AFX / EFX - Embedded vs seperate install...?

[nluyt]

Hi All

As far as I understand it, there is currently (from WF5 M090 through to latest Creo2.0) two ways of deploying AFX (formerly EFX).

1. Embedded Install - EFX is an option when installing Proe/Creo, it installs into the Creo installation directory, and you activate it using the config option EFX_ENABLED YES (AFX_ENABLED YES for latest versons....).
2. You can download the EFX7.0 M010 installation and install into a seperate location. You add a Protk.dat entry into your config file pointing to the efx/bin folder and the relevant toolkit application file that is supported with your version of ProE.

So lets assume you have an EFX license, both these methods gets you into a position to run EFX.

with method 1, you can run efx lite (free version), and you also dont have to worry about keeping your efx installation up to date, it will automatically update with your ProE/Creo update. Downside is that any customizations you have made to the efx library will have to be manually carried over.

With method 2, you have addituional admin to keep the seperate install up to date, however if you just update Creo to a later build, you will not lose your customizations because of the seperate install.

I am just afraid that if I implement method 2, which is what I grew up with, 6 months down the line, PTC discontinues support for this...

My question is which is best?

what are the pros and cons?

PS: What's with the undercover, secret squirrel renaming of EFX to AFX without telling anybody...? I only found out because with the latest Creo, my EFX_ENABLED config option didnt work anymore... because PTC renamed the application... and I was unable to smell the change on the wind in time...

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[BrianMartin]

Hi Norman...

I laughed out loud at that last line.

I've run several applications using the protk.dat file. Most people using the Logitech spaceball/space pilot still use this to startup their devices. I can't imagine support for this going away. Too many people use this method to register 3rd party applications. FloEFD and CFDesign (since renamed) both use that mechanism. I'd consider it about as safe as you could get.

I don't know why the rename occurred. Maybe it was a piggyback attempt to rename and realign the software within the Creo product line.

Maybe someone else will chime in with a different perspective?

Good luck!

-Brian

[AndyHermanson]

There is also an options.cfg file in the efx\configuration folder that you set set it to look at a different locations. That way you can update you "network install" and can bypass the protk.dat file. We use a custom .bat file to launch Creo anyway so we just added a section to copy the changed options.cfg to the local machine.