Batch load to Windchill from IsoDraw

[thendricks]

Our illustration lead has identified approximately 3,000 IsoDraw files that she'd like to get into Windchill. I've been tracking down a batch method of getting them in.

I've been informed that there is not an out-of-the-box method of importing the files. I've played with a couple options, but here are the problems with each. Any thoughts on either approach?

1) Use the batch tool in IsoDraw to save the files to the workspace. Problem encountered here is that it appears by using the batch tool if works around the Windchill connection and thus it does not update the workspace in Windchill. Any idea on how to use the batch tool and update the workspace at the same time?

2) The other route was a simple cmd batch script to call against each file that opens, runs a macro to save to the workspace, and then close. Problem here is that if a user with a different font set created any of the files each file prompts on open of the font issue. Is there a way to bypass this error? Perhaps a param to ignore it?

Any help would be appreiciated.

[thendricks]

Doing more research I came across the topic of possibly using app.interaction=false. The macro doc says it is not suggested to set this permanently as it will stop errors from appearing. Well, that's exactly what I'd like to do for this batch.

How can you set this permanently? Or when it refers to that warning, is it only referring to the permanence of that IsoDraw session?

[bgraffmann]

The state of 'app.interaction' is set for the current IsoDraw session. It is always 'true' by default and it is not saved like a preference. Just be aware that setting it to 'false' will suppress nearly all messages not only the one you expect.

It's a good idea to set it back to true right after the command that produces the message you like to supress.

[thendricks]

I am aware of the issue and the need to set it back to true, but I was hoping to carry it perhaps through a preference file (though I couldn't find anything referencing it) or a config file so that I could run this batch process and then turn it off after.

[thendricks · Accepted solution]

Finally got it using the above and one of my old posts.

Couldn’t get it perfect, but it’s more of an admin thing anyways. Line #6 needs to have the path to your workspace specified. Line #12 is an option spot to specify a separate macro against each file. In my case I used it to call out a macro that dumps an eps and jpg of each file to a network share.

Strong suggestion is to stay around 500 or less each load. I originally tried this with a little over 3,000 and came back about two hours later and it was running very slow in the 900 range. Running one now and I’m watching it closer and it seems to slow even around 400 or so.