Re-using a 2D Component

Creating a 2D Component instance

Replacing the Reference of a 2D Component Instance

Positioning a 2D Component instance during creation

Add a leader to a 2D component

Automating 2D component instance creation with VB script

Modify text in 2D Component Instances

Annotation Orientation in 2D Component Instances

This task shows you how to re-use a 2D component. In this particular case, we will instantiate a 2D component previously created on a detail sheet. Select a task:

Creating 2D Component instance

Replacing the Reference of a 2D Component Instance

Positioning a 2D Component instance during creation

Add a leader to a 2D Component

Automating 2D Component instance creation with VB script

Modify text in 2D Component instances

Annotation Orientation in 2D Component Instances

Open the Position_Component.CATDrawing document.

1. Double-click the view in which you want to instantiate the 2D component.
This view is now active.

2. Click the Instantiate 2D Component icon . Note that to position several 2D components on the sheet and keep the scale and angle properties for all these components, you need to double- click the Instantiate 2D Component icon .

3. Go to the detail sheet Sheet2(Detail) and click the component.

You can select the 2D component from the design tree. You can also select a component that already exists on the drawing sheet.

The drawing sheet automatically displays the sheet containing the starting view.

4. Position the component using the picking assistant.

You can use the Tools toolbar for positioning the component either before or after you instantiate the 2D component.

5. If needed, select the component and use the displayed manipulators to modify the component.

You can also modify a group of objects including a 2D component. For this, multi-select the group of object and perform the desired modification(s).

To find easily and edit the reference 2D Component, double-click or right-click on the 2D component you have instantiated, and choose Edit 2D reference option in the contextual menu.

Create a 2D component instance (see the previous scenario).

1. Right-click on an instance, and from the contextual menu, select Replace Reference for this instance.

2. Select another instance (this instance reference will be taken into account) or a 2D component in a local sheet of detail

The 2D component instance reference is replaced.

You cannot use a catalog to replace a 2D component instance reference. To bypass this, use an instance created with this catalog.

Open the Position_Component02.CATDrawing document.

1. At any time as you instantiate a component, you can re-position it using the Position dialog box that appears.

2. Click the Change the component origin option from the Position dialog box.

3. On the component, click the point which you want to use as the component origin: this makes it easier to position this component.

4. Click the Change the component angle option from the Position dialog box.

5. Click in the view once the component angle axis corresponds to the position you want to assign to the component.

You can also flip the component according to either the x axis or the y axis. If you click the Flip component horizontally option

, the component flips on the horizontal axis of the detail. If you click the Flip component vertically option

, the component flips on the vertical axis of its reference .

Create a 2D component following the scenario Creating 2D component instance.

1. Right-click the 2D component and select Add Leader.

2. Select the element you want to associate to the 2D component, or click in empty space.

Open the Position_Component.CATDrawing document.

1. Go to Tools -> Macro and select Start recording.

2. Key in the macro name and click on start button.

3. Create a 2D component instance using the Instantiate Detail icon

4. Stop the recording clicking the following icon

or go to Tools -> Macro and select Stop Recording.

Now you can create this 2D component instance automatically.

5. Delete the previous 2D Component instance. Go to Tools -> Macro -> Macros, select the macro and click the run button

This macro will be available only in this drawing.

6. A 2D component instance will be created at the same place as the previous one.

This functionality allows you to modify 2D component texts.

Open the Position_Component.CATDrawing document.

1. Click detail sheet tab, activate the 2D component view (double-click this view), insert a text in the 2D component and create a 2D component instance.

2. Right-click on the 2D reference component text:

3. Check Modifiable In instances.
The text in the instances you have created and the ones you will create will be modifiable.

4. Once more create a 2D component instance.

5. In the sheet one, double-click on the first 2D component instance text you have create, modify it and click to validate, then double-click on the second one. Modify it and click to validate.
Both are modifiable.

	Attribute links may be added in the text content,
	once a text becomes modifiable, it is not possible to make it non modifiable,
	when a 2D component text becomes modifiable, the new but also the created instances texts become modifiable,
	for 2D component instances created with catalog, if a text becomes modifiable in catalog, you have to synchronise the external reference to make the 2D component instance text modifiable too (see Infrastructure User's Guide, `advanced tasks -> Using Catalogs -> creating a catalog` ).

Original orientation

Horizontal

Flip Horizontal

Flip Vertical

Text rotate with 2D component instance

Text orientation is fixed and independent from 2D component instance orientation

This functionality allows you to fix the text orientation in the 2D Component. In the 2D Component Instances, the text will keep the same orientation even if the 2D component instance is rotated or flipped.

Open the Position_Component04.CATDrawing document.

1. Right-click on the text.
Select Properties and Text tab.
Choose to orientate the text horizontally relating to the sheet.

2. Create two 2D Component Instances, one without modifying the orientation and one orienting a 2D Component instance during creation. For the second instance, set the angle with the sheet to: 130°.

The 2D Component Text orientation in relation to the sheet is kept.

Not available for tables.

Text oriented view, summary table: