Renaming Fasteners

This task shows you how to rename a selection of fasteners.
  There are three ways of renaming fasteners:
Open a .CATProduct document.

  1. In the specification tree or in the 3D geometry, select the fastener or set of fasteners you want to rename.

    If you select a joint or a joint body, its children fasteners are highlighted in the specification tree.

  2. Click Renames BiW Fasteners in Automotive Biw Fasteners toolbar.

    The BiW Fasteners renaming dialog box opens.

    Search

    • Match ID: enter the string that matches an ID in the specification tree. This field may be empty or unchecked if you do not want to apply any selection filter.
      You can use the * (star) special character to specify any sub-string.
      You can use the # (pound) special character to specify a numerical sub-string: it indicates the location of the fastener number among all selected fasteners that match the ID.
      Identification rules of the fastener number, prefix, and suffix:

      • Field entries are case sensitive.

      • If the fastener number cannot be found, the prefix equals the ID, the suffix is empty and the number is 0.

      • If the # special character is used, its location determines the fastener number.

      • If no # special character is used, the fastener number is the first numerical sub-string found in the ID.
        Here is an example with a joint called Joint 32 Roof Top 1.

        Match ID How is it interpreted?
        <empty> Prefix: ''Joint''
        Number: 32
        Suffix: ''Roof Top 1''

        *

        		 Prefix: ''Joint''
        Number: 32
        Suffix: ''Roof Top 1''

        * 32 *

        		 Prefix: ''Joint''
        Number: 32
        Suffix: ''Roof Top 1''

        * 32 * #

        		 Prefix: ''Joint 32 Roof Top''
        Number: 1
        Suffix: /

      • Once the fastener number is computed, the prefix and the suffix are deduced as the surrounding sub-strings.

      • If the numerical suffix and the fastener number follow, they cannot be deduced.
        Here is an example with Joint 325689.

        Match ID

        Result expected

        		 Result obtained Feedback

        Joint #89

        		 Prefix: ''Joint''
        Number: 3256
        Suffix: 89        		 Prefix: ''Joint''
        Number: 325689
        Suffix: /        		 No fastener corresponds to the request

        Joint #

        		 Prefix: ''Joint''
        Number: 3256
        Suffix: 89        		 Prefix: ''Joint''
        Number: 325689
        Suffix: /        		 No fastener corresponds to the request

        To obtain a result, you need to rename the fastener as Joint 3256 89:

        Joint 3256 89, or
        Joint # 89, or
        Joint # *

        		 Prefix: ''Joint''
        Number: 3256
        Suffix: 89        		 Prefix: ''Joint''
        Number: 3256
        Suffix: 89        		 Request OK

      • In case there are several identical sub-strings in the fastener name, the system stops as soon as a criterion is verified. This may lead to unpredictable results.

    • Number from: enter a number to filter out fasteners whose fastener number is lower or equal to the number defined here.

    • Number to: enter a number to filter out fasteners whose fastener number is higher or equal to the number defined here.

      Here are various examples illustrating the Match ID behavior:
    Fastener Name
    to obtain    		 Replace Match ID
    Joint Element 1 Prefix: Joint Element
    Suffix: /
    Number: 1    		 <empty>, or
    *Joint *#
    Joint Element 1 xxx Prefix: Joint Element
    Suffix: xxx
    Number: 1    		 <empty>, or
    *Joint *#*
    61 10 21 Prefix: 61
    Suffix: 21
    Number: 10    		 61 # 21
    61 10 21 Prefix: 61 10
    Suffix:/
    Number: 21    		 *10 #
    aa21aa31 Prefix: aa
    Suffix: aa31
    Number: 21    		 <empty>, or
    *aa#*
    aa21aa31 Prefix: aa21aa
    Suffix: /
    Number: 31    		 aa21aa#
    aa21aa31 Prefix: aa21aa
    Suffix: /
    Number: 31     		a*1aa#
    aa21aa31 Prefix: aa21aa
    Suffix: /
    Number: 21    		 *#*

    Replace
    • enter the Prefix that will replace the one initialized with the common prefix of all selected fasteners (only the fasteners that match the prefix to be found will be renamed).
    • enter the Suffix that will replace the one initialized with the common suffix of all selected fasteners (only the fasteners that match the suffix to be found will be renamed).
    • enter the Translate number value to offset the joint element number (for all selected fasteners, the joint element number is extracted by finding the rightmost numerical characters of the identifier (the result is zero if the identifier does not end with numerals), offsetting it by the entered value and replacing it within the identifier).
      If the number of numerical characters is exceeded (as defined by the key "Rules_Naming_Digits" in the standard file), then the numerical characters are replaced by #. For instance:
      Rules_Naming_Digits = 3
      Prefix = ABF_
      Suffix = _SUFF
      number = 999
      Therefore, a fastener called ABF_999_SUFF will be called ABF_###_SUFF after a translation by 1 of its name.
      To cancel the operation, simply use the Undo command.
    • Check Apply standard fixed length number to replace the number ID with the equivalent fixed-length number as defined in the Parameters chapter.

    Apply
    Check Current naming rule to apply the naming rule as defined in the Parameters chapter.
    If any of the above Replace options were checked, they are automatically unchecked.

  3. Click OK.

    Modifications are automatically taken into account: make sure the rule is configured to answer your need as set previously.

    If relative rule is activated, ABF checks the uniqueness of renamed fasteners identifier ; in case of check failure, an error message appears and rename process is interrupted.
 
You can also change a fastener's name directly in the specification tree by double-clicking the fastener to edit it.

If the Lock option (Tools > Options > Automotive BiW Fastening, General tab), is selected then renaming of fastener ID is not possible. The Renames BiW Fasteners icon in Automotive Biw Fasteners toolbar and Renames BiW Fasteners command in Tools menu are disabled.