KB218110645: ArtiosCAD - What XML outputs can I run from a canvas that will include layout information

Question

What XML outputs can I run from a canvas that includes layout information?

Answer

Canvas file

A canvas file (.ACD) can contain part ARDs and layouts.

Configuration

A Bill of Materials (BOM) XML output can be configured to show in different menus.

The resulting XML will be dependent on how the XML output was run.

Canvas XML

To output XML information about the canvas including layouts:

Set the Output Type > Output Type to Bill of Materials and the Project Bill of Materials > Processing to XML
Check Parts Outputs in Output Type > Show in.
Generate the XML via the File/Parts > Parts Outputs > xml output menu when the canvas file is opened.

Do not invoke the menu items Projects > Bill of Materials Reports > xml report nor File > Outputs > xml report. XML is generated, but it is created in the context of Production part ARDs in a Bill of Materials, not an iteration through the canvas.

The canvas file can be used to seed a BOM with production parts. In this case, navigate Projects > Bill of Materials Reports > xml report to create a BOM of production parts.

There is no reason to navigate to File > Outputs > xml report for XML. Avoid using it.

18.0.1

As of 18.0.1, Canvas layout XML will include userfields and attributes for standard and enterprise edition respectively, as well as report prompted text.

Advanced information

So given any open canvas file, XML will be created as follows:

Case ID	Menu to Execute	Output Type > Show In	Project Open	Canvas Production Parts Saved into Project	Result	Layouts Included
1	File > Outputs > xml report	Output			No XML/report; project must be opened	N/A
1.a					No XML/report; project must contain parts documents	N/A
1.b					BOM XML using ACD as a BOM document produced; no part ARDs in BOM
1.c					BOM XML of part ARDS produced
2	Projects > Bill of Materials Reports > xml report	Project- Bill of Materials			No XML/report; entry disabled	N/A
2.a					No XML/report; project must contain parts documents	N/A
2.b					BOM XML using ACD as a BOM document produced; no part ARDs in BOM
2.c					BOM XML of part ARDS produced
3	Parts or File > Parts Outputs > xml report	Parts Outputs	*	*	Canvas XML of part ARDS produced

Standard edition

For Case ID 1.* & 2.*, an actual Bill of Materials (BOM) is run. This means a project must be open and the production parts must be saved as ARDs. MFGs are not allowed in the project, so no canvas layout will be created in the XML.
For Case ID 1.b & 2.b, the canvas document itself is considered part of the BOM. However, the production parts are not expanded in the XML.
For Case ID 3, the canvas will use the (BOM) technology to iterate through the parts on the canvas and create XML, but canvas layouts will be included in the XML as the iteration is through the canvas and not the BOM project documents.

Enterprise edition

Case ID 1: No project is ever considered open in the standard edition sense. Therefore this output will not run.
Case ID 1.b & 2.b: the production parts are expanded in the XML.

Article information
Applies to	ArtiosCAD 18
Created	30-Aug-18
Last revised
Author	GSY
Case Number

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