SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional Plugin Settings (DriveWorks Documentation)

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.

SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional and DriveWorks Live Running Through IIS

When running DriveWorks Live through IIS it can be run without a user being logged into the machine.

The SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional plugin requires a logged in user to have access to the local view at all times.

Please ensure that when using the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional plugin and DriveWorks Live (with IIS) the machine is logged in at all times.

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:

Click the Settings button in the header bar of the DriveWorks application.
From the Settings dialog, select the Plugin Settings category.
From the Application Plugins section, select SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional
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.
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.

Vault Location

The local 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 applied in the Projects, Specifications, Models and Autopilot tabs.

Vault and Credentials

The Vault name, Username and Password are required to be applied on each machine that will run the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional plugin.

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
This will ensure data card data, from the SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional database, are copied to the file 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.

Override Master Path

Using this Special Custom Property allows the master path of the captured file to be swapped with another uncaptured master file.

This is useful in the scenario where any number of master files could replace the original captured master file.

In this situation the uncaptured master files are stored in PDM and require their latest version to be updated to be used in the new clone.

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

See Special Custom Properties (DWMasterPath) for more information.

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.

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 Pro 22 SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional Plugin Settings