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No links on datacards?

Question asked by Kevin Hansen on Jan 3, 2019
Latest reply on Jan 7, 2019 by Francisco Guzman

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We're in the midst of migrating from our old PDM system to PDM Pro. IT is managing set-up and migration, and I'm trying to figure out what I'll have to deal with.

In our old PDM, we'd search for a part number. A list of matches would come up and we'd click on the one we wanted. This was a web-based system, so it would open a webpage that was essentially the data card for the part. On that webpage, there would be info about the part and a link to the drawing. We could either open the pdf, save the pdf, or click through to the drawing data card.

From what I've seen of PDM Pro, there are no links. If I had only the part number, I'd have to search for that part, get the drawing number from the data card, and then perform a second search for the drawing. Is this true? Are there any options so that we don't have to run a second search?

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Martin Solem Jan 4, 2019 7:22 AM
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PDM will display the parent-child relationship between model-files and drawings. By using Contains and Where Used tabs, you can easily find the correct file. This demands that the import and initial check-in makes sure that file relationships are maintained.

Selecting a part, and activating "Where Used" tab, i get which assembly(-ies) and drawings(s) it's referenced in:

You will have the same options from PDM Search result.

-M
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- Kevin Hansen @ Martin Solem on Jan 4, 2019 12:17 PM
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  Just to be clear, I'm talking about data cards, not SolidWorks models and drawings. We're migrating data from our old PDM system, which was not CAD. It's just data cards and pdf's of part drawings.
  
  So I can create relationships between data cards?
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  - Nadia Shea @ Kevin Hansen on Jan 4, 2019 1:33 PM
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    It's not really relationships between 'data cards'.. it's actual relationships between files.
    
    2018 SOLIDWORKS PDM Help - Creating and Removing File References
    
    PDM does allow for that function, of which there is no real Windows equivalent.
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    - Kevin Hansen @ Nadia Shea on Jan 4, 2019 3:20 PM
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      OK, so if there's no file attached to one of the two data cards, I can't create a relationship.
      
      But I could create a txt file, for example, attach it to one of the data cards, and link that to the pdf.
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      - Jim Sculley @ Kevin Hansen on Jan 4, 2019 4:31 PM
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        Kevin Hansen wrote:
        
        OK, so if there's no file attached to one of the two data cards, I can't create a relationship.
        
        But I could create a txt file, for example, attach it to one of the data cards, and link that to the pdf.
        You don't need to create a text file. PDM has what is know as virtual files, which allow you to create data cards for things that don't have real files associated with them. You can create virtual files for your parts that don't have real model files, and then use file references to attach the virtual parts to your PDF drawings. Then the Contains tab for the PDF will show all the parts in the drawing and the Where Used tab will show all the drawings where a part is used.
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        Kevin Hansen @ Jim Sculley on Jan 4, 2019 4:40 PM
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        The "contains" tab on the drawing data card lists all the part numbers that appear on the drawing. So if I do a search for the part number, the drawing will come up in the search?
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        Jim Sculley @ Kevin Hansen on Jan 5, 2019 11:13 AM
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        Kevin Hansen wrote:
        
        The "contains" tab on the drawing data card lists all the part numbers that appear on the drawing. So if I do a search for the part number, the drawing will come up in the search?
        Data cards don't have a 'Contains' tab. The explorer window when browsing the vault has several tabs. The data card is one tab, and the Contains tab is another. If you have a PDF drawing, that shows a bunch of legacy parts with no corresponding SOLIDWORKS models or drawings, you can still create the necessary relationships manually by attaching virtual files representing the models to the PDF file. If you do this correctly, you can easily see the parts that are in the model by looking at the Contains tab for the PDF file. Also, if you search for a part number, the virtual file will be one of the results, and the 'Where Used' tab for the virtual file will show the PDF. You are manually creating parent/child relationships between files to mimic the relationships that occur automatically when you work with SOLIDWORKS part/assembly/drawing files.
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    - Kevin Hansen @ Nadia Shea on Jan 4, 2019 3:29 PM
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      I just realized I meant to type "So I can't create relationships between data cards?"
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      - Nadia Shea @ Kevin Hansen on Jan 4, 2019 4:06 PM
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        You can't have a data card without a file.
        
        I think of data cards as 'windows'. Data cards are associated first by file type and secondarily by sub folder.
        
        Therefore if I move a file, the data card may change, depending on how PDM is configured.. The data itself on the file does NOT change. The data cards is merely just exposing data available about the file. For example, If I move a PDF files to a folder that has a data NOT showing the 'Description'. The description value isn't gone, the data isn't missing the database, I just can't 'see' it from the UI.
        
        File relationships are independent of data cards. Seeing file relationships in PDM is in the Where Used and Contains tab, which operates independently of the 'Data Card' tab.
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        Kevin Hansen @ Nadia Shea on Jan 4, 2019 4:16 PM
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        Well, the migration team should have their test migration complete early next week, based on the data I gave them. So we'll see what they come up with.
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Sam Sam Jan 4, 2019 11:55 AM
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Hi,
Sometimes there are situations when for some reason import of the files "was frozen".
In such situation files can be without references or with other problems.

It can be checked - through to Update references. Files should be with references (after Check In).
It is also possible to select (but not to open) the file in SolidWorks and to check References of files.

There can be a problem in migrating?
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- Kevin Hansen @ Sam Sam on Jan 4, 2019 12:21 PM
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  I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying.
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  - Sam Sam @ Kevin Hansen on Jan 4, 2019 2:40 PM
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    If CAD files are not used - it is absolutely other situation.
    
    In that case interest some information:
    
    1. The used extensions/types of files.
    2. Drawings = pdf or it not so?
    3 Whether these files have some properties? Or all data of saved only in the card?
    4. Between files there are some hyperlinks? There is a tree of files? What does it look like?
    4. Whether there is a possibility of export of a structure of files to xml, xls, txt or other?
    5. What else fields are in the card of the file?
    6. All this managed by some database? If it is possible what it is a little about what is old PDM?
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    - Kevin Hansen @ Sam Sam on Jan 4, 2019 3:28 PM
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      The drawing files are mostly pdf. There is no file at all for the part.
      
      I want to have one data card for the part, and one for the drawing. This is because there are many parts on the drawing. I would simply put a field on the drawing data card which lists every part that is on that drawing, but in some cases there are very many parts, so this would be difficult to manage. Not only that, but I would like a way to search for a specific part by description, and the part description would not go on the drawing data card. So I want a single data card for each part, and link each one to its drawing.
      
      Our current system is no longer supported by the creator. It uses hyperlinks for navigation. And a button to click on the drawing web page, which opens the pdf.
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      - Nadia Shea @ Kevin Hansen on Jan 4, 2019 4:12 PM
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        It sounds like you may want to look at SOLIDWORKS Manage as well as PDM. It can handle true 'data' managements, aka references/objects/etc... in which there are no files associated. It works on top of PDM and can deal with CAD files as well as the scenario you are referencing above.
        
        You 'can' create dummy files to deal with what you are talking about above, but if that is your normal workflow and business process all day long and it's not changing; AND the dummy files would bring no benefit to you except for this managements. it would be better to look at system suited exactly for that then to create a bunch of work for system not suited for that.
        
        PDM and Manage together is a beautiful solution for both CAD files and non CAD DATA in which files may not exist.
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      - Ants Palgi @ Kevin Hansen on Jan 5, 2019 3:38 PM
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        When you are choosing an PDM system, then You need to accept how system is built to work. You may wish how everything should work, but when this is not “coded and supported method” then you end up with trouble.
        Your description seems like some relatively strange data management system, compared how SW PDM is mean to work. There is friendly recommendation: forgot your old system and go to official training where is described how system is meant to work. Website my.solidworks.com has pretty good training videos about SW PDM different topics (some trainings may need active subscription service). Watch them first before starting real work or any system development… Default may be better than you expect, when you are using system properly...
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Nadia Shea Jan 4, 2019 4:22 PM
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and just to data bomb you!... you can do some browsing on a data card per some relative variable.. it's part of the 'button' functionality. But I'm not sure this is exactly the end result functionality you are looking for.
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Sam Sam Jan 4, 2019 4:45 PM
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PDF from DWG/DXF?
Where saved these files?
How these files are imported to SolidWorks PDM? Drag and drop in Explorer? or Copy/Paste?

Where data of Card are stored? There is some database?
File set without the related structure / specification? Or there is some navigation? It is possible to save / export something?

Probably, several screenshots would be advisable.

SW Manage - of course has more opportunities, but I think for a start it will be very difficult.
Meanwhile, it is possible to import practically any data to PDM in the form of xml or virtual files with Cards, but some access to these data is for this purpose necessary.
And it is too not a simple task (experience in xml is necessary), and I am not sure that this option will approach.

Perhaps, there are still options of automation of some actions of the user by means of scripts or special programs (but it is difficult to their available information to find out it).
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- Kevin Hansen @ Sam Sam on Jan 4, 2019 4:56 PM
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  Thanks, Sam Sam.
  
  Our CAD migration team is working on it, but the last time I asked them they seemed a little unclear on how it would work. So I came here to get an idea of what I might see when they're finished. If they can't come up with a way to do what I need it to do, I may direct them here.
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  - Francisco Guzman @ Kevin Hansen on Jan 7, 2019 12:10 PM
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    Hi Kevin,
    
    I recommend reading the help file (link below) on data cards to gain an understanding of what PDM Data Cards are and how they are used in SOLIDWORKS PDM. Sounds like they are different than what you are used to in your previous system and is causing confusion. I also recommend setting up a data card only for the purpose of gaining insight on the inner-workings of data cards before moving forward. you can send the link below to your migration team since they may need this information too.
    
    2019 SOLIDWORKS PDM Help - Data Cards
    
    Kind Regards,
    Francisco | CSWS-DMA
    GoEngineer
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