AnsweredAssumed Answered

Why do the tabs in data cards store different information?

Question asked by David Paribello on Oct 3, 2018
Latest reply on Oct 10, 2018 by Dan Essink

Like • Show 0 Likes0
Comment • 10

I recently added 15-20 new purchased parts into PDM and entered the details for the vendor and PN. I'm not trying to update my BOM and upon going in to the data card(s) I noticed that all vendor/PN information I added for each part added was missing. This caused a bit of an issue since I had to pull a "needle out of a haystack" when specing the parts from the OEM - it's not that easy to go back and find the exact part I am using. I tried to relocate said information and re-entered it into the PDM. **Lesson learned: manually keep better track of spec'd parts**

I just learned that the data cards store different information in each of the tabs - one has my original PNs, vendors, and description and the other has the newly found PNs based on me updating the data card (because I didn't find the exact same part - "needle in the haystack"). This is rather annoying!

Why does it do this and how can this be prevented in the future such that BOTH tabs contain the exact same information and that I only need to enter it in once? Is there some kind of benefit to having two different tabs/sets of data for a single part?

No one else has this question

Outcomes

John Matrishon Oct 3, 2018 12:15 PM

David, if I'm understanding the question right, the tabs you are refering to are for the overall file and configurations. The "@" tab is basically the overall file custom properties, the other tabs are configuration specific. If you're not used to dealing with the differences you can easily add information not where you want it. Some screen captures might help.

Actions

David Paribello @ John Matrishon on Oct 3, 2018 12:41 PM

You are correct with your understanding. I'm looking at these two different "tabs" which seem to be storing different information for the same part. Not sure what else to share for screenshots which shows my obvious lack of understanding. Hopefully this helps?

Actions

Jim Sculley @ David Paribello on Oct 3, 2018 12:58 PM

The named tabs refer to each configuration in your model file. The '@' tab refers to the document level. They are equivalent to the tabs in the custom properties dialog inside SOLIDWORKS:

The 'Custom' tab is the '@' tab. The 'Configuration Specific' tab is for the active configuration. The configuration specific properties will override the document level properties when shown in BOMS, linked to notes and such. You can prevent (somewhat) inadvertently putting data in the config specific tab on the data card by disabling the 'Set focus to active configuration' option in your Display options:

Actions

Scott Stuart @ Jim Sculley on Oct 3, 2018 1:02 PM

And if you only use configuration specific properties, then turn on the "Hide the @ configuration" option.

Actions

David Paribello @ Jim Sculley on Oct 3, 2018 1:12 PM

This is helpful, thank you.

What is the difference between the "@" and "Default" cards?

Actions

John Matrishon @ David Paribello on Oct 3, 2018 1:39 PM

The "@" tab is just the whole document (the custom properties for the file itself). The default tab is specific to that configuration like how Jim described above. Configuration specific properties will over-rule file properties. I would not hide the "@" tab unless it is completely understood what it is going on with the files. Also remember that this information is coming from your SQL database not directly from the solidworks file, so sometime you have to check the file in before the card will update, or if you have the file checked out (which you should to do any edits) and edit the data card you still have to check in that information. It can be a little confusing at first, reach out to your VAR for help too.

Actions

Nadia Shea @ David Paribello on Oct 7, 2018 6:23 PM

All SOLIDWORKS part and assembly files have at least ONE configuration in them and it's always been named 'Default'. There is no such thing as a part/assembly file with no or zero configurations. This behavior then carries over to PDM.

You could adjust the name of this single/only configuration in your part/assembly template to something other than 'Default' if you wanted as well.

Actions

Paul Wyndham Oct 3, 2018 6:38 PM

I think it is insane to have the default tab on a file that only has one configuration. If there is only one configuration there should be no different between @ and Default so default should not be there.

The have the ability to dynamically add tabs when you have more configurations so it should be a piece of cake to make it so that the default tab could be turned off for no config parts.

Actions

Kamil Wilkosz Oct 10, 2018 6:52 AM

David, one more thing.

If you and engineers in you company are not using specific values for configurations, you can ask you PDM Administrator to change configuration of datacard and choose that every change of value of variable in the datacard will update all values for each configuration.

In other words, if you change i.e. 'description' in @ tab the every another tabs will have updated value for 'description' too.

Regards,

Kamil

Actions

Dan Essink Oct 10, 2018 3:58 PM

David,

You can program the data card with vendor and then the vendor #. I doing this it is possible to make it so no one can put in the same #for that vendor twice.

Dan

Actions

10 Replies

John Matrishon Oct 3, 2018 12:15 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
David, if I'm understanding the question right, the tabs you are refering to are for the overall file and configurations. The "@" tab is basically the overall file custom properties, the other tabs are configuration specific. If you're not used to dealing with the differences you can easily add information not where you want it. Some screen captures might help.
JM
Like • Show 1 Like1
Actions
- David Paribello @ John Matrishon on Oct 3, 2018 12:41 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  You are correct with your understanding. I'm looking at these two different "tabs" which seem to be storing different information for the same part. Not sure what else to share for screenshots which shows my obvious lack of understanding. Hopefully this helps?
  Like • Show 1 Like1
  Actions
  - Jim Sculley @ David Paribello on Oct 3, 2018 12:58 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    The named tabs refer to each configuration in your model file. The '@' tab refers to the document level. They are equivalent to the tabs in the custom properties dialog inside SOLIDWORKS:
    
    The 'Custom' tab is the '@' tab. The 'Configuration Specific' tab is for the active configuration. The configuration specific properties will override the document level properties when shown in BOMS, linked to notes and such. You can prevent (somewhat) inadvertently putting data in the config specific tab on the data card by disabling the 'Set focus to active configuration' option in your Display options:
    Like • Show 1 Like1
    Actions
    - Scott Stuart @ Jim Sculley on Oct 3, 2018 1:02 PM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      And if you only use configuration specific properties, then turn on the "Hide the @ configuration" option.
      Like • Show 1 Like1
      Actions
    - David Paribello @ Jim Sculley on Oct 3, 2018 1:12 PM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      This is helpful, thank you.
      
      What is the difference between the "@" and "Default" cards?
      Like • Show 1 Like1
      Actions
      - John Matrishon @ David Paribello on Oct 3, 2018 1:39 PM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        The "@" tab is just the whole document (the custom properties for the file itself). The default tab is specific to that configuration like how Jim described above. Configuration specific properties will over-rule file properties. I would not hide the "@" tab unless it is completely understood what it is going on with the files. Also remember that this information is coming from your SQL database not directly from the solidworks file, so sometime you have to check the file in before the card will update, or if you have the file checked out (which you should to do any edits) and edit the data card you still have to check in that information. It can be a little confusing at first, reach out to your VAR for help too.
        JM
        Like • Show 1 Like1
        Actions
      - Nadia Shea @ David Paribello on Oct 7, 2018 6:23 PM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        All SOLIDWORKS part and assembly files have at least ONE configuration in them and it's always been named 'Default'. There is no such thing as a part/assembly file with no or zero configurations. This behavior then carries over to PDM.
        
        You could adjust the name of this single/only configuration in your part/assembly template to something other than 'Default' if you wanted as well.
        Like • Show 1 Like1
        Actions
Paul Wyndham Oct 3, 2018 6:38 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I think it is insane to have the default tab on a file that only has one configuration. If there is only one configuration there should be no different between @ and Default so default should not be there.

The have the ability to dynamically add tabs when you have more configurations so it should be a piece of cake to make it so that the default tab could be turned off for no config parts.
Like • Show 3 Likes3
Actions
Kamil Wilkosz Oct 10, 2018 6:52 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
David, one more thing.
If you and engineers in you company are not using specific values for configurations, you can ask you PDM Administrator to change configuration of datacard and choose that every change of value of variable in the datacard will update all values for each configuration.
In other words, if you change i.e. 'description' in @ tab the every another tabs will have updated value for 'description' too.

Regards,
Kamil
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
Dan Essink Oct 10, 2018 3:58 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
David,

You can program the data card with vendor and then the vendor #. I doing this it is possible to make it so no one can put in the same #for that vendor twice.

Dan
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions

Why do the tabs in data cards store different information?

Outcomes

Related Content

Recommended Content