### Execute From Selection

When you create a part program, you need to design it so that there will be no collisions while PC-DMIS measures a selected feature. One way you can create a collision-free program is by using the Execute From Selection feature. This feature is primarily intended to measure an item or a group of items (a "collection") in a long part program. A collection can also have sub-collections.

When you use this feature, PC-DMIS will automatically create a collection named "OOT" (out of tolerance). This collection lists all of the items that are out of tolerance in your part program.

To use the Execute From Selection feature, select the File | Partial Execution | Execute From Selection menu command. The Program tab in the Execute Selection Dialog dialog box appears and lists the items — the dimensions, features, and groups — that you can measure in your part program. For example:

Sample Execute Selection Dialog dialog box – Program tab

Selecting the Items to Measure

1. Display the items you want to measure in your part program by selecting a filtering option in the Show drop-down list:

Show drop-down list

Show: All: Displays only the features and dimensions.

Show: Dimension Only: Displays only the dimensions. This is the default filtering option.

Show: Feature Only: Displays only the features.

Show: Marked: Displays only the features that are marked for execution.

Show: Unmarked: Displays only the features that are not marked for execution.

Show: Out of Tolerance: Displays only the features that are out of tolerance.

Show: Group: Displays only the groups.

Note: If you change the name of an item in the Edit Window, PC-DMIS will automatically change its name in the Execute Selection Dialog dialog box.

2. Select the items you want to measure by right-clicking in the Program tab. This shortcut menu appears:

Program tab - shortcut menu

Select All: Selects all of the items.

Unselect All: Deselects all of the items.

Expand All: Expands and displays the features and dimensions for all of the groups.

Collapse All: Collapses all of the groups.

3. If you selected the Expand All menu option, click on each item you want to measure.

4. Click the >> button to move the selected items to the Selections tab. For example:

Sample Execute Selection Dialog dialog box – Selections tab

5. To measure your selected items with alignment dependencies, select the With Alignment Dependencies check box. To measure them without alignment dependencies, clear the check box.

"Alignment dependencies" means that the features required for creating an alignment of the selected items will be marked and measured. For example:

- Suppose that PC-DMIS has measured the part. The part has not moved yet, and you want to measure certain features. You can measure the features without alignment dependencies.

- Suppose that PC-DMIS has measured the part. You then notice that one hole is dirty and you need to measure only the dimensions that are associated with that hole. You can measure the dimensions with alignment dependency as the part is moved and needs to be realigned.

6. Measure your items:

- To measure the items that are out of tolerance in your part program, click the Measure OOT button. (This button also works with the With Alignment Dependencies check box.)

- To measure the items on the Selections tab, click the Measure button.

PC-DMIS measures the items and then displays the Execution Mode Options dialog box.

7. When PC-DMIS has completed its measurements, clear the items by right-clicking in the Selections tab. This shortcut menu appears:

Selections tab - shortcut menu

To clear all of the items, select Clear All. To clear only certain items, click on each item you want to clear and then select Clear Selected.

Example of a Collection

A collection contains a group of items that you can measure. Following is an example of a collection:

- Suppose that a part is manufactured in two operations: Operation 10 and Operation 20. OP10 manufactures the part in two stages.

- You have created a part program to measure the entire part.

- You want to create collections OP10 and OP20 so that you can select each group and measure the features in each collection separately.

The Collections tab would appear as follows:

Sample Execute Selection Dialog dialog box – Collections tab example

In this example:

- PC-DMIS automatically created collection OOT (out of tolerance).

- Collection OP10 will measure the dimensions of the features manufactured in OP10. It has sub-collections Tool1 and Tool2. Tool1 has the dimensions of the features manufactured by Tool1. Tool2 has the dimensions of the features manufactured by Tool2.

- Collection OP20 will measure the dimensions of the features manufactured in OP20.

Measuring the Items in a Collection

1. Right-click in the Collections tab. This shortcut menu appears:

Collections tab - shortcut menu

- To create a new collection, select New Node. PC-DMIS automatically names the collection based on the name that was previously used. To rename it, click on the name and type the new one. You can select New Node as many times as necessary to create as many collections as you need.

- To create a sub-collection, right-click on a collection and then select New Child. PC-DMIS automatically names the sub-collection based on the name that was previously used for the child collection. To rename it, click on the name and type the new one.

2. To add items to a collection:

1. Select the Program tab. Right-click on each item that you want to add to the collection, and move them to the Selections tab.

2. Select the Collections tab and then right-click on the collection to which you want to add the selected items.

3. Click on the << button to add the items to the collection you selected.

3. To measure the features in the collection, click the >> arrow button to move the collection to the Selections tab.

4. To view additional options for the collection, right-click in the Collections window. The tab's shortcut menu appears. Select the appropriate option:

Remove: Removes the selected collection or child collection.

Expand All: Displays all of the collections' items.

Collapse All: Collapses all of the collections' items.

Export: Exports the selected collection in XML format. A dialog box appears and prompts you for the location and name of the file.

5. To save all of the collections, click the OK button. PC-DMIS saves the collections in an XML file with this name: NameOfProgram.FbmCol.xml. This file is saved in the PC-DMIS program's folder. PC-DMIS will display them the next time you run the program.

To discard all of the collections, click the Cancel button.

Note: You may see an XML file in the PC-DMIS program folder with this name: NameOfProgram.Fbm0.xml. This file is created when you measure the items through the Execute From Selection feature.