Variable Library Functions

This approach works great, and allows for awesome things like importing a list of variables from a CSV file (Which can easily be made in practically every spreadsheet software). Unfortunately, there's one flaw with it; functions. In case you don't know, variables can actually be basic lamda functions like this one:

GearOD_VP_32DP

function(teeth) { return (teeth / 32 + 0.0625) * in; }

They can be used like this:

#GearOD_VP_32DP(40)

In this case, this results in the OD of a 40 tooth 32DP VEXpro gear. Very handy! Unfortunately, functions can't actually be imported by the Use Variable Function FS due to an issue on Onshape's end. If you try doing it, it might work a little bit at first, but it's super unstable, and you won't be able to use them in more than one part studio. They can also cause nasty internal errors, which is basically the Onshape equivalent of having a heart attack. Not great. I did make a post on the FeatureScript forums as well, and Ilya Baran of Onshape did promise to look into it. So we'll have to see.

For now, the variable library FS imports functions from a separate document, which can be changed using the import button to point to a document with whatever custom functions you want in it. Users can add their own custom functions, but they have to make a copy of the variable function FS first. Hopefully in the future, users will be able to write functions inside a CSV or array parameter directly, and use them like any other variable library. It's unfortunate, but at least it works. And global variables have been a requested feature for a long time, so it's great that there's finally an easy to use solution for them. You can find the Variable Library FeatureScripts here. Until next time!