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Action to automatically move files to an Archive folder

Question asked by Pete Yodis on Jan 2, 2014
Latest reply on Apr 6, 2018 by Antonijo Kovacevic

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Every now and then we archive items in our WorkGroup vault. We have a folder/project with limited visibility named "Archive" in the WorkGroup vault. When someone wants to archive a set of files, they perform a change project command on the files and move them into "Archive". With EDPM I think we still prefer to have an "Archive" folder, but I think it may be advantageous to put these files in an "archive" workflow to ensure they are frozen in time and no more revs occur. Is there a way to perform both functions... move the selected file(s) to the archive area and set their workflow to "archive" in one command?. Would Dispatch be the method to accomplish that? The cherry on top would be also moving a file's PDF output from its folder to the archive at the time the move to archive action was fired. Thoughts?

Wayne Marshall Jan 10, 2014 9:25 AM

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Hi Pete,

Sorry about the delay getting back to you, I wasn't alerted to the reply. OK, I think we missed out one step. In EPDM when you select a Part (that has a drawing attached) and change State on it even though the Drawing is in effect the 'parent' node for the Part you see it in the transition box. This is different behavior to a Part that is used in an Assembly (you only see the Part in the transition). This comes down to the fact that in EPDM, under File Types we can define file types that can be used as 'Drawing Nodes' for different files. In the case of SLDASM and SLDPRT these have been added automatically as SLDDRW and PDF. What we need to do is add a Drawing Node of PDF for SLDDRW.

You can verify that this is working because you will now see the PDF in 'blue' above the Drawing in the Contains Tab (as long as you have 'do not show configurations' checked.

Now if you select the Drawing and push it through a transition you will see the PDF in the position you would normally see a Drawing when pushing through a Part. (in the image i am looking at the Where Used NOT Contains Tab)

Hope that helps!!

I've put together a blog post on our website that actually goes through the whole process step by step if anybody else is interested...

Kind regards

Wayne Marshall

Solid Solutions Management

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Wayne Marshall Jan 3, 2014 11:13 AM

Hi Pete,

Typically we only use the Workflow State when implementing an 'Obsolete' State in our Customer's Workflows. This could be part of your standard CAD Workflow or could be accessed via a WorkFlow link, but either way as long as that 'Obsolete / Archived' State is set to have limited visibility (ie just Admin) and the 'Ignore Permissions in Previous States' flag is enabled, then that file effectively disapears from view as it enters the State.

Dispatch doesn't have a 'Move File' Action, only Copy so although you could 'Copy' a file before deleting the original this would result in a loss of History and References. You could move the file via a custom Add-in (triggered on the Workflow transition) but this would require some coding to achieve.

With respect to the PDF, if your PDF is 'checked in' to a seperate Workflow and currently has just the one State (e.g. Approved), then assuming you have the option checked in the Convert Task to link the PDF to the Drawing, if you also add an 'Obsolete' State to the PDF workflow and a Transition using the same name as the one in the CAD workflow then when you 'Obsolete' the Drawing you can also select the Part AND the PDF in the Transition Reference Window.

Hope that helps?

Kind regards

Wayne Marshall

Solid Solutions Management (UK)

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Pete Yodis @ Wayne Marshall on Jan 3, 2014 11:30 AM

Thanks Wayne. Everything you said makes sense. Seems like our best option is to use Workflows to archive the items with proper permissions afterwards. Ashame that Dispatch doesn support a move command, that would have been nice. A dispatch command that moves the files and places them in the proper states would have been ideal, but I think we can make a workflow state work for us...

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Wayne Marshall @ Pete Yodis on Jan 3, 2014 11:33 AM

It would! Why not contact your VAR and ask to be added to the Enhancement Request SPR...

SPR 422972: Need a Move file action in the Dispatch addin commands

Cheers

Wayne

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Pete Yodis @ Wayne Marshall on Jan 3, 2014 11:39 AM

Wayne,

I added the states "Archive" and a transition "Archive" to all the workflows I need. Now when I right click and select change state for a SolidWorks drawing, I do not see the ability to do the same for the pdf ouputs. If I look in the where used for the SolidWorks drawing I clearly see 3 files that are attached. I don't however, have the ability to archive them on 1 command. The only file I can select is the part model. Any thoughts?

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Wayne Marshall @ Pete Yodis on Jan 10, 2014 9:25 AM

Hi Pete,

You can verify that this is working because you will now see the PDF in 'blue' above the Drawing in the Contains Tab (as long as you have 'do not show configurations' checked.

Hope that helps!!

I've put together a blog post on our website that actually goes through the whole process step by step if anybody else is interested...

Kind regards

Wayne Marshall

Solid Solutions Management

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Pete Yodis @ Wayne Marshall on Jan 10, 2014 9:47 AM

Thanks Marshall. That was it.

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Wayne Marshall @ Pete Yodis on Jan 10, 2014 10:37 AM

excellent.. feel free to flag that post as answered

Wayne

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Mati Link @ Wayne Marshall on Nov 10, 2014 6:04 PM

Why oh why cannot it show references for ally assy components

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Antonijo Kovacevic @ Mati Link on Apr 6, 2018 8:20 AM

Is it possible to see all reference documents (PDF, DWG) for all assy components?

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9 Replies

Wayne Marshall Jan 3, 2014 11:13 AM
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Correct Answer
Hi Pete,

Typically we only use the Workflow State when implementing an 'Obsolete' State in our Customer's Workflows. This could be part of your standard CAD Workflow or could be accessed via a WorkFlow link, but either way as long as that 'Obsolete / Archived' State is set to have limited visibility (ie just Admin) and the 'Ignore Permissions in Previous States' flag is enabled, then that file effectively disapears from view as it enters the State.

Dispatch doesn't have a 'Move File' Action, only Copy so although you could 'Copy' a file before deleting the original this would result in a loss of History and References. You could move the file via a custom Add-in (triggered on the Workflow transition) but this would require some coding to achieve.

With respect to the PDF, if your PDF is 'checked in' to a seperate Workflow and currently has just the one State (e.g. Approved), then assuming you have the option checked in the Convert Task to link the PDF to the Drawing, if you also add an 'Obsolete' State to the PDF workflow and a Transition using the same name as the one in the CAD workflow then when you 'Obsolete' the Drawing you can also select the Part AND the PDF in the Transition Reference Window.

Hope that helps?

Kind regards

Wayne Marshall
Solid Solutions Management (UK)
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- Pete Yodis @ Wayne Marshall on Jan 3, 2014 11:30 AM
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  Thanks Wayne. Everything you said makes sense. Seems like our best option is to use Workflows to archive the items with proper permissions afterwards. Ashame that Dispatch doesn support a move command, that would have been nice. A dispatch command that moves the files and places them in the proper states would have been ideal, but I think we can make a workflow state work for us...
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  - Wayne Marshall @ Pete Yodis on Jan 3, 2014 11:33 AM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    It would! Why not contact your VAR and ask to be added to the Enhancement Request SPR...
    
    SPR 422972: Need a Move file action in the Dispatch addin commands
    
    Cheers
    
    Wayne
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- Pete Yodis @ Wayne Marshall on Jan 3, 2014 11:39 AM
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  Wayne,
  
  I added the states "Archive" and a transition "Archive" to all the workflows I need. Now when I right click and select change state for a SolidWorks drawing, I do not see the ability to do the same for the pdf ouputs. If I look in the where used for the SolidWorks drawing I clearly see 3 files that are attached. I don't however, have the ability to archive them on 1 command. The only file I can select is the part model. Any thoughts?
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  - Wayne Marshall @ Pete Yodis on Jan 10, 2014 9:25 AM
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    Correct Answer
    Hi Pete,
    
    Sorry about the delay getting back to you, I wasn't alerted to the reply. OK, I think we missed out one step. In EPDM when you select a Part (that has a drawing attached) and change State on it even though the Drawing is in effect the 'parent' node for the Part you see it in the transition box. This is different behavior to a Part that is used in an Assembly (you only see the Part in the transition). This comes down to the fact that in EPDM, under File Types we can define file types that can be used as 'Drawing Nodes' for different files. In the case of SLDASM and SLDPRT these have been added automatically as SLDDRW and PDF. What we need to do is add a Drawing Node of PDF for SLDDRW.
    
    You can verify that this is working because you will now see the PDF in 'blue' above the Drawing in the Contains Tab (as long as you have 'do not show configurations' checked.
    
    Now if you select the Drawing and push it through a transition you will see the PDF in the position you would normally see a Drawing when pushing through a Part. (in the image i am looking at the Where Used NOT Contains Tab)
    
    Hope that helps!!
    
    I've put together a blog post on our website that actually goes through the whole process step by step if anybody else is interested...
    
    Kind regards
    
    Wayne Marshall
    Solid Solutions Management
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    - Pete Yodis @ Wayne Marshall on Jan 10, 2014 9:47 AM
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      Thanks Marshall. That was it.
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      - Wayne Marshall @ Pete Yodis on Jan 10, 2014 10:37 AM
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        excellent.. feel free to flag that post as answered
        
        Wayne
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    - Mati Link @ Wayne Marshall on Nov 10, 2014 6:04 PM
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      Why oh why cannot it show references for ally assy components
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      - Antonijo Kovacevic @ Mati Link on Apr 6, 2018 8:20 AM
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        Is it possible to see all reference documents (PDF, DWG) for all assy components?
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