This tutorial shows you how to configure a subassembly to pass information between the L! workbook (local prompts), and the S! workbook (subassemblies). The article:  "Overview: Passing Prompt Information Between Workbooks" discusses how the new functionality simplifies or eliminates formulas. It also showed that it is possible to have a single subassembly that can be used across different libraries (e.g., frameless and face frame). The beauty is that the product contains an expression or formula that overwrites the target subassembly prompt value, while the basic subassembly remains the same.

In this example taken from our latest face frame library data, we demonstrate how to eliminate a complex formula using the IFERROR Excel function by setting a Single Division subassembly prompt value at the product level and passing it through to the subassembly. The formula turns off the front edgebanding on the division when you have a mid stile covering the front edge of the part. This prevents an inaccurate edgeband total.

The reason this is valuable is that without it, you have two options. Either you must create a separate subassembly for face frame cabinets, or develop the formula necessary to test for various combinations of prompts necessary to display the needed value. These are both replaced with a simple expression in the Prompt Values column for the row of the subassembly you're working with.

1. Draw a Base Starter Horizontal FF:
   
1. Set the Main.Width prompt to 36.
   
2. Set the Main.BayQty prompt to 2.
   
3. Set the FaceFrameOptions.MidStileWidth to 3.
   
4. Set the Bay1.Bay1Options to "Open."
   
5. Set the Bay2.Bay2Options to "Open."
   


Fig. 1



2. Click: "Modify > Edit Design Data" and select the product just drawn.
   
3. Click the tab Subassemblies and select the row containing the first Base Single Door subassembly.
   
4. Add the following text string to the cell in the "Prompt Values" column of the row for the Single Division:
   

Division_Edgeband_Material_Name;None


This is not a formula, but a hard-locked text for a single prompt and value combination that will be passed into the subassembly prompts. Figure 2 shows the product design data before modifications are made, and Figure 3 shows it after the Prompt Value expression is inserted.




Fig. 2


Fig. 3

The syntax and definition of each element in the formula are found in the article link in the first paragraph above. Division_Edgeband_Material_Name in the evaluated formula refers to the subassembly prompt that will be searched for, and if found, populated with the data immediately following the semi-colon ("None"). The name in the evaluated formula must match the subassembly prompt name exactly for the prompt data to be passed through to the subassembly prompts.

Figure 4 shows the Single Division with its default subassembly prompt formula and value. Figure 5 shows the same Single Division with the subassembly prompt value overwritten by the value specified in the Prompts Values expression.

It does not matter that the subassembly prompt that you are overwriting does not exist in the parent product prompts. In this case, we are merely forcing a value of our choice into the subassembly prompt of our choice.

Once again, the benefit of this lies in the ability to minimize the number of different subassemblies. This is important since a subassembly-based library already has a large number of subassemblies, and doubling that number for frameless and face frame library types would complicate maintenance.