8 Replies Latest reply on Dec 21, 2006 5:02 PM by L Young

    Variable Mapping

    L Young
    L Young Dec 21, 2006 2:22 PM
      I have a custom property in a part file called "Machine". When I create a new variable called Machine, and map it to a CustomProperty block with an attribute called Machine, the value is not being shown on the file card, nor are the custom properties being shown in the preview pane.

      The variables that "shipped" with PDMWE show up fine. (Description for example.)

      Is there something I am overlooking? This seems simple enough.
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      • Categories: Data Management, Enterprise PDM
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        • Variable Mapping
          Joy Garon
          Joy Garon Dec 21, 2006 2:28 PM (in response to L Young)
          Are you sure that you are picking up the variable for the correct file types?
            • Variable Mapping
              L Young
              L Young Dec 21, 2006 2:45 PM (in response to Joy Garon)
              Absolutely. The variable is identical to Description, date, etc, except I am picking up another custom property. The file types are correct, and the file that I am showing the card for does have a value for the custom property.

              It isn't just the one variable; it is any variable that was not made by the installer.

              Hrm, I just realised that it works fine for drawings, but not parts.

                • Variable Mapping
                  Joy Garon
                  Joy Garon Dec 21, 2006 3:05 PM (in response to L Young)
                  Okay - so you have a variable in a SolidWorks Part file called 'Machine' and it has a value associated with it (let's say ACME).
                  When you add the file to the vault you want to see the value of the value show up in the datacard in the spot for Variable Machine...
                  Look at the 3 attached images for how I set it up...
                    • Variable Mapping
                      L Young
                      L Young Dec 21, 2006 3:18 PM (in response to Joy Garon)
                      Yep, that's how I have it set up.
                        • Variable Mapping
                          Joy Garon
                          Joy Garon Dec 21, 2006 4:34 PM (in response to L Young)
                          Okay - I'm stumped....
                          Can you try one thing. Create a dummy part and add a value for the Machine Property - something like ACME ... if you want, Export you data card, zip it and attach it to the reply and I'll try it..
                            • Variable Mapping
                              L Young
                              L Young Dec 21, 2006 4:40 PM (in response to Joy Garon)
                              Making a new part and saving it into the vault works; it shows the variable.

                              So, I opened the part shown in the above screenshots and then saved it. That worked.

                              What I did in the first place was copy and paste the part file from another directory into the vault and the variables wouldn't show up.

                              Please don't tell me I am going to have to do this for all of our parts.... We are currently migrating from PDMWorks Workgroup to Enterprise, and we have thousands of parts to manage.
                                • Variable Mapping
                                  Joy Garon
                                  Joy Garon Dec 21, 2006 4:44 PM (in response to L Young)
                                  Are you working with your reseller? When you say converting from Workgroup to Enterprise, how are you doing this?

                                  Copy and paste teh documents should pick up the properties.

                                  If you updated the data card AFTER the data was placed into the vault, then it will not automatically show up. The variable is being read at check in and is populating a table in the database.
                                    • Variable Mapping
                                      L Young
                                      L Young Dec 21, 2006 5:02 PM (in response to Joy Garon)
                                      I'm working with my reseller, however, not very closely. I was hoping there was a migration tool to move everything, but as far as I can tell there isn't so we'll be moving our documents manually. The mentioned two weeks of billable time to set the system up, and I am not convinced that is the case, so i figured I would try to implement Enterprise myself before I went that route.

                                      I still have a lot of work ahead of me. (Templates, lists, ECO's, ECN's etc.)

                                      The card was made before I put any files into the vault. I noticed this when I was messing with the Enterprise on my own machine before I set up our server.

                                      It does work as expected now. I guess I just needed to save/check in one file before the changes to the db were made.

                                      Thanks for your help Joy.

                                      Lee.