I am seeing issues with EPDM deleting variables from files. It seems to happen when variables are blank or empty values. My reseller captured the issue and has submitted an SR for it. Has anyone else seen this?
I am seeing issues with EPDM deleting variables from files. It seems to happen when variables are blank or empty values. My reseller captured the issue and has submitted an SR for it. Has anyone else seen this?
Pete,
Do you mean it's deleting the custom properties from a file if a variable is cleared in the data-card, as opposed to leaving the property there and just clearing it?
Charley,
It appears to be deleting the custom file properties from the file. I'm wondering if the PDF task is interfering with writing the variables, so I'm testing it with and without the PDF task. The odd thing in my testing on last Friday was that it didn't delete the customer properties on 3 round trips through the workflow, and then on the 4th it did. Once it started doing that, it seemed to always want to do that for successive trips through the worklflow.
Pete,
Can you post the attribute mappings for the variable you saw it clearing?
Charley... The issue last week was also coupled with a General Table being used for the revision table. Our reseller confirmed the issue and sent the files and settings off for inclusion into the SR. What we found is that by re-creating the general table the issue went away.. almost. Today, with a re-created table, I am battling with a value not getting copied on the 4th trip through and seemingly everytime after that. I have included screen shots. The value that is getting blanked is the RevDesc02 variable. It doesn't happen the first 3 trips through, only after that. RevDesc01 is supposed to get copied to RevDesc02 on the state change from Released to WIP (New Revision is the state change). Here are the screenshots for RevDesc01 and RevDesc02 variable attribute maps...
And here is the list of actions occuring in the transition for "New Revision"
Now, here is the result on the Rev Block... Upon the 4th time through the worflow, the RevDesc01 is not getting copied to RevDesc02. Notice how the line in the Rev Block for RevDesc02 is not populated...
I am noticing this issue on DWG files and SLDDRW files, so it doesn't appear to be file specific. It must be something in the workflow...
Pete,
I'm not seeing anything obvious from that, I'm curious if it's doing something funny with the configurations on the backend. Can you fill in this query with the filename of a file you are seeing this with and post the results back:
select filename, v.variablename, vv.revisionno, vv.valuecache, dc.configurationname
from documents d
inner join variablevalue vv on d.documentid = vv.documentid
inner join variable v on v.variableid = vv.variableid
inner join documentconfiguration dc on vv.configurationid = dc.configurationid
where filename = 'Insert Filename Here.slddrw'
and v.variablename like 'RevDesc%'
Charley,
I am not a SQL guy... where do I enter that query? I assume under SQL Server Management Studio?
Pete,
Attached is a report you can run from Report Generator, which you can get to from the tools menu:
Once there, import the file and drag and drop a drawing you are seeing this with to the selected files window:
Here it is Charley... Thanks. This is a DWG file.
Here is the copied text...
C:\PDM-TEST-VAULT\Products\14-0000-00.dwg
All Values of RevDesc Variables
filename variablename revisionno valuecache configurationname
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 1 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 9 Layout1
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 9 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 10 CHANGES MADE PER ER 123457 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 16 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 17 CHANGES MADE PER ER 123458 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 21 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 22 CHANGES MADE PER ER 123459 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 26 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc02 1 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc02 9 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Layout1
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc02 9 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc02 16 CHANGES MADE PER ER 123457 Layout1
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc02 16 CHANGES MADE PER ER 123457 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc02 21 Layout1
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc02 21 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc03 1 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc03 9 Layout1
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc03 16 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Layout1
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc03 16 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc03 21 CHANGES MADE PER ER 123457 Layout1
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc03 21 CHANGES MADE PER ER 123457 Model
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc03 26 Layout1
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc03 26 Model
Pete,
It looks like RevDesc2 and 3 are set to "Updates all configurations" on the datacard, but it doesn't look like RevDesc1 is, or you're entering the value in attributes of the Model space. If you make sure updates all configurations is turned on and run another test through you might see better results. Fundamentally I think it has the option to pull it's value from 2 locations, Model or Layout1, so it randomly picks 1. In the Model space the value at rev 20 for RevDesc1 is CHANGES MADE PER ER 123458 and in Layout1 it's blank, because it was set to blank in rev 9:
14-0000-00.dwg RevDesc01 9 Layout1
So give that a try on a new file and let me know what you find, if you still run into it, run that report again on the new file and paste it back.
Charley,
The RevDesc2 and 3 are not set to "Updates all configurations" on the datacard. You are correct that on RevDesc1, the value is getting assigned in model space on the drawing file (the person doing the drawing fills this out). It sounds like "Updates all configuations" should be on for all 3 of these on the datacard. I will do that and let you know. Might not be until tomorrow.
Thanks Again.
Still have the issue after setting "Updates all configurations".... Here is the report output...
C:\PDM-TEST-VAULT\Products\14-0000-02.dwg
All Values of RevDesc Variables
filename variablename revisionno valuecache configurationname
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc01 1 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Model
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc01 6 Layout1
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc01 6 Model
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc01 7 CHANGES MADE PER ER 123457 Model
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc01 11 Model
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc02 1 Model
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc02 6 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Layout1
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc02 6 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Model
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc02 11 Layout1
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc02 11 Model
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc03 1 Model
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc03 6 Layout1
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc03 11 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Layout1
14-0000-02.dwg RevDesc03 11 INITIAL RELEASE PER ER # 123456 Model
Pete,
Ah, one thing to watch out for is that by setting it in the model space it won't update all configurations, that setting only applies to values that are set on the datacard or through transition actions. Try running the test a few times with updates all configs on and entering those values on the datacard instead. If that fixes it you'll need a script to force it to update all configs, I think I've seen one before so I'll see if I can find it again.
Also what happened at Version 6 of 14-0000-02.dwg that caused it to write a value to Layout1 that doesn't happen again? Is it a transition action?
At revision 6, the document has just passed through the "New Revision" transition. This transition copies all the values, or shifts them by 1 to make way for the new revision information to be added. RevDesc01 is written to be blank, to make way for the person doing the drawing to add the reason for change on the file while he has it checked out.
Pete,
In the transition action that clears it, can you set the configuration to Model and make a copy of the action for the @ config if necessary, that should prevent it from creating that intial blank value.
Charley, with your help and my VAR's we have seemed to have found it. I need to properly define the configuration on the action. This will mean that I actually need a duplicate transition. One will cover slddrw files and the other will cover DWG files. The SLDDRW transition will write to the @ config. The DWG transition will write to the Model config. A little annoying, but it should give us what we want. Thank You.
Pete,
Great to hear, don't forget to mark this as answered.
Will mark it as answered, however I am still modifying and testing.
Seems to be working, Charley. Thanks again. Still have more testing to do...
Pete,
In the transition action that clears it, can you set the configuration to Model and make a copy of the action for the @ config if necessary, that should prevent it from creating that intial blank value.