Establish Catalog Items and Associate with Catalog Types

You must associate all new parametric items and cell libraries with the same TFDIR_CELL configuration directory path, to use them with newly created DataGroup definitions and catalog types.

This part of the process associates graphic items with definitions and catalogs, so that they can be used with Building placement tools.

With the new Refrigerators catalog type selected in the Catalog Editor, select right-click > New Catalog Item.
Opens the New Catalog Item dialog, where the previously defined Destination and File Name selections are displayed or modified.
Select required Destination directory (Organization, Workspace or Workset) and click (Create a new DataGroup file) in the New Catalog Item dialog to create a new destination file for the Refrigerators item.
The New File dialog opens. The directory displays the Destination folder set in the New Catalog Item dialog.
Enter Refrigerators in the File name field and click OK.
Tip: Typically this new destination file would be used for all refrigerator items. Additional destination files can be similarly created for other appliance types such as range ovens, washer dryers, and dishwashers.

Now focus is returned to the New Catalog Item dialog. The New Catalog Item dialog will now reflect Refrigerators.xml in the file name.

Note: Recall that provisions were made for four catalog items (Bottom Mount, Compact, Side-by-Side, and Top Mount) when the refrigerators style property list was created in the Definition Editor (see Establish DataGroup Definitions and Associated Property Groups ). The settings completed here, reference the actual graphic item (or cell) to the DataGroup catalog.

Enter Top Mount in the name field. Set the Units to the desired setting and click OK.
The Top Mount item now displays in the Catalog Editor, Refrigerators catalog.

Tip: Upon completion of this procedure, additional catalog items can be established for Bottom Mount, Compact, and Side-by-Side.
With Top Mount selected in the Catalog Editor directory, set the ParaDef Type (parametric definition file type) and the ParaDef Filename.

In this case, the parametric definition item type is BXC (compound cell) and the parametric definition item name is Top Mount.

These two settings must be completed for every catalog item in order to use them in the DataGroup System.
CAUTION: For CEL and BXC parametric items, the File Name property is the same as the name of the cell. For PAZ parametric items, the File Name is the same as the item name without the extension.

It is important to note that graphic item files be located on the TFDIR_CELL directory path, and bear the same name and parametric definition used in the setup procedures. Check your configuration to insure that TFDIR_CELL points to the correct location.
Select > Save menu to save the changes and close (X) the Catalog Editor.

The new user defined catalog items are now ready for use with the DataGroup System. Upon selecting the Place Object (User Defined Type) tool, choose Refrigerators from the Catalog Type menu and choose the Top Mount refrigerator from the Catalog item.

The Place User Defined Type tool settings window. (1) the Refrigerator catalog type displays in the tool settings window title bar; (2) Instance data catalog type is set to Refrigerators; (3) the top mount refrigerator item displays in the catalog item preview box; and (4) the Top Mount refrigerator in Refrigerators properties.

At this point, you can find the top mount refrigerator dynamically attached to the pointer and ready for placement!