Exporting and Linking Equations

These steps demonstrate the improved workflow for exporting and linking to text files.

1. In the Equations dialog box, click Export.

2. In the Save As dialog box:
   1. Specify a name and location for the text file.
   2. Click Save.

      The equations are saved in a text file. The Export Equations dialog box appears.

      The Export Equations dialog box includes two columns. The first column indicates the equations that will be exported to a text file. The second column indicates the equations that will be linked between the model and the text file, so that changes are replicated in both. By default, all equations are exported and linked.

      

      You can link and unlink individual equations by selecting and clearing the check boxes in the Links column. The same capabilities are available in the Equations dialog box when you link to an external file.

3. In the Export Equations dialog box, click Export.

   In the Equations dialog box, the Link to external file option is selected. The file path also appears.

   

4. In the Equations dialog box, click Open linked file .

   The file opens in a text editor.

5. Change "overall length" from 200 to 100 and update the comments from DoubledSize to Original Size. Then save the file.

   

6. In the Equations dialog box, click Rebuild .

   All the dimensions that use the global variable, "overall length" reduce to the original dimension. The Equations dialog box displays an additional column for all the entries linked to the external file.

   Equations and global variables that are externally linked can no longer be changed in this dialog box. You must use the external file to modify them.

7. In the Equations dialog box, clear Link to external file.

   Now all equations and global variables can be changed in the dialog box. The path to the external file and the Link column are also removed.