This article will cover the process of creating a simple catalogue project at a high level. The steps only create a very basic but functional Catalogue. The steps provided will highlight the bare minimum steps required, however, we strongly encourage more detailed catalogue work for a quality Catalogue.

Launch Catalogue Creator

• Click on the Catalogue Creator Component tab and press the “Catalogue…” button.
• The Catalogue Creator window will launch

*Every Section comes with a Help menu that will describe fields and can link to Online Help Articles.
Help Articles can be accessed by clicking the “?” icon.

Project Card: Establish Manufacturer and project settings

1. Input Enterprise Code and Name; then set Units and Date Format.
2. Hit “New Pricelist” input Code and Description.
3. Set Resource Directories for Symbols, Swatches, Previews, and Miscellaneous folders.
4. Go to File – Save As to save the Project (as .xml or .db3).

Establishing the manufacturer, creating a price list, and pointing to Resource Directories.

Products Card: Add Products and data

1. Input Products by typing, or copying from other existing data and then pasting it into the spreadsheet.
2. Use Visible Columns to filter columns for the desired view.
3. Input additional relevant information not already included with existing data.

Create Products and enter all relevant text information.

Feature Card: Add Properties/Define Characteristics for Products

1. Input Features by typing, or copying from other existing data and then pasting it into the spreadsheet.
2. Double click Feature Line, or click the blue Configurator icon, to activate Feature’s Option Spreadsheet.
3. Add Options by typing, or copying from other existing data and then pasting it into the spreadsheet.
4. Sub-Features, or ‘Nested Options’, can be created by assigning a Feature to another Feature’s Option.
5. Use the “Set Default Options” button to set a default Option for all Features.

Features are added in the upper Feature Spreadsheet, and each Feature has its own Options spreadsheet.

Material Card: List Materials and link files

1. Input Materials by typing, or copying from other existing data and then pasting it into the spreadsheet.
2. You can also create Materials by Browsing in File Explorer to your Swatches Resource directory, dragging and dropping files on blank lines to create new Materials, or on existing lines to set the image to that Material.

Typing Manually, or by Dragging and Dropping will populate Materials.

Geometry Card: Establish Relationships for Products, Features, Materials, and more.

1. Using the Resources area – Models Tab, browse for the model to Link to your Product.
2. Link the model by dragging and dropping the model onto the Product Tree View below. 2D and 3D Preview areas should update.
3. Using the Resources area – Features Tab, browse for the Feature(s) to link to your Product.
4. Link Feature by dragging and dropping the Feature onto the Product tree view below.
5. For Features that utilize a Material Selection, we need to link Materials to that Feature. Expand the Feature to expose the Options.

The resource area can link the Models (E), and Features (F) to a Product (P) by clicking and dragging.

6. Using the Resources area – Materials tab, browse for the Material(s) to link to the Options.
7. Link Materials by dragging and dropping the Material onto the Option with the same code or description.

Materials can be linked-to Products, Features, and Options by clicking and dragging

8. For Features that utilize Material selection, we need to link the Model’s layers that the Feature will apply the material to. Using the Resources area – Layers tab, browse for the Layer(s) to link to the Feature.
9. Link Layers by dragging and dropping the Layer onto the Feature. The 2D and 3D layers should update with a color change and selecting other Options should change the color.
10. You can use the Product Preview area’s Preview Icon to Insert the Product into the CET drawing space to test the Product.

Layers can be linked-to Products, Features, or Options for Material Application. Reflects in Preview Areas. Preview icon inserts to drawing space.

Utilities Card: Create Product Preview images, or match files automatically.

1. The Save To path should match your Preview Resource directory if this was set.
2. Choose the Render Quality.
3. Select the Product in the area below.
4. In the small 3D view off to the right; use the arrows or right-click and hold in the space, to adjust the viewing angle.
5. Press Render All Models, and all Products will be rendered at that same angle.
6. In the Others tab, under Automatically Assign Resources, press ‘Match Preview images to Products’ to Link the Previews created to your Products. Or use the Resource Area – Previews in the Geometry Card for manual linking.

Product Catalogue Card: Create your Product Offering and Table of Contents

1. Create a Product Catalogue by clicking “New.”
2. Input Catalogue Code, Name, and Description.
3. Click Active Price List, and choose your Pricelist, Default Price List will update automatically.
4. In the Table of Contents section click “Add Level.”
5. In the spreadsheets within the Table of Contents, add a Description for your Level.
6. Drag and Drop your Product to Link it to the Table of Contents.

*Side note, you can now Preview your Product Catalogue in the Catalogue Browser extension.

How to create your Product Catalogue, and Table of Contents for User UI experience and available Product Offering

Validation Card: Ensure your Project follows the rules

1. Click Run Validations on in Available Validations.
2. Review any Warnings (yellow) and Errors (red) on the Tasks side.
3. Click on the Task to update the Results section to learn more about each task.

Validate the Catalogue, and review any issues that may prevent it from functioning

Publish Card: Upload your Project and Files to Portfolios

1. Create a Portfolio using your Catalogue Key. If you do not have one, reach out to Configura for assistance.
2. Open your Portfolio. Input your Portfolio Description.
3. Choose your Publish Type.
4. Add Members by inputting emails in New User(s) e-mail, and click “+ Administrator” or “+Users” if using the Members Only publish type.
5. In the Local section, press ‘Upload Project File’ to upload the Project file, no other files are uploaded. Transfers will show the status and progress.
6. Hit “Compare Server/Local Timestamps” if you have files already populated in the Server section.
7. Checkbox files that are “Out of Date” and “Not on Server.”
8. Press “Upload Selected Files”. Transfers will show the status and progress.

Set up your Portfolio, and upload your files

Your Project is now published, and ready to use per your Publish type parameters.