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Windows Explorer Description

Question asked by Rich Schneider on Oct 19, 2010
Latest reply on Oct 20, 2010 by Rich Schneider

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I'm in the middle of setting up a CAD file structure for a company and need a little input. In going through the posts of file naming, I have it down to a couple of letters for the process, a couple more for a specific machine, then four numbers for specific part/drawing number. However, it's usually convenient to have a description in there somewhere. While the user can fill in the File-Properties-Custom-Description field, is there a way to display that data in that field when you go to open a file? I realize it can show up when you hover over it, but it would be nice to have all the assembly/detail names listed in the file open dialogue box.

Faur Arama Oct 20, 2010 8:34 AM

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I'm a little bit confused. Your question is in Enterprise PDM.

Are you using EPDM or not. In EPDM the description field is shown any time.

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Scott McFadden Oct 19, 2010 3:12 PM
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Rich,
This sounds more like an API question.
If you are using the Solidworks default "Description" property, that is the only
one conventially that shows up, and will display the desciption that is filled out
in the dialog box when you open up a file.
It sounds as though you are wanting more then just the description to show up there.
Is that a true statement? i.e. specific part/drawing number, specific machine etc.
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- Rich Schneider @ Scott McFadden on Oct 19, 2010 3:25 PM
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  Not quite. When I go to open a file (after I move to the new file naming convention), I would want it to be in order of filename according to the XX##-000#.sldprt format described above. What would also be nice, however, is to show a description field that would display the detail name (bracket, mounting plate, whatever), preferably without having to add the field in the dialogue box every time I open it. The description field would also be referenced with my BOM, that way users aren't entering data twice.
  Without getting into macros, isn't this possible? I'm on an XP 32bit machine at the moment, moving to a Win 7/64 box as soon as I can try and straighten out these files. I can't remember if there's a provision in 7 to do so.
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  - Jesse Seger @ Rich Schneider on Oct 20, 2010 8:02 AM
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    You'll really like Windows 7 then. SW Open File Dialog doesn't even give you the description. Even if you add the add the column in a SW Open File Dialog, you can't aplly it to all folders. Also, some files never display the Description in the column anyways for some reason.
    
    However, I think what you're eluding to is you want to be able to see the "Description" column in your detail view. If you add the column to a Windows Explorer window, just go to Tools, Folder Options, View, and Apply to All Folders.
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Faur Arama Oct 20, 2010 8:34 AM
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Hi
I'm a little bit confused. Your question is in Enterprise PDM.
Are you using EPDM or not. In EPDM the description field is shown any time.
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Rich Schneider Oct 20, 2010 11:36 AM
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OUCH, my brain is starting to hurt.

Okay, first Jesse: I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that your implying some sarcasm on "really like Windows 7 then" with respect to being able to do this. I do like Win 7, but this seems like displaying the "Description" column should just be something simple enough to do. Unless of course you're trying to push EPDM installation/setup(?), which leads me to...

Faur: We are using EPDM setup. Well, almost. We're at the very beginning of a company that is starting up and is looking to increase business exponentially over the next few years. That having been said, this company has set up EPDM for their document management (which I've discovered/reviewed where they're at over the past two hours), but really haven't set much up with regards to their CAD filenaming/structure other than having a directory named "Engineering" reserved in EPDM. The admin(s) simply aren't familiar with the Solidworks end of it, so we'll be diving in and getting it set up.

I haven't had any training in EPDM through a SW reseller, but did have a course in MES (management execution systems) and brief, so this should be interesting. Thanks for the help.
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- Jesse Seger @ Rich Schneider on Oct 20, 2010 12:54 PM
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  It was sarcasm. I was just talking about Windows File System. In XP, the SW Open File Dialog would display the Description sort of next to the Cancel button under the textbox. In 7 the description disappeared. I know EPDM's shell extension displays everything nice.
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Rich Schneider Oct 20, 2010 1:04 PM
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I figured as much. The tough part is if you're renaming files in SW Explorer for some reason, it would be easier if you actually had a detail description handy. But I guess I can spend PRODUCTIVE time trying to figure out how to do it in EPDM (see, I throw the CAPS in for sarcasm now. Way back when, I sent out some messages in all caps until people told me to quit shouting).

Thanks for the help!
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