Input

(This item applies to the Comment dialog box, accessible through Insert | Report Command | Comment.)

The Input option is similar to the Operator option in that it allows you to display text when executing a measurement routine. In addition to displaying a message box with the previously entered text, a comment box will appear. This allows you to enter numerical information that will be written to the inspection report.

This option is extremely helpful to users wishing to enter a part number or serial number while executing the measurement routine.

To use the Input option, follow these steps:

  1. Place the cursor in the Edit window where you want to insert the comment command.

  2. Select the Insert | Report Command | Comment menu option to open the Comment dialog box.

  3. From the Comment dialog box, select the Input option.

  4. In the Comment Text box, type the comment text.

  5. Click the OK button to close the dialog box and insert the comment.

The Edit window command line for this option reads:

        comment ID=COMMENT/INPUT,TOG1,Full Screen=TOG2,
                comment text

TOG1 = This YES/NO field allows you to specify whether or the comment shows up in the inspection report.

TOG2 = This YES/NO field allows you to specify whether or not the comment fills the entire screen when displayed.

The input is assigned to the variable specified on the left hand side of the command. The variable is coerced to be of type string. This variable can then be used anywhere an expression is allowed by using this syntax <COMMENT ID>.INPUT. For example if your comment ID is C1, you can pass that variable into another variable like this:

C1 = COMMENT/INPUT,NO,Full Screen=NO,

"Please type your name:"

ASSIGN/V1=C1.INPUT

After you insert a PC-DMIS comment, to type additional PC-DMIS commands in Command mode, you must first press Enter twice after the COMMENT command. This tells PC-DMIS that you no longer want to add text to the comment but are ready to add a new command.

How it Works

During execution, the message box displays the prompt to enter the necessary number (such as a serial number) and then it displays this value in the inspection report. This prompt appears on top of the Execution dialog box:

A sample Input Comment dialog box

Once the operator types his text and clicks OK, PC-DMIS stores it in the comment's variable. The variable is ID.INPUT (by default the ID for the variable is C1 for the first Input comment, C2 for the second, and so on). If the operator clicks Cancel, it stops execution.