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DriveWorks Pro 21
Specification Explorer

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Specification Explorer

The Specification Explorer is where new specifications are created from projects, and existing ones viewed and modified.

The Specification list can be filtered by using the filter at the top of the list.

Please see the topic How To Use Filters for more advanced filtering information.

To Create a New Specification

To begin a new specification follow the steps below:

  • When only a single project is available to specify, that does not have a project image associated (see How To: Display A Project Image On The New Specification Dialog).

    1. Click the New button on the Command Bar.
      The project will launch straight into a specification without any further steps.
  • When more than one project is available to specify or a single project has a project image associated:
    1. Click the New button on the Command Bar.
    2. Click the project from which you wish to create a new specification from.

      The Project list can be filtered by entering the criteria in the filter box.

      Please see the topic How To Use Filters for more advanced filtering information.

    3. Click the OK button or hit Enter.
If the Project is not displayed in the Create New Specification list, the following settings could be the cause:

Specification Navigation

Once a new specification is started, navigate to the end of the user forms using the navigation buttons (bottom of form). The appearance and position of the buttons does depend if the default navigation and specification flow are in use.

The following navigation buttons will appear when the default Specification Flow is in use:

  • The Cancel button - will end the current specification without saving.
  • The Finish button - will save and finish the current specification and give the option of releasing or editing at a later data.
  • The Release button - will release the specification to either Model Generation Server or to be generated in SOLIDWORKS. This depends on the general setting.
  • The Save button - will save the current specification ready to be edited at a later date.

Remaining Tasks

By default each specification will display a section named Tasks. This is where the Form Messages appear. Only when all tasks have been completed will you be able to navigate to the next form, finish or release the specification.

Test Mode

Available in DriveWorks Administrator only.

A specification can have all rules and results analyzed when running a specification.

Start a new specification and click the Test Mode button.

You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + T to toggle between Test Mode once a specification has started.

See Info: Keyboard Shortcuts for more shortcut tips.

Kiosk Mode (DriveWorks User Only)

Kiosk Mode gives DriveWorks User the ability to run a Specification full screen without any DriveWorks UI (header bar, command bar, task list and notification area).

To enable Kiosk Mode please see Kiosk Mode (for User).

Once enabled Kiosk Mode is activated by:

To return to normal running mode press the Esc key, on the keyboard.

Reports and Documents

Once you have finished, released or saved a specification it will appear in the Specification Explorer.

To view a report or document for a specification:

  1. Select the specification from the Specification List on the left.
  2. Double click the document, report or model report from the appropriate section on the right.

Documents

Documents created for the specification will be displayed in the Documents list on the right of the Specification Explorer.

All documents created from the Documents - Files task (not emails) will be displayed in the Documents section.

If a document is not listed it may be set to be hidden.

Check the setting Show hidden files when viewing specifications to display all documents.

The Documents list can be filtered by using the filter at the top of the list.

Please see the topic How To Use Filters for more advanced filtering information.

Right Click Context Menu

Right click on any document in the list to Show In Explorer

This will launch Windows Explorer at the location of the selected document.

Reports

Reports created each time the specification is processed are displayed in the Reports section, under the Documents list.

DriveWorks Administrator can still be used when reports are being viewed.

Place the report and DriveWorks side by side to see the results in the report alongside the rule that was applied in DriveWorks.

See How To: Diagnose Project Issues Using DriveWorks Specification Report for more information.

Model Reports

Model Reports created during generation of any models for that specification are displayed under the Reports list.

DriveWorks Administrator can still be used when reports are being viewed.

Place the report and DriveWorks side by side to see the results in the report alongside the rule that was applied in DriveWorks.

See How To: Diagnose Project Issues Using DriveWorks Generation Report for more information.

Specification Transitions and Operations

When a specification is in a paused state (see Specification Flow) it could have operations and transitions applied that can perform a further action on the specification.

Operation and Transition buttons appear on the Command Bar of the Specification Explorer.

The default Specification Flow displays the following buttons:

  • For a Saved specification:
    • Edit (transition)
    • Copy (operation)
    • Delete (operation)
  • For a Finished specification:
    • Edit (transition)
    • Release (transition)
    • Copy (operation)
    • Delete (operation)
  • For a Released specification:
    • Copy (operation)
    • Delete (operation)
    • Archive (operation)

Multi Select Specifications

Specifications, in the Specification Explorer, can be multi-selected by selecting the first specification and then:

  • pressing the shift key and selecting another specification to select multiple consecutive specifications

    or by

  • pressing the Ctrl key and selecting other specifications to choose multiple unordered specifications

Applicable transitions and operations can be invoked on multiple specifications.

When invoking an action on multiple specifications the following dialog will be displayed:

The available options are:

  • Yes - Will invoke the chosen action on the specification listed and present the same dialog for the next specification
  • Yes to All - Will invoke the chosen action on all specifications and close the dialog
  • No - Will invoke the chosen action on the specification listed only and close the dialog
  • Cancel - Will cancel without invoking the action on any specification