DownStream Technologies

Solutions for Post Processing PCB Designs

Can I modify the Drill Chart to add new columns and attributes?

by DownStream

Short Answer

Yes.

The Drill Chart element is a BluePrint template stored in the element gallery. Templates may be opened, modified, and re-saved as existing or new templates. You can add new columns and rows to the Drill Chart template. You can also reference any drill attributes that were imported with the CAD design database. All new templates are displayed in the Drill Chart dialog when a single click is performed on the Drill Chart element in the Fabrication Drawing palette. To access a template simply drag it from the Gallery Palette onto any document sheet, modify it, and save it back to the gallery in the same folder location with a new or existing name.

Long Answer

Yes.

The Drill Chart element is a BluePrint template stored in the element gallery. Templates may be opened, modified, and re-saved as existing or new templates. You can add new columns and rows to the Drill Chart template. You can also reference any drill attributes that were imported with the CAD design database. All new templates are displayed in the Drill Chart dialog when a single click is performed on the Drill Chart element in the Fabrication Drawing palette. To access a template simply drag it from the Gallery Palette onto any document sheet, modify it, and save it back to the gallery in the same folder location with a new or existing name. Here are the steps to add new columns and attributes to the Drill Chart and then save it for reuse.

  1. Import a CAD data file.
  2. Drag and drop the Drill Chart element onto your drawing sheet. The Drill Chart is automatically executed when placed and the appropriate CAD data populates the Drill Chart
  3. Select the drill chart and choose Edit Template from the context menu. The drill chart appearance will change to reflect the template from which the drill chart element is defined. The CAD data is no longer populated in the Drill Chart. The first row of the drill chart template reflects the title “Drill Chart” and can be changed to any text you like. The text can be formatted like any other text in BluePrint. You can change font, style, color and size. The second row of the drill chart template represents headings for the different columns you define in your template. You can change the headings to represent data you want to show in each column of the drill chart. You can delete columns, merge columns and add columns using BluePrint’s table toolbar. The third row of the drill chart template (the row highlighted by yellow lines) represents the data that will be populated in each column.
  4. To add a new column:
    • Select the cell with the text “Tolerance”. Now select the Add Column to the Right button on the Table Toolbar. A new column will be added.
    • Grab the right border of the new column and make it narrower.
  5. Select the cell to the right of the cell with the text “Tolerance” and add header text representing the new attribute you want to display.
  • Now we will add data references to the new attribute you want to display:
    • Move your cursor over the cell below the new header text cell (the cell should be bounded by two yellow lines).
    • Select Format Cells from the context menu. The Format Drill Chart template dialog will appear.
    • Select the Data Fields tab in the dialog.
    • Select the drop down menu next to “Field:” and select Drills.attribute where attribute represents the new drill data you want to display.
    • Select OK on the dialog.Now we will execute the new template:
  2. Select the Drill Chart template
  3. Move your cursor over the Drill Chart border
  4. Select Execute Template from the context menu.

To Save and Reuse a customized Drill Chart template to the BluePrint Gallery

  1. Make sure you are saving the template and not the executed Drill Chart. If you have executed the Drill Chart, select the Edit Template command from the Drill Chart’s context menu.
  2. Select the Save to Gallery command from the Drill Chart template’s context menu.
  3. Browse the element gallery and select the folder where you want to save the customized template. You can give the customize template a new element name. Note: Using the existing name will overwrite the previous drill chart element.
  4. You can now drag and drop the new customized template from your element gallery browser onto the drawing sheet.

You can also set your new template as the default drill chart template for the Drill Chart element in the Fabrication Drawing palette.

  1. To do this you must have saved your new customized drill chart template into the folder Default Element Gallery/Templates/Drill Chart under a new name.
  2. Single-click the Drill Chart element in the Fabrication Drawing palette. The Drill Chart dialog will appear showing both the BluePrint Generic Drill Chart template as well as your new customized template in the templates display.
  3. Select your new customized Drill Chart template.
  4. Select the Set as default template button.
  5. Select OK on the dialog. The new customized template will appear on your cursor for placement. The next time you drag and drop the Drill Chart element from the Fabrication Drawing palette, your new customized template will be placed instead of BluePrint’s Generic Drill Chart template.