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DriveWorks Live

DriveWorks Live allows your Design Automation, CPQ and Online 3D Sales Configurator solutions to be run internally or externally in a browser, on any device.

DriveWorks Live is a module of DriveWorks Pro:

DriveWorks Live Checklist

Check you have the following in place before specifying a DriveWorks project over the web through DriveWorks Live:

  1. The Group and Projects are located so they that can be accessed by all required DriveWorks applications. See DriveWorks Data and Files in How To: Deploy DriveWorks Pro
  2. The machine DriveWorks Live is installed on follows the recommendations. See Deployment Scenarios in How To: Deploy DriveWorks Pro or Using DriveWorks Live in a DMZ in How To: Deploy DriveWorks Pro
  3. The machine hosting DriveWorks Live can be seen over the Internet. See Hosted Web Integration in How To: Deploy DriveWorks Pro
  4. The DriveWorks Live settings have been applied. See Live Settings

DriveWorks Live and Cookies

DriveWorks Live uses cookies to store information that allows effective management of the session state.

DriveWorks Live and Internet Information Services (IIS)

DriveWorks Live can run directly as an application or through Internet Information Services (IIS).

If you intend running DriveWorks Live through IIS please read How To: Configure DriveWorks Live For IIS.

When running DriveWorks Live through IIS selecting the Group to be opened is done in the .config file, which is explained in the How To: Configure DriveWorks Live For IIS topic.

Optimizing IIS for DriveWorks Live

One of the limitations to HTTP is that it was designed as a one-directional method of communication. However, many modern web-based applications (DriveWorks Live) require more real-time, two-way communications in order to function optimally.

DriveWorks Live, when run through IIS, utilizes WebSocket Protocol to implement two-way communications over the Internet between a client and server.

To enable Web Sockets please refer to the article IIS 8.0 WebSocket Protocol Support.

Running DriveWorks Live as an Application

When running DriveWorks Live as an application you define the Group to be opened and select the Theme to be used through the application.

Opening Groups with DriveWorks Live

A Group is opened by one of the following methods:

  • The last group used can be set to open by selecting Automatically open last used group from the DriveWorks User Settings.
  • From the recent list
  • From the Group button

The Group button activates the Open Group Wizard when clicked. Or it will display a list of recently opened Groups by clicking the drop down arrow on the button.

Select the Theme to Use

The topic Live details how to select the Theme to use.

Embedding DriveWorks Live into your Website

DriveWorks Live can easily be embedded within your website by using a suitable Theme:

  • Web Theme - designed to provide a true web experience with the flexibility of further customization. Can be embedded in an existing website through an inline frame:

    Overcoming Third Party Cookie issues with iframes

    Inline frames are specified within your site by using the <iframe> tag.

    The src attribute of the <iframe> tag provides the URL to the DriveWorks Live site to present within the inline frame. See Inline Frame below for more information.

    Cookies used on sites referenced by an inline frame become third party, which most browsers block by default.

    To overcome this your DriveWorks Live site must be a sub domain of your website.

    Assistance in setting up your DriveWorks Live site to be a sub domain should be provided by your ISP or IT technician.

  • Integration Theme - enables you to fully embed your DriveWorks Implementation in an existing web site or application.

Inline Frame (applicable to Web Theme only)

Typically when running DriveWorks Live, in an inline frame, the Integration Module is implemented to give seamless integration within your site.

An example of a DriveWorks Live site running within an inline frame and using the Integration Module can be seen at http://www.configuremyproduct.com.

Here the main website has 4 products to choose from, each link to a page that contain the inline frame. The Integration Module has been used in each to automatically run the chosen product.

Specifications running in a browser reflect Group Table updates

DriveWorks Live is now able to synchronize the currently running Specifications with DriveWorks Group Table updates.

In previous releases of DriveWorks the user was required to refresh their browser or start a new Specification before any updates to a Group Table were shown.

From DriveWorks 16 onwards, Group Table updates are continually pushed to any running Specifications in DriveWorks Live.

This eliminates the possibility of out of date data being used during Specifications created in a browser, and creates the opportunity to alter the users experience of a Project all within a currently running Specification.

Only applies to Shared Groups

Examples

New customer data is immediately available in the running Specification.

User 1 (Admin) is adding entries to a ‘CustomerData’ Group Table.

User 2 (Salesperson) is creating quotations using DriveWorks Live in a browser.

The data added by User 1 will immediately be available for selection in any DriveWorks Form Controls linked to the ‘CustomerData’ Group Table. This is a much-improved work flow and user experience.

Form design linked to a Group Table updates immediately.

Any DriveWorks Form design linked to a Group Table will update immediately in a browser. For example;

  • Image file paths stored in a Group Table
  • Text content of Labels
  • Minimum and Maximum values of Slider Controls
  • Form displayed in a Frame Control
  • Plus many more....

DriveWorks Today

When the machine is connected to the Internet, DriveWorks Today will display dynamic community content containing useful links to information, news and events to do with DriveWorks.

DriveWorks Today also contains a list of your recent groups to make accessing them faster.

Task Explorer

The Task Explorer allows browsing between DriveWorks Today, and Live and Specification Explorer in the Specification stage.

Themes let you run your DriveWorks Implementation in a browser. Each Theme gives a different user experience.

If DriveWorks Live is running inside Internet Information Services (IIS) more than one Theme can be used at any one time.