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      <title>Using component collections</title>
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      <div class="title_topic2" id="xps10_pagetitle">Using component collections</div>
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      <p class="para_topic">When writing an NX model from PCB.xchange, or when using the Update function (from the Compare NX Model dialog box) to modify an NX model, you have the option of using collections of existing NX part files to populate PCB assemblies in whole or in part.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">By default, PCB.xchange creates geometry for the PCB components when writing an NX model, by extruding the footprint of the component to the designated height. However, you also have the alternative to use certain detailed components already in existence as .prt files. These detailed components can be stored in one two ways. You can either use TeamCenter Engineering, or use designated directories in your local file system or network. The two storage methods provide similar functionality; the choice depends on primarily on standards in place at your installation. Once your system is set up for working in one method or the other, you generally will work only with that setup.</p>
      <div class="title_division"> Using components in designated directories</div>
      <p class="para_division">If your installation does not use Team Centre Engineering, you will probably want to define specific directories (other than the NX Write directory) where components can be stored, thus establishing libraries of parts. In this type of installation, PCB.xchange imposes no source control or locking on these files; file management is entirely up to the user.</p>
      <p class="para_division">You can create an NX model from ECAD in one of two ways: Import an ECAD model into NX with the PCB.xchange toolbar, or write an NX model from the PCB.xchange window. The two methods require different procedures, detailed in the following sections.</p>
      <div class="title_division"> Importing ECAD into NX using components in directories</div>
      <p class="para_division">Define the directories you want NX to search when importing ECAD components. If the identically named component already exists in one of these directories, then NX uses the existing component in place of the imported one. To define the search directories:</p>
      <ol type="1" start="1">
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">In NX, choose  <b class="uiTerm">File</b>&rarr;<b class="uiTerm">Options</b>&rarr;<b class="uiTerm">Assembly Load Options</b>. 
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">In the Assembly Load Options dialog box, select  <b class="uiTerm">From Search Folders</b>. 
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Click the  <b class="uiTerm">Add Folder to Search</b> button. Use the dialog box that opens to define a directory or directories containing components for use in populating the PC Board assembly. 
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Choose <b class="uiTerm">PBC.xchange</b>&rarr;<b class="uiTerm">Import ECAD Model</b> on the PCB.xchange toolbar to import the model. 
            </p>
         </li>
      </ol>
      <div class="title_division"> Writing/updating an NX model from PCB.xchange using components in directories</div>
      <p class="para_division">Before writing or updating an NX model with PCB.xchange using components in directories, you must define certain variables in the <i class="fileName">pcbx_ug.ini</i> file. These setup steps need only be performed once. To set up your installation to work with components in directories:
      </p>
      <ol type="1" start="1">
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Make a local copy of the files <i class="fileName">pcbx_ug.ini</i> and  <em>pcbx_ug_model.ini</em> as described in the article  <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('pcb/xu_modif_ini.html');return(false);">Modifying Initialization Files</a>. 
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">In the local copy of the <i class="fileName">pcbx_ug.ini</i> file set the following variable: <code>PCBxUseNxManager = no</code>. 
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">In the local copy of the  <em>pcbx_ug_model.ini</em> set the following variable: 
            </p><pre class="indent">NxWriteComponentFoldersList = [absolute path to one directory containing components].</pre><p class="para_item">You can repeat this variable as many times as you want to specify different directories where components might be located. In the Write NX Model dialog box (or the Update NX Model dialog box), you will have the opportunity to select which of these directories apply for a given NX Model Write/Update operation.</p>
         </li>
      </ol>
      <p class="para_division">Once the setup is complete, you can write or update the NX model with components found in specified directories. The following options are available for a Write or Update operation:</p>
      <ul>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Use the  <b class="uiTerm">Use components found in directories</b> option to select one or more of the directories you defined in the setup procedure as containing components for use in populating the PCB assembly. 
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Select <b class="uiTerm">Only use existing components (do not create new ones)</b> when you want PCB.xchange to recognize and write only those components for which a corresponding part already exists (either in the Component Write directory or in any directory specified in the previous option). No extruded parts are created. 
            </p>
         </li>
      </ul>
      <p class="para_division">When writing or updating the PCB assembly, PCB.xchange does not overwrite any parts; if the part name of an incoming part matches the part name of an existing part in the Write directory, the existing part will be used instead.</p>
      <div class="title_division"> Using TeamCenter Engineering</div>
      <p class="para_division">If you work in a TeamCenter Engineering environment, use the following setup procedures and options to Import ECAD Model (in NX) or Write/ Update NX Model (in the PCB.xchange window)</p>
      <div class="title_division"> Importing ECAD into NX in a TeamCenter environment</div>
      <ol type="1" start="1">
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">In NX, choose  <b class="uiTerm">File</b>&rarr;<b class="uiTerm">Options</b>&rarr;<b class="uiTerm">Assembly Load Options</b>.  
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">In the Load Options dialog box under Revision Rules, select  <b class="uiTerm">Latest Working</b>. 
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Use <b class="uiTerm">Import ECAD Model</b> on the PCB.xchange toolbar to import the model.  
            </p>
         </li>
      </ol>
      <div class="title_division"> Writing/updating an NX model from PCB.xchange with TeamCenter Engineering</div>
      <p class="para_division">If your installation uses Team Centre Engineering, there is no need to define specific folders (other than the Component Write folder) as parts collections are managed by TeamCenter.</p>
      <p class="para_division">Setup only needs to be performed once. To set up your installation to work with TeamCenter:</p>
      <ol type="1" start="1">
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Make a local copy of the file  <i class="fileName">pcbx_ug.ini</i> as described in the article <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('pcb/xu_modif_ini.html');return(false);">Modifying Initialization Files</a>. 
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">In the local copy of the  <i class="fileName">pcbx_ug.ini </i>file set the following variable:<code> PCBxUseNxManager = yes</code>. 
            </p>
         </li>
      </ol>
      <p class="para_division">When writing or updating the PCB assembly, PCB.xchange does not overwrite any parts; if the part name of an incoming part matches the part name of an existing part in the Write Component folder, the existing part will be used instead.</p>
      <p class="para_division">The following option is available for any Write to NX or Update operation:</p>
      <ul>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Select <b class="uiTerm">Only use existing components (do not create new ones)</b> when you want PCB.xchange to recognize and write only those components for which a corresponding part already exists in TeamCenter. No extruded parts are created.
            </p>
         </li>
      </ul>
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