Animating a Symbol Object to Provide Access to Selected Pick Actions Only

To configure an object on a symbol to provide access to selected pick actions for any item that is associated with the symbol, you need to:

1. Configure a group parameter:
   1. Select Parameters in the View command group on the Graphics tab.
   2. In the Parameters window, select Add.
   3. In the Add Parameters window, define the name of the parameter and select the Group check box. The name of the group parameter will be an option that you can use to select the required expression so it is better to define a suitable name.
2. Configure a child parameter named ObjectLink. The ObjectLink parameter has to be a child of the group parameter that you created in the previous step. It also has to be named ObjectLink as this is the property that links the pick action menu of an item to the symbol.
3. Double click on the symbol object to display its Polyline Properties window.
4. On the General tab, select the Animations button to display the Animations window.
5. Select the PickParam property on the Animations window.
6. Select the Edit button to display the Expression window.
7. Select the browse button to display a context sensitive menu.
8. Select the option that is named the same as the group parameter you created in step 1.
   A further menu is displayed.
9. Select the ObjectLink option.
   The correct expression is shown in the Expression field. It has the format:

   "Parameter:<name of group parameter>.ObjectLink

   This links the Mimic object with the pick action menu of any item that is associated with the symbol.

10. Add the extra expression data for the specific actions that you want to exclude from the pick action menu. The extra expression data should be in the following format:

    +'?<name of action>'"

    Repeat the + '?<name of action>' part for each action that you want to be excluded. For the <?name of action> part of the expression requires a specific entry. The entries are the same as those used for a 'normal' Mimic (see Animating an Object to Provide Access to Selected Actions Only).

11. Select the OK button to confirm the expression and close the Expression window.
12. Select the PickType property.
13. Select the Edit button to display the Expression window.
14. Enter the number for the required PickType. For an Object Menu, the number is 1. (The PickType numbers are the same as those used for pick actions on 'normal' Mimics).
15. Select the OK button to confirm the expression and close the Expression window.
16. Close the Animations window.
    The object on the symbol is now animated to provide access to a pick action menu for any item that is associated with the symbol. The pick action menu will only include those options that have not been excluded in the expression for the PickParam property.