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22-Sapphire I
March 24, 2016
Question

Prevent nested family tables

  • March 24, 2016
  • 2 replies
  • 3205 views

Are there any configurations that can be applied to prevent users from creating nested family tables?  We've got something like 200 in Windchill now - hoping to prevent any new ones.


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2 replies

1-Visitor
March 24, 2016

Besides the use of the employment severance policy?

I've created layered tables, where an assembly refers to a separate part that has its own table, but the nested ones I've seen no value in as they begin to be difficult to navigate. It doesn't seem to me to save much to do nesting, as there are just as many instances as a flat table for the same contents.

Have you tried a rolled up newspaper?

18-Opal
March 25, 2016

I may have to try the rolled up newspaper...  LOL

23-Emerald III
March 29, 2016

From an old Cheech and Chong routine, sanitized:

"Bailiff, whack his fingers!"

1-Visitor
April 6, 2016

I have not found one to prevent this.

If our users do this, we have failed in our training, or they failed to follow the protocols we set.

That said, I created the only nested table in the company back in 2000, with just under 150 instances. It has been rock solid, not one issue ever since, and we continue to build upon it.

18-Opal
April 7, 2016

I know our issues with nested family tables arise not from the software, but the people using it.   Family Tables can be robust and trouble free and are a great technology when used correctly and for a fairly limited implementation.

The trouble starts when someone has to modify a nested family table and don't do it correctly....   And it can be hard to do it correctly.

IMHO

23-Emerald III
April 7, 2016

Since most family tables are used for standard parts that don't change, except for adding new instances, at one company, I put them all in the Library and limited the editing to Librarians. If a user needed a new instance, they would email the librarian the request and then it would get added.