Defining custom properties to materials

This topic walks you through the process of defining material custom properties.

  1. To create a custom property to materials
  2. Extracting custom properties information into print presentations
  3. Referring to custom properties in cost models

I. To define a custom property

  1. On the Tools menu, click Preferences, click the Materials and Processes node, and then click Custom Properties.

An empty table appears.

Custom Properties Table

NOTE: Each new (not updated) EngView comes with three properties related to ZUND machines. If you choose to activate a ZUND machine for your work, these properties will become visible. Read more about how these properties work.

ZUND Related Custom Properties
  1. To begin defining a property, click Add.

An empty record appears.

  1. Begin filling in the boxes for the property. Learn what each one means and how to use it.
ID The identifier of the property. IMPORTANT: The ID must consist of at least two words and they must be separated by a dot. If you choose to use more than two words, make sure you use a dot between the words.
Name The name of the property. The name you type here will be used as a column name across EngView if you choose 'Yes' in Add Column.
Description Brief description of what the property is about
Type The type of the property. The type can be:
  • int — an integer
  • double — a fractional number
  • bool — True or False
  • string — a string of letters
Formatting Type how you want EngView to display the value in tables.
Default The property's default value. You can modify it elsewhere in the program where you need it. Regardless of where you modify a value, its latest state is automatically updated across EngView.
Min / Max The lowest / highest values the property can have. Applicable only for numbers of the types int and double.
Add Column When you choose Yes, a column listing the custom property is added in each material-related table across EngView — for example, while editing materials and material types.
Notes Additional notes about how to use the property

See an example:

Custom Properties DLG
  1. When you are done with defining the properties, click OK to close the dialog box.
  2. Close EngView, and then start it again.

II. Customizing the catalog of material types

  1. On the Tools menu, click Preferences, click the Materials and Processes node, and then click the Material Types section.
  2. Click the Custom Properties tab to open it.
Custom Properties Table
  1. To edit a property, in the Name column, select the check box in front of the property's name.

NOTE: Editing custom properties for a particular material type means that the properties will apply to all the materials of this type. Later, you can customize these properties for each particular material, as follows:

Edit Properties Material

III. Custom properties create new columns in the catalog of materials

After custom properties have been defined, new columns are added to the catalog. This happens if we have set Add Column=Yes for these custom properties.

Custom Properties Table
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