10 Replies Latest reply on Aug 15, 2012 10:48 AM by Andreas Ravn

    Serial Number Generator duplicates

    1-A5CHD1 May 23, 2008 2:24 PM
      We have recently started seeing duplicate results from a serial number generator. Two people will save a document and be retuned the same number. The problem is that we don't see it until check-in and we do not allow duplicate filenames, so it can be a real nuisance when the file is an assembly 5 levels deep.

      Has anyone else experienced this?
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        • Serial Number Generator duplicates
          Jeff Hallgren
          Jeff Hallgren May 23, 2008 8:02 PM (in response to 1-A5CHD1)
          We have experiened this and have found that we only get a duplicate number if someone does a save as, generates a number, then cancels the operation. It seems as if PDMWE is re-using numbers if a save operation was cancled.
          • Serial Number Generator duplicates
            1-A5CHD1 May 26, 2008 10:50 AM (in response to 1-A5CHD1)
            We've experienced it when a user doesn't cancel and uses PDMWE normally. I guess it's time to talk to support. Thanks for the feedback.
            • Re: Serial Number Generator duplicates
              Kim Nguyen
              Kim Nguyen Feb 11, 2010 4:06 AM (in response to 1-A5CHD1)

              We have a couple of customers also experience this problem "randomly" and I have no idea why!

              In some cases when you do "Save As" or "Save As Copy" of a part/assembly from within SolidWorks then the system does not generate a new number.

               

              In another case when you do "Save As" of a Microsoft Office document, the system either generate an existing number or doesn't generate any thing.

               

              There's no precise procedure to re-produce this problem.

                • Re: Serial Number Generator duplicates
                  John Layne
                  John Layne Feb 11, 2010 7:38 PM (in response to Kim Nguyen)

                  Glad I'm not the only one

                   

                  In the past the problem was intermittent, now it's every time; the serial number is not updating the file name.

                   

                  I have found a work around for my client. The serial number was also being used in the Model and Assembly Data cards, I just changed the Data Cards to use the file name rather than the serial number and now all is well.

                   

                  This bug may have become repeatable (for us at least) after upgrading from EPDM 2008 SP4.0 to EPDM 2009 SP4.0 or from EPDM 2009 SP4.0 to EPDM 2009 SP5.0. I can't be more specific as we made the upgrades in quick succession.

                   

                  Note there is a similar related known bug with-

                  Vista --Solution ID S-043796 & SPR477246 supposedly fixed in EPDM 2009 SP5.0 and EPDM 2010 SP0.0

                   

                   

                  If this works for you let us know, and I'll pass on the feed to my VAR.

                   

                  We are using:-

                  SolidWorks 2009 SP5.1 Windows XP 32bit

                  EPDM 2009 SP5.0, Windows Server 2003 32bit

                • Re: Serial Number Generator duplicates
                  Mike Yesesky
                  Mike Yesesky Feb 12, 2010 3:24 PM (in response to 1-A5CHD1)

                  I remember we had a problem similar to this.  Our engineering change form uses a generated serial number, and when we would get to a certain day of the month it would start to generate duplicates.  We figured out that it was a setting on our server that would reset a password every month and once the password was reset it would not allow users to take out a new number and would just add a (2) (3) etc. to the end of the filename

                   

                  Not sure if this will solve your problem

                  • Re: Serial Number Generator duplicates
                    Raymond Pearson
                    Raymond Pearson Feb 14, 2010 9:31 AM (in response to 1-A5CHD1)
                    Not an EPDM user but curious. This sounds like a database index problem. Can you rebuil indexes directly in the database? Does EPDM give these types of tools, or cut of access to the database. How much does the aministrator directly interact with the database?
                      • Re: Serial Number Generator duplicates
                        John Layne
                        John Layne Feb 14, 2010 4:08 PM (in response to Raymond Pearson)

                        Hi Raymond,

                         

                        It is possible for the Administrator of the server to access the "Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio". However most Admins will be unfamiliar with it, myself for instance! EPDM Admins (as a rule) only get to play with the "SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Administration" tool.

                         

                        I would normaly get our VAR to remote access the server if there was a need to use the SQL Management Studio, having said that I'm going to have a tinker with it!

                      • Re: Serial Number Generator duplicates
                        Andreas Ravn
                        Andreas Ravn Aug 15, 2012 10:48 AM (in response to 1-A5CHD1)

                        Hello,

                         

                        We use EPDM 12.2 B615 and Solidworks 2012, service pack 3.0, and also had the problem with serial counters "hanging" on the same number every now and then.

                         

                        We solved this problem by setting the EPDM data card to use the part file name when setting the article serial number (special value -> File name without extension + "default overwrites" checked). Solidworks is set to generate a serial number when saving a part to PDM (Solidworks menu -> Enterprise PDM -> Options -> Vault settings -> Serial numbers -> "Automatically name new files with serial number" + "Automatically name files on save as with serial number" both checked and pointed to correct serial counter).

                         

                        Working perfectly now.