FileData Chapter Processing
Note: This feature requires version 11-14-2008 or newer.
A new feature called FileData Chapter Processing has been added.
It is intended to be used on txt files from CMM machines that would otherwise have
rather ambiguous formatting. Use of this new feature
does not preclude using the traditional GageID syntax as well.
The new feature is two-fold:
- Tell SPC Express when to start a new "Chapter", which will be latched (or remembered) until another Chapter appears.
- Records with no obvious identifying characters will be assigned a "phantom GageID" based on where they appear within a Chapter. For example, the first record after the chapter starts will be assigned the GageID, "Line 1". The second record into the chapter will be assigned a GageID of "Line 2", and so forth.
A sample value will the be used if the GageID (either standard or phantom) matches AND the Chapter
name (if specified) matches.
Basically, it allows you to say something like this:
Use the value that's in the 26th column
in the third record after the heading record containing the phrase "Outside Diameter".
To use this new feature, you must turn on Chapter Processing as follows:
Type in FileDataChapterID=SEQ into the Extra Options field of Global Preferences.
This assumes that a chapter record contains the letters SEQ at the start of the record.
(If you need something other than the exact letters, "SEQ", please contact MMS.)
Then in the Special Instructions field of each characteristic, enter the Chapter name
that is to be used for its sample values.
Do this using CHAPTER=#Diameter 1# (or whatever - watch out, it's case-sensitive).
It doesn't need to be a complete name, just a portion of that record as long as it is unique.
Finally in the GageID field, type in the phrase "Line 1", "Line 2", etc depending on which
record following the SEQ record contains the value to be used. Set the GageID position to 101.
An example would help….
Let's say your Text file looks like this:
SEQ 1 Height of Flange for this part
Nominal Actual
1.500 1.503 (A)
SEQ 2 Width of Channel
Nominal Actual
2.750 2.752 (B)
SEQ 3 CIRCLE C
Nominal Actual
X 2.750 2.752
Y 2.750 2.752 (C)
Z 2.750 2.752
For Characteristic A, set Special Instructions="CHAPTER=#Height#", GageID="Line 2", GageID Position=101, Position of Sample=14, Length of Sample=5
For Characteristic B, set Special Instructions="CHAPTER=#Width#", GageID="Line 2", GageID Position=101, Position of Sample=14, Length of Sample=5
For Characteristic C, set Special Instructions="CHAPTER=#CIRCLE C#", GageID="Y", GageID Position=4, Position of Sample=16, Length of Sample=5