12 Replies Latest reply on Nov 24, 2017 11:55 AM by Stavros Smith

PDF Task Generation - PDF State

Shawn Casebolt Mar 28, 2017 2:31 PM

I have not been able to figure this out, but given the number of people who create PDF's of their released files, I would think that this has to be feasible.

1) When transitioning a file from review to released, there is an action / task that auto generates the pdf.

2) The problem is that the PDF file comes in as being "in design" as that is the initial state of the workflow. It should be released, same as the slddrw......as releasing it is what generated the pdf in the first place

The next issue then becomes putting the drawing on hold. I have added pdf as a drawing node, so that when you state change the SLDDRW to on hold, you have the OPTION to change state on the pdf as well. Ideally I want that to not be an option that someone could forget.......wherever the SLDDRW goes in the workflow, so does the PDF. No questions, no thoughts, it just follows.

Are these 2 things feasible? Thank you in advance

Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State

Prasad Bhonsule Mar 28, 2017 2:59 PM (in response to Shawn Casebolt)

Hi Shawn, with regards to your points:

1) The PDF goes into "In Design" because the default behavior of the Convert Task is to check the file in after creation. Whenever a file is checked in for the first time it goes into the initial state of the workflow (In Design). The best way to get it to Released is to add a Automatic transition from In Design to Released and add a condition to only allow PDF files through

2) As for the second point, there is no way to force referenced files through a transition (PDM will automatically select them) but people can always deselect them. A question I would ask is why you want to the PDF to go through the workflow as well? If the drawing is put on hold and then re-released etc the PDF will be recreated.

Kind regards

Prasad
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- Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State
  
  Shawn Casebolt Mar 28, 2017 3:14 PM (in response to Prasad Bhonsule)
  
  Thank you for your help Prasad
  
  1) This was the solution I thought of too. I was hesitant because that means any pdf that goes into this directory will instantly go to released. I can not think on a case where that would cause an issue, but does scare me slightly.
  
  2) I will have to remember how to ensure PDM has them automatically checked at least. That is a good step. As to the "why".........If my engineer releases a file, purchasing is free to go to epdm at any point and grab the pdf and send to the vendor for fabrication. This could take 2 weeks from creation to release to vendor. If in during that time the engineer, puts the part on hold to make a rev..........the old out of date pdf is still visible to purchasing and could get sent to the vendor. Where as if it went on hold with the part and drawing, they could not get it.
  
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  - Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State
    
    Matt Camacho-Cook Mar 29, 2017 3:07 PM (in response to Shawn Casebolt)
    
    Shawn,
    
    Regarding 1), I would also be hesitant to let any PDF that goes into that directory automatically transition to released. I'd suggest using the solution that Tim Webb provided me a few years back. It has been working flawlessly for us ever since. https://forum.solidworks.com/thread/64978
    
    -Matt
    
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    - Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State
      
      Shawn Casebolt Mar 29, 2017 3:51 PM (in response to Matt Camacho-Cook)
      
      Thats great! I have some other files I am doing a similiar thing with, but was unsure how to push a property to the pdf! That willl take care of the state issue...............now to get the pdf to follow state lol
      
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    - Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State
      
      Tim Webb Mar 29, 2017 8:31 PM (in response to Matt Camacho-Cook)
      
      Thanks for the mention Matt! Glad it helped and it is a solution I've used many times in the past.
      
      Tim CEPA
      Believe in The Q!
      
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Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State

Stavros Smith Mar 29, 2017 1:01 PM (in response to Shawn Casebolt)

Hello Shawn,

I'm not sure there is a way to sync the states of the two files. We have a workflow for approved pdf files which brings them in as 'approved'. To get what you are looking for you could set up a dispatch function to move the pdf file to a folder inaccessible to purchasing when 'in design' and move it back and reprint when approved. Alternatively you could delete the existing pdf on state transition back to 'in design'.

I'm thinking of doing something similar on our system and am leaning towards deleting the existing pdf as our history will be in the part/assembly anyway.

Kind regards,

Stavros
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- Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State
  
  Shawn Casebolt Mar 29, 2017 1:14 PM (in response to Stavros Smith)
  
  Stavros,
  Thanks for the suggestions! That sounds like a great idea (deleteing the pdf). Can you give me some advice on how to make that happen? I dont necessarilly need step by step but overall guidelines...is it an action? etc.. If its a dispatch script, Im sunk, I dont know how to do those lol
  
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  - Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State
    
    Stavros Smith Mar 29, 2017 1:40 PM (in response to Shawn Casebolt)
    
    Are all of your pdf files all stored in a single location? If not can you give me an idea of the structure?
    
    I. E. Sw file - root directory\job no\cad
    Pdf - root directory\job no\pdf
    
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    - Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State
      
      Shawn Casebolt Mar 29, 2017 1:54 PM (in response to Stavros Smith)
      
      We have both, the job specific one would change on each project as it would be a new project name / number
      
      root\job specific\solidworks
      and
      root\internal library
      
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      - Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State
        
        Stavros Smith Mar 29, 2017 5:00 PM (in response to Shawn Casebolt)
        
        Something like this should work, or at least give you an idea of how to go about doing it.
        
        I've assumed the following:
        Only the extension changes between PDF and SW file i.e. 1234.slddrw becomes 1234.pdf
        All pdf files exist in a folder named 'PDF'
        Revision scheme is numerical 1 digit (if not change the second jump to what ever your first value would be)
        
        Job related PDFs
        PDF files stored one folder up
        
        Library PDF
        One static location for all such PDFs
        
        Open the admin tool, expand 'add-ins' RC on Dispatch and select 'administrate actions' and load the attached acn file.
        
        After it is loaded in, double click on the dispatch function to edit the dispatch function and select the 'Variables button' to edit some of the variables. Change the value of 'r_LibPDFFolder' to the path of the Library PDF folder. You will also want to change 'r_NoCharToOneFldrUp' to the number of characters to get to the job root folder from the SW folder. If necessary change '..\PDF\' in the variable 'r_JobPDFFolder' name of the PDF folder.
        
        I've set it to skip the delete section until you are happy that all of the tests are coming up with the correct directory. If you delete the 'OkMessageBox' and the first 'Jump' it will then start to delete the pdf file, I would suggest testing that as a manual command before having it run on a state transition.
        
        The last thing you will need to do in the dispatch is to set the activation to 'During state transition' set the path to %solidworks\% and select the 'In Design' state for the drawing file.
        
        DeletePDF.acn.zip 924 bytes
        
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        Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State
        
        Stavros Smith Mar 30, 2017 7:35 AM (in response to Stavros Smith)
        
        If your drawings are stored within various subfolders within the Solidworks folder, you can delete
        r_JobRootFolder
        r_NoCharToOneFldrUp
        r_SWFilePathRev
        r_JobRootFolderRev
        r_SWPathLength
        
        You will then need to create x number of variables set them to 'Variable Value from selected file(s) datacard' in order to get the same type of output path(s) that you've used for your convert to PDF task. Once you have all of the variables you need set r_JobPDFFolder to '%RootFolderPath%\%'variable1'%\%...%\%'variablen'%\PDF\'.
        
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Re: PDF Task Generation - PDF State

Stavros Smith Nov 24, 2017 11:55 AM (in response to Shawn Casebolt)
Hello Shawn,

I was playing about with something another user had posted here. I have managed to use the document status to allow the pdf to follow the slddrw through the workflow. It will require reprinting of the .pdf or using dispatch to update the pdf variable you use for the conditions for auto transition.

Kind regards,

Stavros

Status Condition.png 123.3 KB

PDF Workflow.png 22.1 KB

Main Workflow.png 60.0 KB
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