Using user defined records with Find Similar

A user-defined record can be added with property values that specify the criteria for an ideal material, for a given design specification.

You can then use this record with Find Similar, to find the material in the database that is most similar to the ideal material. This method is another way to perform material selection.

Add a user-defined record, and enter the property values that you require for the design specification.
Open the user-defined record datasheet from the Browse panel by double-clicking the record name.
Click Find Similar in the datasheet toolbar. This sets the current record as the reference record. If there is an existing reference record, you are asked if you wish to change the reference record.
In the Records similar to dialog, click nearness settings to define weighting factors for the different properties.

The materials are ranked according to their nearness to the user-defined record.

Note: User-defined records are added to the data table currently being used in the selection project, and are saved within the project. They can only be compared with other records within the same data table.
The attributes available to include in a user-defined record are set by the data table and the selection attribute layout.