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Mapping variables to HTML values?

Question asked by Daan van Boggelen on Jun 30, 2010
Latest reply on May 16, 2012 by Michael Dekoning

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Hi, I'm currently working on an ECN workflow, and i want to use ECN documents in HTML format (for opening speed reasons).

I believe this can be done by mapping a variable to custom properties from the HTML file.. but here comes the problem: i have no clue about the block names, attribute names etc. i need to use.

I have tried to use the same strategy as for xml docs, but no result for html..

I found this video from Justin Webster, and i believe he does exactly the thing i want!

http://blog.inflow-tech.com/inflow/2009/10/solidworks-enterprise-pdm-ecn-process.html

Anybody got experience with this matter?

any help would be highly appreciated!

Michael Dekoning Jul 13, 2010 10:46 AM

Correct Answer

Willem,

Glad that Joy replied to you. I thought that you couldn't map attributes to HTML files but wasn't certain. For our ECOs I'm using XML along with an XSL stylesheet so that the preview looks like an HTML file. I even created links to view the files listed in the ECO (that's why I'm storing the fileid & folderid). The technique is pretty straightforward.

For example my ECO xml file contains this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type='text/xsl' href='C:\VAULT\TEMPLATES\eco.xsl'?>
<Eco Number="ECO-0000017">
<Author>Mike DeKoning</Author>
<Created>07/05/2010</Created>
<Filelist>
<File FileId="207021" FolderId="3866" Filename="AW010001.DWG" />
<File FileId="207025" FolderId="3866" Filename="AW010002.DWG" />
</Filelist>
</Eco>

The eco.xsl file which is in the TEMPLATES folder conatins this:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">

<xsl:template match="/">
    <HTML>
    <STYLE>
    A {text-decoration:none}
    </STYLE>
      <BODY>
            <H1>Engineering Change Order</H1>
            <xsl:apply-templates/>
      </BODY>
    </HTML>
</xsl:template>

   <xsl:template match="/Eco">

<TABLE cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="300">

          <TR>
            <TD Colspan="2"><b>ECO Number: </b> <xsl:value-of select="@Number"/></TD>
          </TR>
          <TR>
            <TD><b>Requestor: </b> <xsl:value-of select="Author"/></TD>
            <TD><b>Date: </b> <xsl:value-of select="Created"/></TD>
          <TR>
            <TD Colspan="2"><b>Affected Drawings:</b></TD>
          </TR>
          </TR>
             <xsl:apply-templates select="Filelist" />
        </TABLE>
</xsl:template>
<xsl:template match="Filelist">
    <xsl:apply-templates />
</xsl:template>
<xsl:template match="File">
<TR>
              <TD Colspan="2">
              <A><xsl:attribute name="href">conisio://VAULT/view?projectid=<xsl:value-of select="@FolderId"/>&documentid=<xsl:value-of select="@FileId"/>&objecttype=1</xsl:attribute>
              <xsl:value-of select="@Filename"/></A></TD>
              </TR>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

The preview shows the following:

Mike

EPDM 2010 SP2

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Joy Garon

Jul 11, 2010 8:49 AM

Hi William -

Just to save you some time...you cannot map properties to HTML ala XML. (I asked the same question)

I'm not positive, but, I think InFlow is using an add-in to accomplish what you see in the video).

I would suggest you contact InFlow directly.

Regards,

Joy

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Michael Dekoning Jul 13, 2010 10:46 AM

Willem,

For example my ECO xml file contains this:

The eco.xsl file which is in the TEMPLATES folder conatins this:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">

The preview shows the following:

Mike

EPDM 2010 SP2

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Daan van Boggelen @ Michael Dekoning on Jul 15, 2010 9:21 AM

Mike,

Thanks for the workaround. I can live with this, since the xml output brings the same information as the html would do.

I will try to contact inflow as well and will post the results here.

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Joel Magnuson @ Michael Dekoning on Aug 24, 2010 1:08 PM

Thanks for the tip. I mapped the variables to the XML block and Attribute name of "Eco/@[variable name]" and got them to update both ways (I could change the data card and the xml file would change, or i could change the xml file and the data card would change). I might try switching some of my forms over to xml from word now. Thanks for sharing your code!

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James Lazar May 14, 2012 4:31 PM

I know this is rather old, but this is exactly what I am trying to do! Any updates on if this is possible?

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Michael Dekoning @ James Lazar on May 15, 2012 8:47 AM

James,

No, you can't update variables in an html file. You can map to an xml file as shown above, then use a xsl stylesheet file to transform it into an html file.

Actions

James Lazar @ Michael Dekoning on May 15, 2012 5:17 PM

Wow thanks for the quick reply! You can see my other thread for specifically what I am attempting to do.

So this would work in the following manner:

1. Use a template card to create a new xml file based on a template xml file. This template card will have a text box that is attached to, say, variable "ECN_Description". The template will convert this to a template variable "t_ECN_Description"

2. In the XML file we'll have, say, the following:

<ECN>

<Description>%t_ECN_Description%</Description>

</ECN>

I would have the variable "ECN_Description" mapped to the block "xml" and the attribute "ECN/Description".

3. When the template card is submitted with the data "XYZ" entered in the text field, it autopopulates %t_ECN_Description% to "XYZ". The variable "ECN_Description" that is mapped to that element also receives the value "XYZ".

4. A text field in the data card is tied to the variable "ECN_Description" which populates the text field in the data card with "XYZ". The entered information is now populated in both the XML and data card, and any future changes to the data card will result in a change of the value in the XML file.

The XSL file would just format the XML file to look like an html file, but would retain its xml file extension, correct?

Is this correct or am I missing something here? I haven't done much with either XML or variable mapping in the past so I want to make sure I'm getting this right.

EDIT: I did this and got it to work wonderfully! Now I just need to make the XSL file to format it and add in all of the other data. Thanks so much!

Actions

Michael Dekoning @ James Lazar on May 16, 2012 8:35 AM

You're welcome. If you want more information on working with XML files, Joy Garon from SolidWorks gave a presentation at SolidWorks World this year. You can view it by going to this link, http://www.solidworks.com/sww/proceedings/proceedings-presentations.htm, and search for XML.

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8 Replies

Joy Garon Jul 11, 2010 8:49 AM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
Hi William -

Just to save you some time...you cannot map properties to HTML ala XML. (I asked the same question)
I'm not positive, but, I think InFlow is using an add-in to accomplish what you see in the video).
I would suggest you contact InFlow directly.

Regards,
Joy
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
Michael Dekoning Jul 13, 2010 10:46 AM
Unmark Correct
Correct Answer
Willem,

Glad that Joy replied to you. I thought that you couldn't map attributes to HTML files but wasn't certain. For our ECOs I'm using XML along with an XSL stylesheet so that the preview looks like an HTML file. I even created links to view the files listed in the ECO (that's why I'm storing the fileid & folderid). The technique is pretty straightforward.

For example my ECO xml file contains this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type='text/xsl' href='C:\VAULT\TEMPLATES\eco.xsl'?>
<Eco Number="ECO-0000017">
<Author>Mike DeKoning</Author>
<Created>07/05/2010</Created>
<Filelist>
<File FileId="207021" FolderId="3866" Filename="AW010001.DWG" />
<File FileId="207025" FolderId="3866" Filename="AW010002.DWG" />
</Filelist>
</Eco>

The eco.xsl file which is in the TEMPLATES folder conatins this:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:template match="/">
    <HTML>
    <STYLE>
    A {text-decoration:none}
    </STYLE>
      <BODY>
            <H1>Engineering Change Order</H1>
            <xsl:apply-templates/>
      </BODY>
    </HTML>
</xsl:template>

   <xsl:template match="/Eco">

<TABLE cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="300">
          <TR>
            <TD Colspan="2"><b>ECO Number: </b> <xsl:value-of select="@Number"/></TD>
          </TR>
          <TR>
            <TD><b>Requestor: </b> <xsl:value-of select="Author"/></TD>
            <TD><b>Date: </b> <xsl:value-of select="Created"/></TD>
          <TR>
            <TD Colspan="2"><b>Affected Drawings:</b></TD>
          </TR>
          </TR>
             <xsl:apply-templates select="Filelist" />
        </TABLE>
</xsl:template>
<xsl:template match="Filelist">
    <xsl:apply-templates />
</xsl:template>
<xsl:template match="File">
<TR>
              <TD Colspan="2">
              <A><xsl:attribute name="href">conisio://VAULT/view?projectid=<xsl:value-of select="@FolderId"/>&documentid=<xsl:value-of select="@FileId"/>&objecttype=1</xsl:attribute>
              <xsl:value-of select="@Filename"/></A></TD>
              </TR>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

The preview shows the following:
Mike
EPDM 2010 SP2
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- Daan van Boggelen @ Michael Dekoning on Jul 15, 2010 9:21 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Mike,
  
  Thanks for the workaround. I can live with this, since the xml output brings the same information as the html would do.
  
  I will try to contact inflow as well and will post the results here.
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
- Joel Magnuson @ Michael Dekoning on Aug 24, 2010 1:08 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Thanks for the tip. I mapped the variables to the XML block and Attribute name of "Eco/@[variable name]" and got them to update both ways (I could change the data card and the xml file would change, or i could change the xml file and the data card would change). I might try switching some of my forms over to xml from word now. Thanks for sharing your code!
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
James Lazar May 14, 2012 4:31 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I know this is rather old, but this is exactly what I am trying to do! Any updates on if this is possible?
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
- Michael Dekoning @ James Lazar on May 15, 2012 8:47 AM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  James,
  
  No, you can't update variables in an html file. You can map to an xml file as shown above, then use a xsl stylesheet file to transform it into an html file.
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
  - James Lazar @ Michael Dekoning on May 15, 2012 5:17 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    Wow thanks for the quick reply! You can see my other thread for specifically what I am attempting to do.
    
    So this would work in the following manner:
    1. Use a template card to create a new xml file based on a template xml file. This template card will have a text box that is attached to, say, variable "ECN_Description". The template will convert this to a template variable "t_ECN_Description"
    2. In the XML file we'll have, say, the following:
    
    <ECN>
    <Description>%t_ECN_Description%</Description>
    </ECN>
    
    I would have the variable "ECN_Description" mapped to the block "xml" and the attribute "ECN/Description".
    3. When the template card is submitted with the data "XYZ" entered in the text field, it autopopulates %t_ECN_Description% to "XYZ". The variable "ECN_Description" that is mapped to that element also receives the value "XYZ".
    4. A text field in the data card is tied to the variable "ECN_Description" which populates the text field in the data card with "XYZ". The entered information is now populated in both the XML and data card, and any future changes to the data card will result in a change of the value in the XML file.
    
    The XSL file would just format the XML file to look like an html file, but would retain its xml file extension, correct?
    
    Is this correct or am I missing something here? I haven't done much with either XML or variable mapping in the past so I want to make sure I'm getting this right.
    
    EDIT: I did this and got it to work wonderfully! Now I just need to make the XSL file to format it and add in all of the other data. Thanks so much!
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
    Actions
    - Michael Dekoning @ James Lazar on May 16, 2012 8:35 AM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      You're welcome. If you want more information on working with XML files, Joy Garon from SolidWorks gave a presentation at SolidWorks World this year. You can view it by going to this link, http://www.solidworks.com/sww/proceedings/proceedings-presentations.htm, and search for XML.
      Like • Show 0 Likes0
      Actions

Mapping variables to HTML values?

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