6 Replies Latest reply on Mar 1, 2012 1:55 PM by Greg Rupp

    Keeping File Checked Out on initial check in

    Greg Rupp
    Greg Rupp Feb 29, 2012 1:15 AM

      I'm running into an issue where files that are being checked in for the very first time are not having the proper variables created in the custom properties when a user chooses to "keep checked out". This leads to a whole host of issues later on. Does anyone have a suggestion on how to force the customer properties to be created & values set or how to disable "keep checked out" on only the initial check-in?

       

      Solidworks 2011 sp3.0,

      EPDM 2011 sp3.1

       

      Thanks!

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        • Re: Keeping File Checked Out on initial check in
          Wayne Matus
          Wayne Matus Feb 29, 2012 9:21 AM (in response to Greg Rupp)

          Can you provide us with more information so we can figure out why it is happening?

           

          Only a transition in a workflow can add custom properties to files. Does your workflow have an automatic transition thta moves a file from an initial state to some other state?

           

          What does your file data card look like for the edit box that controls that custom property?

            • Re: Keeping File Checked Out on initial check in
              Greg Rupp
              Greg Rupp Feb 29, 2012 10:07 AM (in response to Wayne Matus)

              Certainly.

               

              When a file is checked in for the very first time, the user is prompted to enter data into the data card. If, when the user said to check the file in, they say to "keep checked out", those values will not be written to the custom properties.

               

              ** Note:I understand some of the redundancy I'm about to explain, it's just an attempt to get this to work.**

               

              So for example, When we check in a drawing, we collect the User (var. name DrawnBy) who is checking it in and the Date.

               

              The Drawing card has a text box linked to DrawnBy and is set to Special value = User - Initials

               

              The variable DrawnBy has the following properties:

               

              Block                    Attribute          Ext.

              CustomProperty      DrawnBy         slddrw, sldasm,sldprt

              $PRPSHEET          DrawnBy          slddrw

               

              The work flow has an "initial" state (set as the initial state) with an automatic transistion thru "Auto Set vars" to the state "Prerelease". In this transistion, I reset certain variables in the event a file is copy and pasted as well as set the variable "DrawnBy" to %initials%.

               

              The Problem I'm running into is the Data card will properly set the value and it is visible on the data card going forward once it's checked in (even with Keep checked out), but the custom property will not (and is not even created)... so now my drawing template does not properly display the "drawn by" users initials.

                • Re: Keeping File Checked Out on initial check in
                  Wayne Matus
                  Wayne Matus Feb 29, 2012 11:09 AM (in response to Greg Rupp)

                  Thanks for the explaination. I think I know what the issue is now. The automatic transition is updating the data card variables and even updating the custom properties in the file in your local view and the vault. The issue is that SolidWorks works in ram and EPDM does not update the file in ram, just the one on the hard drive. Even though the EPDM task pane in SolidWorks says the files are equal, but it is compairing the file in local view to vault, not the one in ram.

                   

                  In SolidWorks after you check in and keep checked out, you get latest version it will reload the file in ram from the one on the local view and you will now have your custom properties. At least it does in 2012 Sp2. I would report this to your VAR, in my opinion it is a bug. At a minimum, EPDM should give you the option like you have in Workgroup PDM where you have a choice of compairing version in ram or hard drive to what is in the vault.

              • Re: Keeping File Checked Out on initial check in
                Larry Heir
                Larry Heir Mar 1, 2012 1:12 PM (in response to Greg Rupp)

                We assisted Greg with this issue he was having and found out that the problem was that the data cards had the "DrawnBy" field under two different tabs on the data card. The two different fields were not defined the same way. In one case the field was defined to have the users initials as the default value for a new file. The field on the second data card tab had no default value defined. The conflict on the data card field definitions cause the symptoms Greg reported.

                 

                Regarding the updating of property information. If the data cards and variables are defined correctly they should update a file that is open in SolidWorks. For example - open a part in SolidWorks, open and edit the files "description' data card field through the EPDM add-in interface, look at the file custom property and the revised description property should be updated without any further action on the users part.

                 

                But this does require the data card and variables to be configured correctly of course! :-)