With PDMWorks 2008, the software can automatically create pdf
files for .slddrw files upon check-in or by using the task
scheduler. The implementation of this is very nice and I really
like it. I just submitted an enhancement request to have PDMWorks
do this for DWG files. We have over 7,000 DWG files and I suspect
there are many other PDMWorks users out there that also manage a
lot of DWG files as well. Would you consider submitting an
enhancment request for this? Thee seems to be strength in numbers
with enhancement requests. I think some of the pieces are in place
for this - they could use DWGEditor and its built in PDF Out
functionality to handle this. Please help the cause...
Pete
Pete
I would request that PDF for DWG files get handled the same way as they are for .slddrw files in 2008. Its pretty slick. Upon check-in a PDF file is created and stored somewhere in the vault (hidden to the user). Now when you right click on the .slddrw, you have an option to view the file as PDF. Upon selecting, your pdf viewer fires up and you are viewing the PDF. Very nice - you don't even have to worry about what project the PDF variant is getting stored in. I beleive the vault in the background is storing the PDF and using the attachment command to tie it to the correct document - its just not showing it as an attachment - but it really is.
Attachments
[code]
Case document.AutoCAD
objlog.BreadcrumbID = "Calling AutoCAD agent object print method"
objlog.Trace
objDocumentFile.GetFileCopy 0, 0, 0, 1, ""
Set objWindows = New WindowsAgent
objShell.ExecCmd "c:\AutoDWG\d2p.exe /InFile " + ppoData(i).mbsStrData1 + " /OutFile " + SOURCE_ROOT + _ objWindows.RemoveExtension(objWindows.GetFileNameFromPath(ppoData(i).mbsStrData1)) + ".PDF"
[/code]
As an electrical manufacturer who has used Autocad since 1982, we too have a large number of Autocad drawings that are part of the vault.
We, like you wanted more functionality out of the Vault and so we have solved this problem by developing what we believe is a very useful enhancement to PDM WORKGROUP.
I want to respect the rules of the forum and not "sell" here, but if anyone is interested in what we have done, perhaps some one can write back to inform me how other interested users can contact me to discuss our solution.
Not only are we generating PDF's for autocad drawings stored in the vault, we are able to perform bulk check-ins and outs of Autocad drawings into/out of the vault along with a number of other features. These actions are not only limited to Autocad drawings but any file types supported by Adobe.
I was hoping that SolidWorks could add this in a future release - paid for by subscription revenue. It would be a great addition by them. Seems completely logical to me. We have roughly 7,500 DWG files that are maintained in the vault, so it is very pertinent to us. When pdf creation capability was added to PDMWorks in 2008, I was impressed with how it was pretty seamless for SolidWorks Drawings. I have stayed away from this as DWG files are not handled and I desire something that would be uniform across the board for non-technical users that view drawings. But, eDrawings is not the answer for us either. Its performance for larger SolidWorks drawings is terrible and definitely not suitable for low end PCs on the shop floor. PDF is the answer for that. With the way PDMWorks WorkGroup is being shelved recently, I may have to consider your idea a little more seriously. In fact, cancelling subscription on the portal, and taking that money to make a PDF creator work - might be the best answer for us if SolidWorks doesn't want to add this. I will be watching this area closely.
We also as a solution partner for SolidWorks are looking at ways to generate viewable and neutral formats from documents checked-in the workgroup PDM vault, as we have many customers that have that very problem. I'd really like to hear what you have done to resolve this problem.
This is also an invitation for anybody in this forum that has a product-ized solution for this.
Thanks
-Donato
I know what you mean. We have over 25,000 DWG files in our Vault. At first I was worried about how our vault would respond, but I can say I have been very pleased even with this many files in there.
Look me up at SW 2009 if you are going to be there, I can show you what we are doing by running our process on my laptop and pointing it back to one of our smaller Vaults located at our MFGR plant.
Regards,
Craig.
1) option to create DXF etc files on check in.
2) option to export PDF, DXF, IGES, STEP, et al to an .external folder on check in or from the vault for individual files, assemblies (inc all sub files) and projects.
Regards
Ronan
This could be taken a lot further. But at least it would be nice if SolidWorks took care of PDF for DWG files. Craig with his 25,000 DWG files and us with our 8,000 DWG files (just checked) can't be all alone. I have submitted enhancement request spoken to our VAR, etc... but it won't happen. Wasted effort. A custom program could do this, which is what I think you are talking about. IGES, STEP, DXF - they all would be nice.
Craig. I would love to meet you at SWW 2009, but I won't be there (its been about 20 degrees for a high temp here last couple of days and January was cold in Doylestown, PA. It would be nice to be in Florida for a week
Pete
We also have thousands of drawings in our directory. Currently all data is managed by Carmen, which is a cheap PDM tool. I currently have set up a directory for pdf creation that all of our SW drawings are being stored too. I run a task scheduler and have yet to find out how to automize pdf creation to a specific directory upon drawing sign in (in order to eliminate task scheduler). I would like to move all existing ACAD drawings into PDM and then create pdf's of them. That way all of our drawings (SW & ACAD) reside in one place with one format. As well, i would like to automate this process and really interested on how you guys achieved this. I hope you can offer some advice.
Great forum discussion and i strongly have to agree with what was brought up here. We also have large amounts of drawings that need to be saved to .dxf for watercutting. If this process could be automated to a certain directory fantastic. Great idea Ronan!!!
Regards,
Arnt.