Creating an External Parameter

You can create a parameter located in a component and pointing an element located in another component.

Before you begin:
  • The Parameters and the External References check boxes below the Display in Specification tree settings in the Tools > Options... > Infrastructure > 3D Shape Infrastructure > Display tab.
  • The With Formula and With Value check boxes below the Parameter Tree View settings in the Tools > Options... > General>Parameters and Measure tab.
  • Keep link with selected object check box (Tools > Options... > Infrastructure > 3D Shape Infrastructure >General.)

  1. Create a Product containing 2 other Products. The first Product must contain a line and a Line_Length parameter that computes the line length.

  2. Expand the first representation, right-click the Line_Length parameter located below the Parameters node in the specification tree, and select the Copy

  3. Double-click, then right-click the second representation, and select Paste Special. In the Paste Special dialog box, select As Result With Link and click OK to validate. The External Parameters node is added to the specification tree and the Line_Length parameter is displayed.

Important: In case, if the publication is redirected towards another parameter of different type, the pointed parameter changes its value and the corresponding local parameter displays an error - The pointed parameter must be of the same type as the external parameter.



The screenshot here above shows that when a parameter is imported, a local parameter similar to the pointed parameter is created. A link towards the pointed parameter is also automatically generated. The publication has been redirected towards another parameter. After this, we want to maintain similar values between the local parameter and the pointed parameter.