I have a three-fold problem.  I am trying to calculate the cost of an extruded aluminum part.  I have many length configurations.  My configurations are simply named by length.  For example: a 520mm long piece would be named 520.

I have a few properties: Price per Unit (PricePerUnit as number), Number of Units (NumUnits as number), Additional Costs (AddedCost as number), and Total Cost (TtlCost).

The three problems:

1) I can make the following equation, which works, but when I make a new configuration, it still references the configuration it was made from.

"TtlCost" = "PricePerUnit@Configuration1@Part1.SLDPRT" * "NumUnits@Configuration1@Part1.SLDPRT" + "AddedCost@Configuration1@Part1.SLDPRT"

2) I would rather use the length of the configuration (below) but it doesn't work; I believe it is because of the units.  I don't know how to convert it to a number.  If I make the other fields text instead of number, it still will not work.

"TtlCost" = "PricePerUnit@configuration1@Part1.SLDPRT" * "LENGTH@Base-Extrude" + "AddedCost@Configuration1@Part1.SLDPRT"

3) I prefer not to triple enter information: the configuration name, the length of the part, and the units.  I'd prefer to reference the units by the configuration name - which I can do - but it is unusable in the equation.

I prefer not to use VBA because it becomes problematic when SolidWorks upgrades.  I have an awsome program for custom properties but it doesn't work in later versions.

Thank you,

Todd