Reference Guide
Reference Guide
Reference Guide

ASCII Group

The ASCII Group utility (ascgroup.ma) reads a settings group specification from a text file and creates a settings file.

Keep the following in mind when using ASCII Group:

For general information about settings files, see “Settings Files”.

To load the ASCII Group utility
  1. From the Utilities menu, choose Key-in.

  2. In the Key-in window, key in MDL LOAD ASCGROUP

ASCII Group Commands

All ASCII Group utility commands display a File Open dialog box if filenames are not keyed in.

Key-in

Description

ASCGROUP CONVERT SETTINGS <text filename> <settings filename>

ASCGROUP CONVERT SCALES <text filename> <settings filename>

Creates a new .stg file from the input settings or scales text file.

ASCGROUP EXPORT SETTINGS <settings filename> <text filename>

ASCGROUP EXPORT SCALES <settings filename> <text filename>

Creates a new text file from the input .stg file.

ASCGROUP MERGE SETTINGS <text filename> <settings filename>

ASGCROUP MERGE SCALES <text filename> <settings filename>

Merges the settings or scales in the input text file into the output .stg file.

Supported Keywords

Values listed in quotations indicate that only the listed values apply. In the input file, the quotations around the values should be omitted.

Keyword

Value

Description

setGroup

group name

Modifies an existing settings group

addGroup

group name

Adds a new settings group

endGroup

none

Ends specifications/modifications to the group named by the last “setGroup” or “addGroup” statement

setLinear

component name

Modifies an existing linear settings component

addLinear

component name

Adds a new linear settings component (must be inside

a “setGroup” or “addGroup” block)

endLinear

none

Ends specifications/modifications to the linear settings component named in by the last “setLinear” or “addLinear” statement

setText

component name

Modifies an existing text settings component

addText

component name

Adds a new text settings component (must be inside a “setGroup” or “addGroup” block)

endText

none

Ends specifications/modifications to the text settings component named by the last “setText” or “addText” statement

setCell

component name

Modifies an existing cell settings component

addCell

component name

Adds a new cell setting component (must be inside a “setGroup” or “addGroup” block)

endCell

none

Ends specifications/modifications to the cell settings component named in the last “setCell” or “addCell” statement

Generic Settings

These apply to all components and must be contained within a “set<X>” or “add<X>” component block.

Keyword

Value

Description

setLevel

integer

Sets active level

setColor

integer

Sets active color

setWeight

integer

Sets active weight

setStyle

style name

Sets the active line style

setName

component name

Changes the component's name/description

setCommand

key-in string

Sets the active command

setStyleScale

double

Sets the active line style scale

Linear Settings

These apply only to linear settings components and must be contained within a “setLinear” or “addLinear” component block.

Keyword

Value

Description

setArea

“solid,” “hole”

Sets the active area for the linear component

setFill

“none,” filled, “boundary”

Sets the active fill type for the linear component

setFillColor

integer

Sets the active fill color for the linear component

Text Settings

These apply only to text settings components and must be contained within a “setText” or “addText” component block.

Keyword

Value

Description

setTextHeight

double

Sets the active text height

setTextWidth

double

Sets the active text width

setLineSpacing

double

Sets the active line spacing

setCharSpacing

double

Sets the active character spacing

setUnits

double

Sets the active units name (e.g., “mm” or “'”)

setTextAngle

double

Sets the active angle

setTextJust

Possible values:

“LT”

“LC”

“LB”

“CT”

“CC”

“CB”

“RT”

“RC”

“RB”

Sets the single line text justification:

“LT” - left top

“LC” - left center

“LB” - left bottom

“CT” - center top

“CC” - center center

“CB” - center bottom

“RT” - right top

“RC” - right center

“RB” - right bottom

setNodeJust

Possible values:

“LT”

“LC”

“LB”

“LMT”

“LMC”

“LMB”

“CT”

“CC”

“CB”

“RT”

“RC”

“RB”

“RMT”

“RMC”

“RMB”

Sets the multi-line text justification:

“LT” - left top

“LC” - left center

“LB” - left bottom

“LMT” - left margin top

“LMC” - left margin center

“LMB” - left margin bottom

“CT” - center top

“CC” - center center

“CB” - center bottom

“RT” - right top

“RC” - right center

“RB” - right bottom

“RMT” - right margin top

“RMC” - right margin center

“RMB” - right margin bottom

setFont

font name

Sets the active font

setFractions

“on,” “off”

Sets fractions on or off

setLineLength

integer

Sets the active line length

setSlant

double

Sets the amount of slant

setVertical

“on,” “off”

Sets vertical text setting on or off

setUnderline

“on,” “off”

Sets the underline text setting on or off

setUsePaperSize

“on,” “off”

Sets the paper size setting on or off

Cell Settings

These apply only to cell settings components and must be contained within a “setCell” or “addCell” component block.

Keyword

Value

Description

setCellXScale

double

Sets the active scale in the X direction

setCellYScale

double

Sets the active scale in the Y direction

setCellZScale

double

Sets the active scale in the Z direction

setApplyDrawing Scale

“on,” “off”

Sets the apply drawing scale setting on or off

setAllowSharedCells

“on,” “off”

Sets the use shared cells setting on or off

setCellLibrary

library name

Sets the active cell library

setCellName

cell name

Sets the active cell name

setCellAngle

double

Sets the active angle in degrees

setCellType

“placement,” “terminator”

Indicates whether the component refers to a placement or terminator cell

setSharedCell

“enabled,” “disabled”

Indicates whether cells should be placed as shared