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SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional Plugin Settings

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SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional plugin Settings

The SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional plugin allows the following options to be set:

  • Select if DriveWorks Project files are to be checked in and out.
  • Select if Specification files, including Documents (and any associated file types) that are generated, are to be checked in.
  • Select if Generated SOLIDWORKS models and drawings (and any associated file types) are to be checked in.

DriveWorks plugin running inside SOLIDWORKS

This plugin can either be used in DriveWorks Administrator (in which case it will run as part of the DriveWorks Add-in with SOLIDWORKS during model generation).

It can also be activated in DriveWorks Autopilot to run as part of the Autopilot function.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional Client must be installed on the same machine as DriveWorks.

Configuration

When DriveWorks has been installed, the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional plugin is automatically installed.

You don't need to download this plugin from DriveWorks Labs portal.

With the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional Client installed on the same machine as DriveWorks Administrator, DriveWorks User or DriveWorks Autopilot:

  1. Click the Settings button in the header bar of the DriveWorks application.
  2. From the Settings dialog, select the Plugin Settings category.
  3. From the Application Plugins section, select SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional
  4. The plugin must be Enabled to access the settings.

    Click the Enable button at the bottom of the list of Plugins and Libraries.

    If there is only a Disable button, the plugin is already Enabled.

  5. Click the Settings button to launch the settings dialog.

If the PDM plugin is disabled or the vault is invalid then any PDM Tasks, used in the Project, will return the following message in the Specification report:

  • The task could not run as the plugin is disabled

Similarly any PDM Functions will return the value:

  • #PDM! Plugin not enabled or invalid vault

Vault name

Enter the name of the PDM vault you want to connect to. SOLIDWORKS PDM supports the local vault view (also called the "Blueberry") being in a different location on each machine - to work correctly with DriveWorks, the vault view must be in the same location on each machine running DriveWorks.

Username/Password

Enter a valid User Name and Password to access the vault. We recommend that a unique user Id is created for DriveWorks to log into PDM. SOLIDWORKS PDM will display this user as the creator of each file generated by DriveWorks. For example, the vault view will display the message Checked in by DriveWorks next to each file. See How To: Set Up SOLIDWORKS PDM for more information. The user name that is entered in the settings must be the same as the user logged into the local view of PDM and the SOLIDWORKS add in of PDM.

Store settings in the group

Check this box to save and store the settings for future use (Vaultname/Username/Password).

Logging verbosity

Sets the level of reporting in the log.

Projects

  • Manage Projects - select to enable the options below:
    • Check-out on open - Allows projects, stored in the vault, to be automatically Checked Out when they are opened.
      • Get latest folder content - select to perform a Get Latest prior to the Project being opened.
    • Check-in on close - Allows automatic Check In of a Project once it is closed.
      • Check-in folder content - select to also check in the content of the Project folder on close.
      • Check-in Comment - enter a comment to allocate to the check in comments.

Specifications

  • Enable specification processing - check to enable the options below:
    • Check-in files

      This setting automatically checks in the specification files created by DriveWorks.

    • Check-in comment - enter a comment to allocate to the check in comments.
    • Check-in documents

      This setting automatically checks in any documents created by DriveWorks.

    • Check-in comment - enter a comment to allocate to the check in comments.

Models

  • Enable model processing

    Enables the model processing settings below.

  • Check-in

    This setting automatically checks in all Assemblies, Parts and Drawings as they are created by each new DriveWorks specification. Any additional file types associated with any assembly, part or drawing will also be checked in with this setting.

  • Ensure latest master models and drawings

    This setting will force SOLIDWORKS PDM to perform a 'Get Latest' on the master models and drawings before each generation cycle. Enabling this setting will have an impact on the time taken to generate models. When working with infrequent changes to master models it is recommended to manually perform this action, using SOLIDWORKS PDM, on the machine models are being generated from. If the DriveWorks master project file (ProjectName.driveprojx) is checked into the vault a manual 'Get Latest' should be performed on each machine a specification can be made from if the project has been updated.

  • Ensure latest reference files

    This setting will force SOLIDWORKS PDM to perform a 'Get Latest' on the reference files before each generation cycle.

  • Generate default values on overwrite

    This setting will generate default values on overwrite and will repopulate data card values with up to date variable values, custom properties, title blocks and xmls

  • Update file attributes from database on overwrite
  • Overwrite drawings

    This setting will update the Drawing references and will then overwrite the file updating the version

  • Drive check-in comments

    This setting will drive check-in comments with the value written to the custom property declared below.

  • Comment custom property name

    Name of the custom property check-in comments will be taken from.

  • Delete custom property
  • Static check-in comment

Autopilot

  • Handle Autopilot events
  • Get latest connector files
  • Get latest email attachments
  • Get latest triggered action files

Test

Click the Test button to test the connection to the vault.

Get Specific Version

A specific version of a Master Model can be used for generating.

This requires the custom property DWMasterVersion to be created in the Master SOLIDWORKS part, assembly or drawing.

The value of this property is acknowledged by the plugin during model generation.

See Special Custom Properties (DWMasterVersion) for more information.

The setting Ensure latest master models and drawings must not be checked for the property value to be honored.

SOLIDWORKS System Options

Each machine generating SOLIDWORKS models should have the settings outlined in the topic Info: SOLIDWORKS System Options (KB12121012) applied.

Plugin Use

To run the DriveWorks PDM plugin successfully, thought should be given to where models are located.

The Default Specification Folder (see General Settings) should point to a location inside the vault. If not, absolute paths will be required for all parts that require checking in to ensure they are created into the vault first.

Any standard (non-generated) models need to be added into the vault. These can be checked in or checked out but must be located in the vault. This also includes any standard alternatives (parts that will be swapped out as they are rather than a new version generated)

All Master Models and relevant DriveWorks files (documents that will be cloned for example) can be checked into the vault. DriveWorks will be able to copy these to create new clones where required.

Specifications cannot be edited when they are checked into the vault, they will need to be checked out before editing. However it is possible to place the specifications outside of the vault so that they can be edited or copied after, but have the models going into the vault so that they can be checked in. This is because DriveWorks deletes existing models when editing before regenerating them. However in a PDM system this is not desired behavior.

Models cannot be set to regenerate without manually deleting the original out of the vault first.

Additional PDM Tasks and Functions

PDM Specific Specification Tasks

There are a number of additional Specification Tasks, specific to SOLIDWORKS PDM, that can be run as part of the Specification Flow.

More information on these can be found at the following links:

PDM Specific Functions

There are a number of additional Specification Functions specific to SOLIDWORKS PDM, that can be added when building a rule.

More information on these can be found at the following links:

DriveWorks 15, 16 and 17

Please expand this section for information on previous versions of DriveWorks.

 

Enabled

Uncheck this option to disable the plugin.

Vault Name

Enter the name of the PDM vault you wish to connect to.

SOLIDWORKS PDM supports the local vault view (also called the "Blueberry") being in a different location on each machine - to work correctly with DriveWorks, the vault view must be in the same location on each machine running DriveWorks.

User Name/Password

Enter a valid User Name and Password to access the vault.

We recommend that a unique user Id is created for DriveWorks to log into PDM.

SOLIDWORKS PDM will display this user as the creator of each file generated by DriveWorks.

For example the vault view will display the message Checked in by DriveWorks next to each file.

See How To: Set Up SOLIDWORKS PDM for more information.

The user name that is entered in the settings must be the same as the user logged into the local view of PDM and the SOLIDWORKS add in of PDM.

Check Specification Files in

This setting automatically checks in the specification files created and used by DriveWorks. Any documents created by DriveWorks will also be checked in with this setting. When checking in specification files, there is an option to add or edit a Specification Check in Comment and a Document Check in Comment.

The Document Path or Specification Path of a file within a project must be a subfolder within the PDM Vault.

Any file stored at the root PDM folder will not be checked in.

Enable Model Processing

Enables the model processing settings below.

Check Models in

This setting automatically checks in all Assemblies, Parts and Drawings as they are created by each new DriveWorks specification. Any additional file types associated with any assembly, part or drawing will also be checked in with this setting. When checking in models, there is an option to add or edit a Drive Check in Comment.

The Relative Path of a model or drawing within a project must be a subfolder within the PDM Vault.

Any file stored at the root PDM folder will not be checked in.

Ensure latest master models and drawings

This setting will force SOLIDWORKS PDM to perform a 'Get Latest' on the master models and drawings before each generation cycle.

Enabling this setting will have an impact on the time taken to generate models.

When working with infrequent changes to master models it is recommended to manually perform this action, using SOLIDWORKS PDM, on the machine models are being generated from.

If the DriveWorks master project file (ProjectName.driveprojx) is checked into the vault a manual 'Get Latest' should be performed on each machine a specification can be made from if the project has been updated.

Custom properties will still be applicable, even when the "Ensure latest master models and drawings" check box has been ticked in the SolidWorks PDM Professional Integration Configuration setup screen.

Ensure latest reference files

This setting will force SOLIDWORKS PDM to perform a 'Get Latest' on the reference files before each generation cycle.

Generate default values on overwrite

This setting will repopulate variables used in the data card when the existing file has been overwritten.

Update file attributes from database on overwrite

When you add a new file to the vault, PDM optionally generates some attributes for the file. When you overwrite an existing file, PDM doesn't generate (and apply these attributes to custom properties amongst other things) these attributes.

Enabling this setting will tell PDM to generate these attributes, despite the fact that it's not a "new" file

Overwrite Drawings

This setting will force SOLIDWORKS PDM to overwrite existing drawings.

Logging Verbosity

There are three settings that activate various levels of logging during the running of the plugin.

  • None - Disables all report logging.
  • General - Enables basic logging, reports on the load success/failure of the plugin.
  • Diagnostic - Enables full logging, reports on the load success/failure of the plugin and the success/failure of checking in each model and file.

Get specific version of Master model

We have introduced a special custom property called DWMasterVersion. If you create this custom property in your SOLIDWORKS part, assembly or drawing then the PDM plugin will at the point of model generation preparation pick up on this property, and attempt to retrieve that specific version of the model.

To disable this feature set the value to -1.

Specification Tasks

There are a number of additional Specification Tasks, specific to SOLIDWORKS PDM, that can be run as part of the Specification Flow.

More information on these can be found at the following links:

Test

Click the Test button to test the connection to the vault.

SOLIDWORKS System Options

Each machine generating SOLIDWORKS models should have the settings outlined in the topic Info: SOLIDWORKS System Options (KB12121012) applied.

Plugin Use

To run the DriveWorks PDM plugin successfully, thought should be given to where models are located.

The Default Specification Folder (see General Settings) should point to a location inside the vault. If not, absolute paths will be required for all parts that require checking in to ensure they are created into the vault first.

Any standard (non-generated) models need to be added into the vault. These can be checked in or checked out but must be located in the vault. This also includes any standard alternatives (parts that will be swapped out as they are rather than a new version generated)

All Master Models and relevant DriveWorks files (documents that will be cloned for example) can be checked into the vault. DriveWorks will be able to copy these to create new clones where required.

Specifications cannot be edited when they are checked into the vault, they will need to be checked out before editing. However it is possible to place the specifications outside of the vault so that they can be edited or copied after, but have the models going into the vault so that they can be checked in. This is because DriveWorks deletes existing models when editing before regenerating them. However in a PDM system this is not desired behavior.

Models cannot be set to regenerate without manually deleting the original out of the vault first.

See also

How To: Set Up SOLIDWORKS PDM

How To: Troubleshoot SolidWorks PDM