A callout is a textual markup element that is connected to a part of your model by a line, an arrow or a similar graphic.
Based on a previously created BOM, callouts can be generated and positioned automatically. You can do this using the functions in the Technical Documentation category of the BOM tool pane.
The process for generating callouts always consists of the following actions:
1.Creating a bill of material (see the chapter BOM)
2.Generate callout IDs for the individual elements of the BOM (see below)
To display callouts in the model, IDs must first be generated for the BOM lines to identify the callouts. These can be automatically generated for the entire bill of material by clicking the [Generate Callout IDs] button.
Clicking the [Delete Callout IDs] button these are removed again. You can also enter, change, and remove individual IDs manually.
Note:
▪When you update the BOM, all previously generated IDs are removed.
▪The IDs begin with the value stored in the Start ID field. This is incremented as soon as callout IDs have been created. This means that no duplicate IDs are generated for new bills of material. You can manually set the Start ID to a desired value.
If callout IDs have been generated as described above, you can now automatically add callouts to the model. Click on the [Generate callouts] button.
There are two settings available for generating callouts: alignment and creation mode.
The Alignment setting determines whether the callouts should be displayed, for example, in a rectangle around the entire model or only at the top.
The Create Mode setting allows you to specify whether a callout is to be created for each geometry or, as in the example, a callout with one connection per screw, etc.
Using the TechDoc tab, you can create further callouts, edit existing ones and delete them. These functions are available to you in detail:
"BOM" section
Element
Description
1
Bill of material
Use this function to open or close the BOM window.
"Alignment" section
Element
Description
2
Rectangle
You can use this function to select how callouts already created should be aligned (e.g. as a circle or rectangle around the model, top and/or bottom, left and/or right of the model, etc.)
3
Auto alignment
When you realign the camera, created callouts are automatically adjusted to the new perspective. If you disable this option, the callouts remain in their position.
"Callouts" section
Element
Description
4
Create
You can use this tool to create individual callouts to a geometry.
Note:
▪If you click on a geometry without a callout, a callout with ID 1 is created or incremented by 1.
▪If you create a callout on a geometry to which a callout already points, it will be replaced and incremented by 1.
▪If you create a callout on a geometry with multiple connections (see 8), the connection of that geometry is deleted and a single callout is created.
▪You can read and set the counter for the next ID in the callout settings (see 6).
5
For Selection
Use this tool to create callouts for all geometries of a selection.
Note:
▪A callout is generated for each selection.
▪If the Multiple connections function is activated (see 8), a callout with one connection per geometry is generated.
6
Settings
Use this button to open the settings window for callouts. Here you can define settings for the behavior and visualization of callouts.
7
Show all
This function displays all hidden callouts. The visibility of markups and PMIs is not changed.
Hide all
This function hides all visible callouts. The visibility of markups and PMIs is not changed.
Lock position
This function fixes the callout position for manual and automatic alignment. All visible or selected callouts are locked. This property can be found in the Properties window under the Constraints category as soon as a callout has been selected.
8
Unlock position
This function allows the manual and automatic alignment of callouts again. All visible or selected callouts are unlocked. This property can be found in the Properties window under the Constraints category as soon as a callout has been selected.
Select geometry
You can activate this check box to select the referenced geometry/geometries when selecting a callout. Accordingly, when selecting a geometry, the callout and all other geometries referenced by this callout are selected.
Multiple connections
If you select several geometries and create callouts for this selection (see For Selection function (5)), you can specify whether a callout should be created for each geometry or a callout with connections to all selected geometries.
"Connections" section
Element
Description
9
Edit
If you have already created callouts, for example, using the bill of material (BOM), you can use this function to subsequently edit their connections. For this, activate this function first. You then have the following options:
▪You can click on a geometry already referenced by a callout to reposition its connection. The callout is also selected hereby!
▪You can select a callout and then click on a geometry to change the position of an existing connection or create an (additional) connection.
Note: If necessary, a connection of another callout is removed, because a geometry can only be referenced by one callout!
10
Delete
You can use this function to delete existing callouts. For this, activate this function first.
▪If you click on a callout or its connection, this callout is deleted.
▪If you click on a referenced geometry of a callout, the connection is deleted.
▪The callout is also deleted with the last connection.
11
Invert visibility
You can use this function to invert the visibility of the callout. For this, activate this function first.
▪If you click on a callout or its connection, all connections are shown or hidden.
▪If you click on a referenced geometry of a callout, only this connection is shown or hidden.
"Visible Callouts" section
Element
Description
12
Select
You can use this function to select all visible callouts.
13
Delete
You can use this function to delete all visible callouts.
Note : Individual callouts can be edited as usual using the structure or the selection mode in the Start tab.
