About Reactions

Reactions are features that enable you to create a script specifying how to change some feature attributes when an event occurs.

This page discusses:

A reaction is a feature that reacts to events

The source can be:

  • A selected feature (or a list of features)
  • A parameter (result of a test)
  • An engineering template instantiation.

Events can be general events on objects (creation, deletion, update, drag and drop, attribute changes) and parameter value changes.

Event Definition
AttributeModification This reaction is designed to react to attributes modifications (state, name, thickness...). Modification events are not available for all features. If it is the case with the feature you have selected, select the attribute in the Select a source... window and use the Value Change event. The reaction will be launched when the attribute is modified. If you want the value of the parameter/formula to display, the "\V" combination must be used
BeforeUpdate If you want your reaction to react before an update is performed
FileContentModification If you want a reaction to be launched each time a file is modified
Instantiation If you want a reaction to be launched when instantiating a user feature
PLMTemplateInstantiation You can create a reaction launched directly after the instantiation of an engineering template. This reaction launches a script designed to perform checks or updates for example. To do so, select Global event in the Source type list and PLMTemplateInstantiation in the Available events list
Update If you want your reaction to react to an update
ValueChange If you want your reaction to react to a change of values

A Reaction is similar to a rule

  • It is stored in the model.
  • It reacts to changes and can trigger modifications.
  • It also references other objects and parameters in the model and supports the replace mechanism.
But
  • Reaction features provide a better control over when the action has to be fired.
  • Reactions enable you to perform more complex actions. Because you have better control when the action is triggered, and you are not constrained by the update mechanism limitations, you can use all the power of any Visual Basic API (in the 3DEXPERIENCE but also in other automation apps...), and a Visual Basic macro can be called with arguments from an action.
  • Reactions can be written to customize the update mechanism (to optimize user features, for example).
  • Reactions can react to user actions (instantiation of a user-defined feature), insertion of a component in an assembly, modification of a parameter...
  • Reactions can be stored in the model and can be integrated in the definition of a power copy or user feature.
Important: The reaction feature is not integrated to the update mechanism contrary to the rule. If a reaction is launched when updating the model, it may impact the document.