Balloons

You can create balloons in a drawing document or in a note. The balloons label the parts in the assembly and relate them to item numbers on the bill of materials (BOM).

However, you do not have to insert a BOM in order to add balloons. If the drawing has no BOM, the item numbers are the default values that the software would use if you did insert a BOM. If there is no BOM on the active sheet, but there is a BOM on another sheet, you can use the numbers from that BOM if you select a BOM under Link balloon text to specified table in the Drawing View Properties dialog box.

To set the default BOM balloon properties, click Tools, Options, Document Properties, Annotations, Balloons. If the default BOM balloon Style is Circular Split Line, you can choose what type of text to display in both the Upper and Lower portions of the balloon. For other styles, only Upper is available. Type of text can be Text, Item Number, Quantity, or Custom Properties. If you set a custom property, it automatically appears in the Balloon PropertyManager.

Balloons are automatically suppressed when the components they reference are suppressed.

Balloons display an asterisk (*) if:

• A component is set to Exclude from bill of materials.
  
  - or -

• The drawing view is set to Keep linked to BOM and the component is not in the configuration displayed in the BOM.

You can also add balloons in assembly documents. To import balloons from an assembly document into a drawing view, click Notes in the Model Items PropertyManager.

You can attach balloons to sketch entities. This is useful when sketches (with no extrusions) are combined to form an assembly and then taken into a drawing.

If you change the Item Number in a balloon, the item number in the bill of materials also changes.

To change an Item Number in a balloon that is associated with a table-based BOM, clear Do not change item numbers in the Bill of Materials PropertyManager. To return to assembly order after changing item numbers, click Follow assembly order .

To change an Item Number in a balloon that is associated with an Excel-based BOM, you must clear the Row numbers follow assembly ordering check box on the Control tab of the Bill of Materials Properties dialog box. If the check box is selected (default), a message appears stating that the item number cannot be changed.

You can also create stacked balloons. See Stacked Balloons.

To insert balloons:

1. Click Balloon on the Annotation toolbar, or click Insert, Annotations, Balloon.

   The Balloon PropertyManager appears.

2. Edit the properties in the PropertyManager as needed, then click a component in a drawing view of an assembly, or click a component in an assembly model, to place the leader, then click again to place the balloon.

When you insert balloons, you must hover over the entity to highlight the entity and to attach the leader. The leader does not appear until you hover over the entity. This way, the leader and highlighted entities do not hinder your view of the model or drawing view.

A balloon containing an item number attaches to the part. If you specified the text to be Item Number, the number in the balloon corresponds to the item number in the bill of materials.

3. Continue inserting as many balloons as needed. Edit the properties for each balloon in the PropertyManager before inserting the balloon.

4. Click OK .

   To move the balloon or leader arrow, select and drag the balloon, or drag the leader by the handle.

To change the balloon properties:

Select the balloon and edit the properties in the Balloon PropertyManager.

- or -

Right-click the balloon and select Properties. Make changes in the Note PropertyManager and click OK.

To edit balloon text:

Double-click the balloon text and edit in place.

To add multiple leaders to a balloon:

You can add more leaders to an existing balloon by holding down Ctrl and dragging a leader attachment point.