directories whenever you have moved a generic model from one directory to another using operating system commands. This ensures that the instances of that generic can be retrieved from their new directory.
Creating a Real Model from an Instance

An instance can be converted to a model with no ties to the generic by choosing Save As from the File menu. This action copies the instance to a model with a new name.
Notes:
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Suppressed features are deleted from the model. Dimensions are set with the current instance values.
You can then work on this model (modify, reorder, redefine) because it has no ties to its former generic model.
Saving Family Tables

You save a family table by explicitly saving the generic model or one of its instances.
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If you save the generic, only the generic and its family table are saved; instances can be retrieved later only through the generic. If the Instance Accelerator Environment is set to None and you are saving an instance of a part or assembly, only the generic and its family table are saved; the instance can be retrieved later only through the generic. If the Instance Accelerator Environment is set to Explicit or Always and you are saving an instance of a part or assembly, the generic and its family table are saved as just described. In addition, the instance is saved in an Instance Accelerator File.
Modifying Family Tables

There are several points to remember when modifying family members. The generic serves as the template for all instances; all of its features, dimensions, and characteristics are copied each time an instance is activated (though some may be suppressed). Whenever an instance is regenerated, the system uses the generic to determine the basic parameter values and the status of all features. It then incorporates the changes listed in the family table. Any feature or parameter that already exists in an instance can be suppressed, resumed, or modified. Observe the following rules when you are creating or using family tables:
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You can modify any common dimension, in the generic or any instance, even if other members of the family are in use. This can be done in the usual way with the Modify command on the PART menu. The updated dimensions are propagated to the other family members after the active one is regenerated. The geometry in the other family members is updated after they are regenerated. You can modify a table-driven dimension in any instance either by editing the family table or by using the Modify command. You can modify generic dimensions only by using Modify. In either case, only the particular family member is affected. You can add a feature or component to a generic model at any time. It is added as a common feature or component to all family members. If an instance is in use at the time, it is updated after regeneration. You can delete a feature or component from the generic model at any time. It is also then deleted from all other family members. If an instance is in use at the time, it is updated when its window becomes active. You can add a feature or component to an instance at any time. It is added as an item to the family table. It is enabled (resumed) in the particular instance and is suppressed in the generic and in all the other instances.
You can delete a feature or component from an instance at any time. However, in actuality, you are only suppressing it. If the feature or component was not previously in the family table, the system now adds it to the table. It is suppressed in the particular instance and enabled (resumed) in the generic and in all the other instances. Suppressing or resuming a feature or component in an instance, however, has only a temporary effect and the feature resumes its regular status after the next regeneration. Further, you cannot resume an instance's feature or component even temporarily if it is suppressed in the family table. You can suppress or resume a feature or component in the generic model at any time. If the feature or component is tabledriven, its status in the family table is updated immediately. If it is not table-driven, any active instances in session are updated accordingly after regeneration.
You can add or delete parameters to or from the model from either the generic or an instance. You can also modify or designate common parameters from either the generic or an instance. You can modify a table-driven parameter in the generic or an instance, either by editing the family table or using the MODEL PARAMS menu. However, only the particular family member is affected. You can modify any common parameter, in the generic or an instance, through the MODEL PARAMS menu, even if other members of the family are in session. The updated parameters are propagated to the other family members, and they are all automatically regenerated.
You can change the name of a feature, datum, dimension, or other items in the generic only. The change is immediately propagated to the other family members in use. You can add reference dimensions, geometric tolerances, or surface finish information to any member of the family table. All members, including the parent, are updated. In most cases, relations for an assembly family instance are copied from the generic model. However, if a generic relation refers to a model that is replaced by a different family member in the assembly instance, the instance relation references the interchanged model. For example, if the generic assembly BLENDER contains the relation d0:6=d1:5*2, where 5 is the coding symbol of a generic part COVER, and this part is replaced in the assembly instance BLENDER1 by an instance COVER1 (coding symbol 8), the relation for BLENDER1 is d0:6=d1:8*2.
If you want to customize an instance, you can always create a duplicate part with a different name by choosing Save As from the File menu, and then work on the copy. For more information, see Creating a Real Model from an Instance .
Reviewing Family Tables

You can review the contents of a family table by using one of the following commands:
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Show--Shows the family table in a Pro/TABLE window. This table cannot be modified. Show Feat--Highlights a feature that is in the table. The names (if present) or feature numbers of all features in the table appear in the SHOW FEAT menu. Select a feature name or number, and the appropriate feature is highlighted on the model.
Setting a New Generic from an Instance

You can replace the current generic model with that of an instance. However, you should remember that the generic establishes the default configuration (absence or presence of features, members) and dimensions for all instances. Therefore, replacing the generic with an instance may change instances where you used an asterisk to accept default values. When you replace the generic with an instance, the original generic is deleted. If you want to keep the generic model, you must create an instance just like it. How to Replace the Generic Model 1. Choose PART (or ASSEMBLY) > Family Table > Set Generic. The INSTANCES menu appears. 2. From the INSTANCES menu, select an instance.
Deleting Instances and Items from the Table

Instances and items can be deleted from family tables. Doing so removes them from the control of the table and causes all instances to reflect the corresponding changes.
Deleting Instances
All the information about an instance is contained in a single row of the family table. To delete an instance (either in Pro/TABLE or in the system editor), delete the row that contains the instance. If the instance is in memory, Pro/ENGINEER warns you that the instance is no longer table-driven.
Deleting Items
Items that have been added to the family table can be removed. You can do this by using menu selections or by editing the family table with Pro/TABLE. The Delete Item command in the FAMILY TABLE menu is used to remove items from the table. The procedure is the same as adding items to the table. How to Delete an Item 1. With the generic model active, choose PART (or ASSEMBLY) > Family Table > Delete Item. The ITEM TYPE menu appears. 2. Select From Menu. The DELETE menu appears, listing all of the items in the family table. Choose the items that you want to delete from the table. or Select the item type from the ITEM TYPE menu, then select the item on the model. For example, if you select Dimension from the ITEM TYPE menu, select the dimension to delete.
Deleting Using Pro/TABLE

When you are editing the family table, you can delete items by removing the column(s) of data for the item(s) from the table. Do this with Pro/TABLE. How to Edit Items with Pro/TABLE
1. Choose PART (or ASSEMBLY) > Family Tab. The FAMILY TABLE menu appears. 2. Select Edit. The Pro/TABLE editor displays the family table. 3. Select the column(s) of the item to delete. 4. Select Delete, then release the mouse button. This deletes the column(s). If you want to restore the column(s), choose Edit > Undo immediately following the Delete command.
Reorganizing the Table

You can reorganize family tables by:
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Changing the order of the items or the instances in the table Swapping columns and rows Sorting the columns or rows alphabetically
Reorganizing the table does not remove anything from the table. Note: You can reorganize family tables onlywith Pro/TABLE.
Swapping Columns and Rows

Use column swapping to change the order in which items (such as features, dimensions, and parameters) appear in the table. If the items are not in the order in which you want them, swap the columns. Use row swapping to change the order in which instances appear. How to Swap Columns or Rows 1. Position the cursor in one of the columns (rows) to be swapped; create an empty column (row) by choosing Edit > Insert. Choose Column (Row) and OK in the Row Column Selection pop-up window. 2. Select the column (or row) that replaces the column adjacent to the newly created empty column; use the mouse to select the range consisting of this column (or row). 3. Select Edit > Cut. 4. Position the cursor at the beginning of the empty column (or row) and select Edit > Paste. 5. Select the remaining column (or row) to be swapped; use the mouse cursor to select the range consisting of this column (or row). 6. Select Edit > Cut. 7. Position the cursor at the beginning of the empty column (or row) that contained the first column (or row) cut, then select
Edit > Paste. 8. Save the edited family table or choose File > Exit. Pro/TABLE automatically removes empty columns (or rows) when you save the table.
Sorting Columns and Rows

You can use the Sort command in Pro/TABLE to sort selected rows or columns alphabetically. Only selected items are sorted; the remaining columns or rows are untouched (see the following figure). Example - Sorting Rows
How to Sort Columns or Rows 1. Move the cursor to the first row or column to be sorted. 2. Select the row or column to be sorted by dragging the mouse cursor across its range. 3. Choose Edit > Sort. 4. Save the edited family table or choose File > Exit.
Erasing the Family Table

With the Erase Table command in the FAMILY TABLE menu you can delete the family table for the current generic.
Printing Family Tables

You can save a family table in an output file suitable for printing. The output file is in text format and is laid out in the same format as you see on the screen. As with reorganizing family tables, you must use Pro/TABLE for this task. How to Print a Family Table 1. Choose Edit. The family table appears in the Pro/TABLE text-editing window. 2. Choose File > Save As. The Save File dialog box opens. 3. Type the output file name, then click Printer and OK. The dialog box closes.
4. On the system command line, type the command to print the output file. Extract from Printout of Typical Family Table
User-Defined Feature (UDF) Family Tables

Using a UDF Family Table
User-defined feature (UDF) family tables differ slightly from part or assembly tables. You do not retrieve instances of a UDF by themselves unless you are placing the UDF on a part. In that case, when you select the UDF generic name, the Select Instance dialog box opens. You can then select an instance to use.
Modifying UDF Family Tables

You modify a UDF family table by modifying the group. Use the procedure described in Selecting a Group by Name in the Part Modeling User's Guide. Another way to modify a UDF family table is to choose Feature > UDF Library > Modify from the ASSEMBLY menu, open the table, choose the Family Table element from the UDF dialog box, click Define, and then use the FAMILY TABLE menu. For a group that exists in the current model, use the Group Table command to edit its family table. This displays the following commands:
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Edit--Edit the group family table. Show--Show the group family table.
Using Part Family Members in Assemblies

Part families are especially convenient to use in assemblies. From a single part file, you can assemble multiple instances and multiple occurrences of each instance in multiple assemblies. Also, if you have a Pro/ASSEMBLY license, instances from the same family can be exchanged with each other when you use the Replace command in the COMPONENT menu. For more information, see Replacing Components in Component Operations in the Assembly Modeling User's Guide. After an instance of a family has been assembled, it can be replaced automatically with any other instance in the same family,
provided that the replacement instance has all of the necessary features for assembling (that is, no features used in the assembly process are suppressed).
Substituting Instances in Simplified Representations

To substitute one instance for another in a simplified representation, use the Edit Rep Substitute command. For more information, see Excluding and Substituting Components in Simplified Representations in the Assembly Modeling User's Guide.
Replacing Instances in Master Representations

How to Replace One Instance with Another 1. Choose COMPONENT > Adv Utils > Replace, and select the instance to be replaced. The Replace Component dialog box appears. 2. Select By Family Table Member and click Browse. The Open dialog box opens. 3. Select the desired family table instance. For more information, see Replacing Components in the chapter Component Operations in the Assembly Modeling User's Guide.
Assembling Instances with Pro/NOTEBOOK

The automatic assembly of family members using Pro/NOTEBOOK requires a special procedure. You cannot make global declarations for the family instances. Instead, you can have Pro/ENGINEER transfer declarations from the generic part to the instances. To do this, you must retrieve the generic part and make the necessary global declarations before assembling an instance. Note: You can declare items only if no family instances are active in the current session. How to Assemble an Instance Automatically Using Pro/NOTEBOOK 1. Open the generic part in Part mode and make the necessary global declarations. 2. Make sure that the other assembly members have the appropriate global declarations. 3. Assemble the instance in Assembly mode.
Using Assembly Families

With assembly family tables, you can replace one assembly component with another. To do this, remember the following when filling out the family table:
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Every member entry must contain a Y indicating that the member is present, an N indicating that it is absent, or the actual name of a replacement member.

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When a member is omitted from an instance of an assembly, it is still placed in the instance. This ensures that other parts attached to it can still be placed. However, the omitted member is not displayed, nor is it considered during mass property calculations. Members being replaced with one another in an instance must be interchangeable. That is, they should be instances from the same part or assembly family, or they should both be included in the same interchange group. Otherwise, Pro/ ENGINEER can not position the replacement member automatically; you have to position it manually. Note, too, that relationships between parts may need updating. For more information, see Interchange Assemblies in the Assembly Modeling User's Guide. If the instances of a family of assemblies use instances of other families as components, and the names of the component instances are entered in the assembly's family table, the names of the component instances must be present in an instance index file in order to be assembled. This also applies to component instances for which the generic models are members of an interchangeability group.
The following figure shows a family of assemblies representing two parts connected by various types of fasteners.
How to Create a Family of Assemblies 1. Create the generic assembly. 2. Choose ASSEMBLY > Family Tab. The FAMILY TABLE menu appears. 3. Choose Add Item > Component. Select the bolt, and choose Done Sel. 4. Because there is more than one occurrence of the bolt in the assembly, select one of the following:
r
Single--Add only the selected component to the family table. When you replace this component with another in an instance, only the single occurrence is replaced. All--Add all occurrences of the bolt to the family table. When you replace this component with another in an instance, all occurrences are replaced.
5. Choose FAMILY TABLE > Edit. A window with a family table opens (see the following figure), containing the header part and description of the generic model (all the lines beginning with an exclamation point). You can create as many instances as you need by typing lines at the bottom of the table, each line being an assembly instance. In this example, the first instance repeats the generic assembly (the generic model is only a template for making instances; you cannot, for example, use it as a subassembly), and each line after it contains the name of a replacement fastener. You can use bolts from the same part family as the original one; if you use other parts or subassemblies, first establish interchangeability by a record. Assembly Family Table
Modifying Instances of Assembly Families

There are several points to remember when modifying instances of an assembly family. The generic assembly serves as the template for all instances; all of its components, assembly features, assembly dimensions, and characteristics are copied once each time an instance is activated. Then, when the instance is regenerated, components and features are blanked or substituted and dimensions are modified as indicated by the table. The status of individual component parts is always based upon their most recent status. Parts can be modified in, and independently of, any assembly instance. There are two ways of changing an assembly instance:
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Edit its family table. You can change a table dimension, turn an assembly feature or component on or off, or replace a component. Change it while it is in session in the active window. Then, when the instance is regenerated, the system automatically updates the generic geometry and family table.
You should observe the following rules when you are creating or using assembly families:
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If an instance of an assembly is in the active window and you assemble a component or add an assembly feature, that component or assembly feature is added as a new item in the assembly family table, but only for that particular instance. It is suppressed for the generic and all other instances. You cannot directly substitute components that are listed in the instance's family table. To substitute a component, you must edit the family table and replace the component for the instance.
Other Available Functions

You can perform the following additional functions while working with family tables:
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Create drawings of family table members Use Pro/TABLE to edit family tables Edit family tables outside of Pro/ENGINEER
Creating Drawings of Family Members

You can create a drawing of the generic model, as well as any member of its family table. You must enter the name of the
instance when adding the first view to the drawing. The instance must be in use or listed in an instance index file. If you do not know the instance name, retrieve the instance using standard table retrieval methods and look at the name in the lower-right corner. For more information, see Retrieving Instances . Note: The drawing has the instance and generic name stored with it, and is able to retrieve it as long as the generic model is in the current directory or search paths. When you create part simplified representations or assembly features that intersect a part, instances are created that do not necessarily appear on the part family table. The following operations cannot be performed when a hidden instance is in use:
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Feature Redefine Feature Reorder Feature Del Pattern Feature Reroute Feature Delete/Suppress/Resume (has temporary effect) Feature Group Unpattern Component Package (applicable only to affected subassemblies) Component Copy (applicable only to affected subassemblies) Relations Add/Edit Program Edit/Instantiate Edit Explode (applicable only to affected subassemblies) Declare Offset X-Section Modify Assembly Feature Intersect (applicable only to affected subassemblies) Component Replace (does not allow components to be replaced if they are intersected by or referenced by assembly features).
When adding a dimension to a family table of a subordinate table-driven user-defined feature (UDF), the symbols of the family table items are driven by the original model for the subordinate UDF. For more information, see Required Information for UDFs in Copying Features in the Part Modeling User's Guide.
Using Pro/TABLE
If you are editing the family table with the system editor and the table contains more than 80 characters per line, an error message
appears when you quit the editor. This happens because the line wrap performed by the system editor places data in the wrong location so that Pro/ENGINEER cannot evaluate it correctly. To resolve this error, type N in response to the message. This returns all values in the table to what they were before you began the editing session. To make Pro/TABLE the default family table editor, set the configuration file option family_table_editor to protab.
Editing Family Tables Outside of Pro/ENGINEER

When you save a generic part and its features and dimensions in a family table by choosing Save from the File menu, the system creates or updates an external generic modelname.ptd file. At that moment, the modelname.ptd file contains the same family table information as is stored internally (within the part database). You do not need an active Pro/ENGINEER session to edit a family table. You can edit the modelname.ptd file outside of Pro/ ENGINEER using any text editor from the operating system level. If you delete an instance during this edit, when you later retrieve the model, the system asks whether you want to clean up any family table that is missing an entry. You can also edit the modelname.ptd file in a different window outside of Pro/ENGINEER while working with the part containing the family table in Pro/ENGINEER. In this case, if you save the part by choosing Save from the File menu, the internally stored family table takes precedence over the external modelname.ptd file, if that external file exists in the current directory. When you retrieve a part containing a family table while an external modelname.ptd file exists in the current directory, the external file takes precedence over the internally stored table.
Pro/ENGINEER no longer reads and writes to .ptd files by default. You can now use the configuration file option read_famtab_file_on_retrieve to choose whether you want Pro/ENGINEER to read and write to .ptd files.
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Family - Tables in ProE

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Family - Tables in ProE

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Family Table Basics

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Benefits of Family Tables

Create table-driven parts by adding dimensions to the family table

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Parts of a Family Table

Family tables include:

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Creating Family Tables

Adding Items to Family Tables

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Regular dimensions Pattern dimensions Geometric tolerances

Adding Tolerances to Dimensions

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Adding Components (Assembly Members)

Adding Reference Models

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Adding Group User-Defined Features (UDFs)

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Adding Items from Menus

Adding Pattern Tables

Adding Items Using Other

Adding Relations and Table-Driven Values

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Creating Instances by Patterning

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Working with Instances

Creating Multi-Level Family Tables

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Working with Instance Index Files

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Retrieving Instances from Generic

Retrieving Assembly Instances

Boolean value, which has the following possible values:

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Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Speeding Up Instance Retrieval

Instance Accelerator Files

Introduction to Pro/ENGINEER: Family Tables

Creating a Real Model from an Instance

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