The first thing you need to do is create copies of all the components used to generate the PPAP report. These include both the report template and the underlying label templates.

1. In the Report Template Editor, open the PPAP.RTP report template.

2. Select File | Save As.

3. Name the report template "BALLOON_PPAP.RTP".

4. Close the Report Template Editor.

5. In the Label Template Editor, open these templates, select File | Save As on each one, and save them with a "BALLOON_" filename prefix as shown in this table:

You should now have copies of all the report and label templates used with the PPAP report. You will customize these copies in subsequent steps.

Now that you have created copies of the report and label templates, you need to modify the rules on the new report template so that the newly saved BALLOON label templates are used instead of the usual PPAP labels.

1. In the Report Template Editor, open the BALLOON_PPAP.RTP report template.

2. Access TextReportObject1 on the template and right-click on it to access the properties for the object.

3. In the Properties dialog box, click Rules to access the Rule Tree Editor.

4. Expand the Dimensions list in the Rule Tree Editor. You see several dimensions in boldface font indicating that a rule is applied to that dimension type.

5. Select each boldface item in the Dimensions list, and modify its existing rule or rules so that the corresponding label templates with the "BALLOON_" prefix are used instead.

Changing the Label Template

6. Save the report template.

You have modified your existing rules so that the label templates with the "BALLOON_" prefix will be used to format and display your report data.

Now that the rules are modified, the next thing you need to do is insert ASSIGN statements into your measurement routine for each ballooned item. Prior to each dimension in your measurement routine, add ASSIGN statements for each characteristic you will display in that dimension. For example, at the beginning of this topic, we suggested that feature #15 on the print was the X dimension for a hole, feature #30 the Y dimension, and feature #75 the hole's diameter. If you had a LOCATION dimension to display the X, Y, and D values (three characteristics), you would insert these three ASSIGN statements prior to your dimension:

ASSIGN/V1[1]=15
ASSIGN/V1[2]=30
ASSIGN/V1[3]=75

These statements create an array of multiple values for the V1 variable.

Apply similar ASSIGN statements before each dimension in your measurement routine.

• If your dimension displays only one characteristic, then you would only put one ASSIGN/V1[#] before that dimension statement.

• If your dimension displays ten characteristics (for example, a TP FCF dimension), then you would need ten ASSIGN statements for the ten elements in your array:

ASSIGN/V1[1]=2
ASSIGN/V1[2]=4
ASSIGN/V1[3]=6
ASSIGN/V1[4]=24
... and so on until ...
ASSIGN/V1[10]=76

In most cases, you must use the same variable name for all ASSIGN statements for all dimensions. This tutorial uses the variable V1. The exception is for a Position legacy dimension. For this dimension type, you can use V1[1], V1[2], and other variables for the XYZ axis. However, for diameters of features and datums, and the position callout, you should use unique variables, perhaps V2[1], V2[2], and V3[1] respectively. Also be aware that the variable can only take number characters. Alphabetic characters show only zeros in the report.

When you've finished adding in the ASSIGN statements, your measurement routine is finished and ready to execute. The only thing left to do is modify your label templates to read in the variable's array of values for each dimension.

In this step, you open each applicable label template and configure it so that it reads the array of values for the variable.

1. Inside the Label Template Editor, with the exception of BALLOON_PPAP_DIMENSION_TRUE_POSITION.LBL, open the other label templates with the "BALLOON_" prefix given earlier.

2. Access the GridControlObject and access the contents of the first cell.

3. Modify the expression there to read as follows:

=INT(VARIABLE("V1["+N+"]",ID:N))

4. Save each label template.

5. Finally, open BALLOON_PPAP_DIMENSION_TRUE_POSITION.LBL. Since this template has more than one row in the GridControlObject, you need to specify more than just the V1 variable.

1. • For the XYZ axis, you can use the V1 variable in your expression:

=INT(VARIABLE("V1["+N+"]",ID:N))

1. • For diameters of datums and features, you need it to use the unique variable used earlier (such as V2):

=INT(VARIABLE("V2["+N+"]",ID:N))

1. • For the position callout, use another unique variable used earlier (such as V3):

=INT(VARIABLE("V3["+N+"]",ID:N))

As the report increments through each dimension (using :N), the variable array is called with "V1[" + N + "]" and the Nth element of the V1 array is displayed. You are now ready for the final step of executing and viewing your results.

In this final step, you define the report template to use in the Report window, execute your measurement routine, and view your final results.

1. Save all your changes made to this point.

2. Access the Report window, and load the BALLOON_PPAP.RPT template.

3. Execute your measurement routine. You may also need to click the Redraw the Report icon from the Reporting toolbar after execution.

The Report window shows your final report. It should be similar to this, where the numbered prints inside your PPAP report appear:

Final Report Showing Custom Numbered Items inside of a PPAP Report