References, please

The NX expression system has functions to read values from external spreadsheet (Excel) files. These functions, as of this writing (NX 8.5), include:

• ug_cell_hlookup
• ug_cell_read
• ug_cell_vlookup
• ug_excel_read
• ug_list_hlookup
• ug_list_vlookup
• ug_read_fixed_list
• ug_read_list

Recently, while working on a journal that processed existing lines and arcs, I needed to find the start and end points of the given lines and arcs. The line objects have a .StartPoint and .EndPoint property that return a Point3D object.

Time to change teams

Scene: a non-descript grey fabric covered box that currently contains a workstation running NX and 2 coworkers

Coworker: Hey, I need to measure the length of this tube I have...

NXJournaling: No problem, here's a journal that lets you select a tube and adds up the lengths of the defining sections

Coworker: actually, it is from an imported part; there are no defining objects in the file...

Clean up sheet metal flat pattern

Here is a journal submitted by user hppianoman. The intended use is to clean up the sheet metal flat pattern before performing a DXF export for further processing. The journal performs the following steps:

1. Rename the "flat-pattern" modeling view in order to remove the random number NX puts on the end.
2. Replace the current view with the flat-pattern view as the "work" view.
3. Select all lines and arcs of the flat-pattern and copy them to the clipboard.